Abstract
From a large database generated from the geological heritage of more than 100 geosites in four natural areas of Salamanca, Ávila, and Cáceres provinces (Spain), the 13 most representative sites were selected, and their scientific, educational, and tourist/cultural interest values were determined. The natural park of Batuecas-Sierra de Francia-Candelario presents the highest values and is followed by the natural park of Arribes del Duero. Using geomatic tools, digital information was compiled from different thematic layers, and, together with photographs, diagrams, and descriptive cards, was incorporated to produce didactic resources. By interacting with digital information using the free Google Earth platform, 3D virtual flights, which can be followed in real time, were established and implemented in different formats (mpeg, avi, wma, etc.). These are reproducible in different multimedia systems, which increases the possibility of educational and tourism use by broad layers of the population. Therefore, this favors the sustainable development of the area.
Highlights
Geodiversity plays an important role in the characteristics and evolution of the landscape as well as in the configuration and sustenance of ecosystems
From a large database generated from the geological heritage of more than 100 geosites in four natural areas of Salamanca, Ávila, and Cáceres provinces (Spain), the 13 most representative sites were selected, and their scientific, educational, and tourist/cultural interest values were determined
By interacting with digital information using the free Google Earth platform, 3D virtual flights, which can be followed in real time, were established and implemented in different formats
Summary
Geodiversity plays an important role in the characteristics and evolution of the landscape as well as in the configuration and sustenance of ecosystems. Since 2000, a new denomination was developed, with great success, for cases when there is a great abundance of relevant geological elements in a region—namely, “geopark.” Officially recognized by UNESCO in 2015, geoparks are understood as territories that harbor unique geological forms of special scientific importance, singularity, or beauty, which are representative of the evolution of geological history and of the events and processes that have formed their exclusive characteristics, without having to ignore their ecological, cultural, or archaeological aspects related to geology [3,4]. The geological heritage can become more than a scientific and educational resource It is attracting growing interest as an economic resource in sustainable development strategies in natural parks through geotourism [11,12,13,14,15,16]
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