Geology for All: Engaging the Public with a Simplified and Accessible Geological Map of Rome

Geological maps are fundamental tools in geoscientific research and play a critical role in land-use planning, risk assessment and resource management. However, their complexity, interdisciplinary nature and dense data content often make them difficult to interpret for non-specialist audiences. Consequently, their potential as tools for science communication remains largely untapped.

To foster greater public involvement in Earth sciences and to increase awareness of the influence of geology on everyday life, and drawing inspiration from the 2022 educational geological map of the Paris region produced by the French Geological Survey (BRGM) in the series of geological maps for educational purposes (https://www.brgm.fr/en/news/news/three-new-geological-maps-educational-purposes), we developed a prototype simplified geological map derived from the Geological Map of Sheet 374 – Rome (CARG Project, Geological Survey of Italy).

The simplified geological map of Rome is designed to reach a broad and diverse audience, from young students to tourists, citizens, policymakers and stakeholders, encompassing a wide range of ages, languages, educational backgrounds and abilities. To achieve this, the product combines scientific accuracy with visual engagement, presenting content in at least two languages (Italian and English), with simple explanations for beginners and additional information for those wishing to explore the topic in more depth.

Special attention was given to the design: map colours were chosen to be colour-blind friendly, and a freely available font was adopted to mitigate common symptoms of dyslexia (https://opendyslexic.org/). Efforts are ongoing to develop a version accessible to visually impaired users.

The prototype is flexible and replicable, capable of being adapted to other regions and geological contexts. It integrates a simplified geological map, a geological cross-section, a geological timescale and an intuitive, visually appealing, legend, providing a clear representation of the relationships among geological structures, georesources and geo-hazards in a highly urbanized environment.

This project represents a science communication experiment aimed at translating authoritative, technically oriented geological maps into simplified, visually engaging products that maintain scientific rigor while enhancing accessibility, understanding and public engagement with Earth sciences.