Preserving the Geological Heritage of “The Dolomites” UNESCO WHS: a Geodatabase approach

The term geoheritage, or geological heritage, represents a group of exceptional geological elements and processes of geodiversity. In this respect, “The Dolomites” UNESCO World Heritage Site (northern Italy), consists of a serial property of nine areas characterized by mountain landscape, which is of considerable natural beauty and high geodiversity. Specifically, the highly variety of carbonate rocks and the superbly exposed geology are extraordinary when considered on a global scale. Pinnacles, rock walls, karst systems, glacial landforms and processes as avalanches, floods and landslides are some examples of the wide geomorphological features typical of this site. Moreover, a distinctive characteristic of the Dolomites is represented by the preservation of the original Mesozoic carbonate platform depositional systems.

Therefore, in order to preserve all the unique characteristics of these spectacular mountains, an unbiased inventory of the prominent values and features characterizing all the sites which are included in the property, is needed. Thus, for the Dolomites, a geodatabase have been developed. It includes a list of scored values such as representativeness, rarity, accessibility, scientific publications etc. and stratigraphical, sedimentological, paleontological, volcanic, structural, geomorphological features, to obtain, for each site belonging to the main property, a final scientific value and a geodiversity index.

The database goal is, therefore, to obtain the best conservation status for this “high-altitude field laboratory” and promote the uniqueness of this extraordinary mountains, so much loved and visited by tourists from all over the world.