Monitoring geosites: a geoconservation tool at Azores Geopark

• Main Author: Lima, A.
• Publication Date: 2012
• Other Authors: Nunes, João Carlos, Brilha, J. B.
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/20616
• topic: Geosite; Geoconservation; Monitoring; Azores Geopark

The Azores archipelago is located in the North Atlantic and is composed by nine islands and some islets. This archipelago, and the surrounding seafloor, has a remarkable geological heritage of international scientific relevance, which constitutes the basis for the establishment of a geopark that is under evaluation by the European Geoparks Network (EGN). The analysis of the evolution of the conservation status of a geosite plays a very important role in the control of its decline. The decrease of relevance of a geosite could be justified either by direct degradation of a geological feature or by lack of concern in the maintenance of the site by local authorities.