Inventory and assessment of geoheritage in the Liguria region (Italy) within the framework of land management and development

Geoheritage is an important natural resource that can represent a link between geosciences and the wider public, and all over the world initiatives have emerged to protect, value and enhance it. Therefore, geoheritage assessment is a fundamental step in choosing a correct land management strategy. The Liguria Region in Northern Italy is characterized by a wide geological and geomorphological variety, encompassing an important and valuable geoheritage. In Liguria, a regional law (L.R. 39/2009) protect and enhance geodiversity and geosites, establishing the Regional Inventory of Geosites. However, an approved official inventory is still lacking. In the present work a first reasoned inventory of 120 geosites is proposed for the Liguria Region, based on field surveys and literature review. A quantitative assessment of the value and the degradation risk was carried out. The value assessment takes into account the scientific value, the additional (aesthetic and cultural) value and the potential for use value; these three values are combined to obtain a total value (Q). Nine geosites obtain a Q value higher than 4: these geosites are among the best known of the Liguria region and are already exploited for tourism, such as the Palmaria and Tino islands, the Portovenere cliffs, the Gambatesa Mine, the Mt. Ramaceto sandstones, the Fascette Gorge, the S. Bernardino karst plateau, the Capo Mortola nummulitic limestones, the ophiolite outcrops of the Beigua Geopark and Framura. The degradation risk assessment takes into account both fragility and vulnerability of the geosites. The geosites selected and assessed in the present research will be implemented in the Regional Inventory of Geosites. Moreover, the results provides the necessary ground for interested parties to take actions for the implementation of effective regional geoconservation strategy or environmental management plan.