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Geoheritage

Assessment, Protection, and Management

  • 2nd Edition - August 22, 2025
  • Latest edition
  • Editors: Emmanuel Reynard, José Brilha
  • Language: English

Geoheritage: Assessment, Protection, and Management, Second Edition provides a comprehensive exploration of geoheritage, beginning with an introduction to geodiversity and… Read more

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Description

Geoheritage: Assessment, Protection, and Management, Second Edition provides a comprehensive exploration of geoheritage, beginning with an introduction to geodiversity and progressing to the characterisation of in situ and ex situ geoheritage, its protection and sustainable use. It also offers advanced concepts and methodologies for site assessment, mapping, conservation, visualisation and management, and features 12 case studies spanning five continents.

Authored by 75 experts from 22 countries, this edition includes nearly 200 figures and maps. New chapters expand the scope of the first edition to address geoheritage’s links to biodiversity, climate change, natural hazards, ecosystem services, education and cities.

This essential resource is perfect for geoscientists and students in the fields of geodiversity, geoheritage, geoconservation and geotourism, as well as professionals involved in nature conservation, protected areas and geoparks.

Key features

  • 24 thematic chapters based on conceptual, methodological and applied research carried out by academics and practitioners
  • 12 case studies from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South and North America, Europe, Australia, and Antarctica
  • Over 200 colour images and maps of geoheritage sites

Readership

Students, researchers and professionals in the geosciences, conservation, and sustainable tourism, geologists, environmentalists, conservationists, etc.

Table of contents

Introduction
Geoheritage: A multidisciplinary and applied research topic


1. Geodiversity: The Backbone of Geoheritage and Geoconservation

2. Methods for Assessing Geodiversity

3. Geodiversity and Biodiversity Linkages in Theory, Practice, and Nature Conservation

4. Geodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Geosystem Services

5. Geodiversity Action Plans – A Method to Structure, Inform and Record Geodiversity Management

Geoheritage

6. Geoheritage: Inventories and Evaluation

7. The Specificities of Geomorphological Heritage

8. Fossils, Heritage and Conservation: Managing Demands on a Precious Resource

9. Geoheritage and Museums

10. The Landscape and the Cultural Value of Geoheritage

11. Challenges Concerning Geoheritage in Urban Areas

12. What geoheritage Tells Us About Climate Change, and What We Can Do About It

13. Geoheritage and Geohazards

14. Geomining Heritage as a Tool to Promote the Social Development of Rural Communities

15. GSSPs as International Geostandards and as Global Geoheritage


Geoheritage and Conservation

16. The Conservation of Geosites: Principles and Practice

17. Geoheritage Conservation and Environmental Policies: Retrospect and Prospect

18. Geoheritage and World Heritage Sites

Uses of Geoheritage

19. The Interplay of Geoheritage: Outdoor Experiences Through Education and Communication

20. Geoheritage: Getting the Message Across. What message and to whom?

21. GDigital Geovisualisation Technologies Applied to Geoheritage Management

22. Geoheritage and Geotourism

23. Geoheritage and Geoparks

Case Studies

24. Potential Geoheritage Sites in Ethiopia: Challenges of Their Promotion and Conservation

25. Geocultural Heritage in Southeastearn Tunisia

26. Geodiversity and Geoconservation in Land Management in Tasmania – A Top-Down Approach

27. Geoheritage Evaluation of Caves in Korea: A Case Study of Limestone Caves

28. Geoheritage Conservation and Geotourism in India: Prospects and Challenges

29. Geodiversity, Geoconservation and Geotourism in China’s Geoparks

30. Geoconservation in Iran, a Case Study of Namakdan Salt Caves

31. Managing Conservation, Research, and Interpretation of Geoheritage Assets at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado, USA

32. Varvite Park, a Brazilian Initiative for the Conservation and Interpretation of Geoheritage

33. IUGS Geological Heritage Sites in Argentina. State-of-the-Art and Perspectives for the Geoconservation of Iguazú Falls and Perito Moreno Glacier

34. Techniques for monitoring geosites in Spain for effective geoconservation

35. Geoheritage and Geoconservation in Antarctica: Challenges and Advances in a Special Territory


Conclusion
Geoheritage and Geoconservation: Challenges for the Next Decade

Product details

  • Edition: 2
  • Latest edition
  • Published: August 22, 2025
  • Language: English

About the editors

ER

Emmanuel Reynard

Emmanuel Reynard is a geographer and Professor at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. He is a member of the Geoheritage Specialist Group of IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and the President of the Scientific Committee of the Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark, France. He also serves in the Geoheritage Commission of the Swiss Academy of Sciences. Previously, he chaired the IAG Working Group on Geomorphosites and the Swiss Academy of Sciences’ Geosites Working Group.

Affiliations and expertise
University of Lausanne, Switzerland

JB

José Brilha

José Brilha is a geologist and Professor at the University of Minho, Portugal. He is a member of the UNESCO IGCP Scientific Board, of the UNESCO Global Geopark Evaluation Team, and of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and its Geoheritage Specialist Group. He was President of ProGEO, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Geoheritage, member of the Geoheritage Task Group of IUGS, of the Portuguese Committee for IGCP, and of the Portuguese Geoparks Forum.

Affiliations and expertise
University of Minho, Portugal

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