Geomorphological Landscapes and Geoconservation

Abstract

The intrinsic value of geomorphological landscapes is considered in the context of aesthetics, culture, socio-economics, and ecology as well as geoscience. Geoconservation has become more urgent as geodiversity, biodiversity, and cultural diversity have declined. The evolution of western Canada's parks and natural heritage sites is a story of alternating successes and failures to achieve geoconservation in the face of hostile economic and political visions. The recent emergence of tribal parks and geoparks is yet further evidence of the lively debate that continues. The common element in these debates is the increasing awareness of the intrinsic value of the geoheritage of which geomorphological landscapes are a central part.