Geological Heritage and Geodiversityof South-East Europe:Significance for Culture and Tourism

by Ivan ZAGORCHEVBulgarian Academy of Sciences

WaterfallGeological Heritage and Geodiversity of South-East Europe:Significance for Culture and Tourism

Bildiri Ozetleri, p. 44

Paris Declaration, Feb. 12-13, 2008

“Therefore, we . . .4. Encourage the geosciences communities to ….. let society benefit from the opportunities provided by a sustainable use of the Earth’s resources;By . . . d) Promoting awareness about the structure, evolution, beauty and diversity of the Earth System and its human cultures inscribed in landscapes, through the establishment of “Geoparks”, Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage Sites as a public tool for conservation and development . . “

* Beautiful and impressive land forms* Sites of special scientific importance* Sites related to human mining activities* Geological documents* Geological objects conserved ex situ: specimens of minerals, rocks, fossils, etc.

Preservation of the GEOLOGICAL HERITAGE

Preservation of the geological heritageEthics of MODERN CIVILIZATION

Harmony Human kind – NatureNatural heritage – Biological heritage – biodiversity– Geological heritage –

- mineral heritage - mineral diversityArchaeological and architectural heritage

The Balkan Peninsula and Anatolia are particularly rich in cultural monuments being one of the cradles of ancient civilizations, and a natural bridge between Europe and Asia.

The geological structure of the Balkan Peninsula has been formed by vast transformations of the Earth’s crust, and the onset, evolution and closure of the Tethys ocean and the Paratethys basins. These processes led to a significant geological and mineral diversity that must be preserved and enriched as a precious heritage of the region’s nations and of the whole humanity.

Relics from the Cadomianand the Hercynian orogens

Late Alpine orogenson the Balkan Peninsula

Two principal types of orogens may be outlined: (i) orogens (Dinarides-Albanides-Hellenides; Vardarides) issued from former Tethyan oceanic and marginal basins (subduction-related imbrication of oceanic crust with elements of the continental slope and marginal arcs), (ii) orogens (Srednogorie, Balkanides) issued from peri-Tethyan basins and epicontinental island arcs, rifts, and flysch and molasse troughs.

The Thracian “plateau” (Thracian massif; Rhodope Massif s.l.) represents an area of thickened continental crust situated at the margin of the Tethys with the Eurasian continent. In post-Palaeozoic times it was an unstable area of shallow basins (Peri-Tethys; Paratethys) and island arcs, with continuous exhumation of metamorphic and igneous rocks of Cadomian, Hercynian and Alpine age.

Thracian “plateau”

Orogenic collapseand the Paratethys

Formation and evolution of the fluvial systems

Preservation of cultural diversity and of the historic and cultural heritage is one of the principal tasks of European cultural policy.

Cultural and historic heritage:Neolithic and Chalcolithic

Primitive societies had been greatly dependent on stone:Hence, the STONE AGE.Importance of rock and stone: dwelling and asylum (caves), weapons and instruments (rock and mineral), the ultimate beverage (water) - worshipping rocks, caves and springs

This tradition has been translated through the next prehistoric societies to the Antiquity.Next come the metallurgical abilities, and the necessity of expanded geological and mining knowledge:the CHALCOLITHIC (Copper Age), the BRONZE Age, the IRON AGE – worshipping fire and the divine blacksmith

Thracians: the rock people

Cultural and historic heritage:Thracians – the rock people

Cultural and historic heritage:Bulgarian builders

Southeast Europe and Asia Minor have the privileged position of a bridge between Europe and Asia. This special position has its roots in the geological evolution and structure, and has played an important part in the evolution, migration and dissemination of floral and faunal taxa, in the migration and evolution of the first humans, and of many human tribes. Thus, our region became a focus of civilizations that flourished since the eve of humanity. Each tribe and civilization has left its impact on the present population and its ethnic and socio-cultural tradition.

Basic and applied knowledge about the rocks and the geologic processes has been always an important element of human science and culture. The very existence of every human individual and of the species Homo sapiens has been always dependent on knowledge about Nature, the utilization of natural products (and on a later stage, their processing and preparation of new products) and avoiding and/or minimizing the natural hazards.

Other aspects of science – culture interrelations:GEOARCHAEOLOGYARCHAEOMINERALOGYARCHAEOGEOPHYSICSARCHAEOASTRONOMYGEOMYTHOLOGY

GEOLOGY and ARCHITECTURE:

- insertion of the constructions into the landscape and the geological environment

- use of the right rock for decoration and/or restoration

The heritage of mankind should be regarded as an indivisible whole: natural heritage (geological heritage, mineral diversity, biodiversity and the variety of different environments) and archaeological, art and folklore heritage are only different facets of the cultural heritage.

Geological heritage and tourism:- Geoheritage as a subject of cultural tourism- Students exchange and tourism: there are no two identical outcrops,

and “between two geologists better is the one who has seen more outcrops” (H.H. Reed)

- International congresses and symposia

Necessity of wider outreach:Popular books and booklets

TV programsGeological guidebooks Geoparks

Geoheritage as a subject of cultural tourism - towards a complex presentation of the geological heritage and

geodiversity, the biodiversity, and the cultural s.s. heritage

Some practical issues:

* raise the interest of local authorities* raise the interest of local people - outreach;

potential hotel-keepers and investors* improve infrastructure - avoid overconstruction* improve quality of services* emphacize on diversity of natural and cultural s.s.

monuments* establish relations between local authorities, local

people, tourist companies and scientists - towards successful outreach and publicity

TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE TOURISM –FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE

CONCLUSIONSIt is our duty to preserve the natural and cultural heritage in

their entity and primeval harmony.The Earth sciences possess a vast potential for enlargement

and diversification of research in interdisciplinary domains for the benefit of culture and civilization.

The most important geoheritage elements as geosites, geotrails, geoparks and geological museum collections when properly exhibited may play an important role in the education of modern societies in the principles of sustainability and nature conservation. In close links with archaeological, historic and architectural sites, the geological heritage could be successfully shown up and incorporated in the cultural tourist programs, and become a source of pride and income for the local communities.

Tourism bears some dangers for the preservation of the geoheritage and the cultural heritage – hence, we should try to avoid them.

THANK YOU!