Dilemma of Geoconservation of Monogenetic Volcanic Sites under Fast Urbanization and Infrastructure Developments with Special Relevance to the Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand

Károly Németh,Ilmars Gravis,Boglárka Németh

doi:10.3390/su13126549

Károly Németh, Ilmars Gravis + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126549

Copy DOI

Abstract

Geoheritage is an important aspect in developing workable strategies for natural hazard resilience. This is reflected in the UNESCO IGCP Project (# 692. Geoheritage for Geohazard Resilience) that continues to successfully develop global awareness of the multifaced aspects of geoheritage research. Geohazards form a great variety of natural phenomena that should be properly identified, and their importance communicated to all levels of society. This is especially the case in urban areas such as Auckland. The largest socio-economic urban center in New Zealand, Auckland faces potential volcanic hazards as it sits on an active Quaternary monogenetic volcanic field. Individual volcanic geosites of young eruptive products are considered to form the foundation of community outreach demonstrating causes and consequences of volcanism associated volcanism. However, in recent decades, rapid urban development has increased demand for raw materials and encroached on natural sites which would be ideal for such outreach. The dramatic loss of volcanic geoheritage of Auckland is alarming. Here we demonstrate that abandoned quarry sites (e.g., Wiri Mountain) could be used as key locations to serve these goals. We contrast the reality that Auckland sites are underutilized and fast diminishing, with positive examples known from similar but older volcanic regions, such as the Mio/Pliocene Bakony–Balaton UNESCO Global Geopark in Hungary.

Highlights

Intracontinental monogenetic volcanic fields are the most common on-land manifestation of volcanism on Earth [1]
We demonstrate the under-utilization abandoned or still operating raw material quarry sites, in contrast to another region with of the abandoned or still operating raw material quarry sites, in contrast to another region similar volcanic geoheritage values in Central Europe, where such quarry sites are widely with similar volcanic geoheritage values in Central Europe, where such quarry sites are used for geoeducation purposes and in many cases fall under strong Geoconservation widely used for geoeducation purposes and in many cases fall under strong Geoconserpolicies, especially those located within a UNESCO Global Geopark
Geoheritage of monogenetic volcanic fields provides an invaluable asset in facilitating geoeducation in resilience to volcanic hazards

Summary

Introduction

Intracontinental monogenetic volcanic fields are the most common on-land manifestation of volcanism on Earth [1]. Though a promising new avenue for protection and utilization of abandoned quarries, high rates of urbanization and increasing economic value of geological commodities seen as necessary for local economic and development needs may override geoconservation policies and in some cases result in overexploitation [2,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31]. We provide demonstrative case studies from two monogenetic volcanic fields and highlight the paradoxical situation whereby in an intact condition their inner structure remains hidden, while the destructive practice of quarrying can reveal the succession of eruptive phases and their geological components.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion