The spatial delineation of geosites: an approach for effective management and geoconservation

When doing geomorphosite inventories, one important issue concerns the spatial delineation of the sites themselves. Several authors have proposed classifications of geomorphosites depending on their size and degree of complexity of the processes involved. Depending on the geomorphological conditions of the studied area, the perimeter of a geomorphosite can include a single landform, a cluster of landforms that may be more or less interconnected, as well as large portions of landscape (geomorphological systems). However, these typologies, and the related spatial delineation, do not take into account the possible future evolution of landforms and more in general their management and their evolution.

Indeed, in many cases, threats to the integrity of sites, be they natural or anthropogenic in origin, come from outside the perimeter of the site itself. Morphogenetic processes acting in a more or less extensive area around the geomorphosite influence its evolution and eventually its degradation. Therefore, in assessing the risk of degradation of geomorphosites and their management, one should analyze a wider area than the single perimeter, that is, the whole geomorphological system in which the site is located. In this research, the identification of a second perimeter for each geomorphosite, i.e., a "management perimeter", is proposed to be considered for the assessment of the degradation risk and geoconservation. The extent of the “management perimeter” depends on the characteristics and specificities of the geomorphosite. In some cases it may correspond with its own perimeter, in other cases it may encompass a very large area where processes influence the geomorphosite itself. The proposed approach is tested in two different areas: a mountain context – Val d'Hérens (Valais, Switzerland) – and a coastal context – Liguria (Italy). In conclusion, a typology of geomorphosites into categories for which the identification of the “management perimeter” is more or less homogeneous is proposed. This research highlights how the management and conservation of geosites should be approached with a systemic view, so as to understand how the main features of a geomorphosite interact with the active processes, natural and anthropogenic, acting in the surrounding area.