Abstract
This paper subscribes to the concept of Key Geoheritage Area (KGA) which is currently being developed. Three localities in northeast Brazil are described as possible candidates for KGA. They represent the diversity of erosional granite landscapes found in cratonic areas. Pedra da Boca is an impressive cluster of tall domes rising from the marginal escarpment of Borborema Plateau, with gigantic tafoni. Pai Mateus is located on the Borborema Plateau and consists of a group of low granite elevations (ruware, whalebacks) with residual boulders scattered on their surfaces. These boulders are hollowed out by weathering, providing another very distinctive type of tafoni. Quixadá area is an inselberg landscape, with a few dozens of bedrock hills rising from the plain. Among minor features, karren are ubiquitous. Collectively, these three sites show different types of cratonic granite scenery, a multitude of medium-size and minor geomorphic features, and illustrate pathways for inselberg formation and decay through long-term weathering and erosion. Therefore, they are considered to fit the concept of KGA. In addition, each landscape has considerable aesthetic and scenic values, with great potential for geotourism and geoeducation. Nevertheless, their current conservation status is low and geointerpretation nearly nonexistent and these challenges are to be addressed in the future.
Highlights
Geoheritage is a well-established, widely recognized concept within science, outreach and conservation which underpins various activities undertaken at regional, national, and international level focused on protection, better understanding of the Earth history, bridging the gap between science and the public, and the development of sustainable tourism
2 Departamento do Geografia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil. Two global initiatives, both implemented under the umbrella of UNESCO, explicitly address the international significance of geoheritage. These are UNESCO World Heritage, within which areas may be inscribed on the World Heritage List in recognition of the outstanding universal values (OUV) of its geology and geomorphology (Migoń 2014, 2018a), and UNESCO Global Geoparks, which requires from the aspiring geoparks to have “geological heritage of international significance” (Brilha 2018a)
Key Geoheritage Area (KGA) do not need to have OUV as defined in Operational Guidelines ( 2019) neither are required to be in any way related to local sustainable development, geotourism
Summary
Geoheritage is a well-established, widely recognized concept within science, outreach and conservation which underpins various activities undertaken at regional, national, and international level focused on protection, better understanding of the Earth history, bridging the gap between science and the public, and the development of sustainable tourism. Two global initiatives, both implemented under the umbrella of UNESCO, explicitly address the international significance of geoheritage These are UNESCO World Heritage, within which areas may be inscribed on the World Heritage List in recognition of the outstanding universal values (OUV) of its geology and geomorphology (Migoń 2014, 2018a), and UNESCO Global Geoparks, which requires from the aspiring geoparks to have “geological heritage of international significance” (Brilha 2018a). Both these global undertakings have their limitations, arising from specific goals for each, and are unable to provide an adequate framework to protect all key geoheritage sites. According to the working version of the proposal, KGA will cover various aspects of geosciences, from large-
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