Contributions from the extractive industry to the understanding, identification, and conservation of geoheritage in UNESCO Global Geoparks

Abstract

Resource extraction and nature conservation are often seen as opposing concepts. Traditionally, from the viewpoint of nature conservationists, they are only positively associated when rehabilitation efforts are made to restore biodiversity in degraded lands due to extractive activities. Despite these conflicting relationships, in UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGps), mining and quarrying can act as opening windows in the Earth’s surface exposing geoheritage. This study aims to identify the contributions of extractive activities to identifying and protecting geoheritage within the context of the 213 UGGps designated by UNESCO. The methods included: i) mapping of geography, geoheritage, and mining variables from documentary and bibliographic review; ii) fieldwork; ii) descriptive statistics and linear regression techniques. 53% of UGGps presented their geoheritage features fully or partially exposed by mining or quarrying environments. Over the 20 years of the Global Geopark Network (GGN), the proportion of UGGps with geoheritage features revealed by extractive activities has increased. Paleontological, stratigraphical, igneous, tectonic, mineralogical, and cosmogenic geoheritage interests are the most frequently exposed by extractive activities. Mining and quarrying activities and their association with geoheritage exposures can be fundamental in developing projects in UGGps, global cooperation for sustainability, policies for rehabilitating degraded areas, and partnerships within the mineral industry.