Abstract
Geodiversity treaties have multiplied and given rise to geological heritage as a singular value of protection and preservation for territories. The Puyango Petrified Forest (PPF) is a recognized Ecuadorian reserve, which was declared a National Heritage Treasure. It has an area of 2659 hectares, and it is located in the south of Ecuador, between the provinces of El Oro and Loja. The petrified trunks and trees were buried by volcanic lava, dating from the Cretaceous Period, 96 to 112 million years ago. Thus, silicification and carbonization, two important fossilization events, have produced hundreds of samples of paleontological wealth in Puyango. The objective of this work is to methodologically assess the geodiversity of a fraction of the PPF by registering its geological heritage and value for its preservation and sustainable development. The methodology is based on: (i) Analysis of information on the territory used for tourist visits, as a pilot study area. Presentation of paleontological components and their main sections to enhance their geotouristics value; (ii) Assessment of the geological heritage for its geotourism categorization with a recognized scientific methodology and one proposed by the co-authors propose; and (iii) Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) as a guide for protection and development strategies. Findings reveal the high geotourism potential for a Geopark Project in Puyango, since only 300 hectares are used for tourism and the remaining area is a virgin environment for research and improving knowledge of geodiversity and biodiversity.
Highlights
Geodiversity considers all the geological elements of the Earth’s crust, from the landscape to its internal structure that constitutes the various materials such as rocks, minerals and fossils. It is an inanimate part of nature, but at the same time significant to sustaining biodiversity, since the soil and subsoil generated by a series of geological processes are what sustain it, and what together are part of the natural beauty of a site; geodiversity has been downplayed by historically giving greater prominence to biodiversity [1]
The geological heritage is promoted and protected adequately towards the sustainable development of geotourism; this term emphasizes a form of tourism to natural areas that focuses explicitly on geology and landscape, promoting geosite tourism and the conservation of geodiversity for a better understanding of the earth sciences through appreciation and learning [5]
Puyango Petrified Forest (PPF) is in the categories of Very high and High interest in the scientific, tourist and educational sectors, for its great potential and geological relevance to promote geotouristic development
Summary
Geodiversity considers all the geological elements of the Earth’s crust, from the landscape to its internal structure that constitutes the various materials such as rocks, minerals and fossils. It is an inanimate part of nature, but at the same time significant to sustaining biodiversity, since the soil and subsoil generated by a series of geological processes are what sustain it, and what together are part of the natural beauty of a site; geodiversity has been downplayed by historically giving greater prominence to biodiversity [1]. Paleontological heritage is part of the geological and natural heritage [10]
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