Degradation risk assessment and geomorphological mapping for geoconservation at the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site (Italy)

The Dolomites (NE Italy) are among the most famous and popular mountains in Europe and the world. Due to their outstanding aesthetic value and striking geological and geomorphological features, the Dolomites have been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

However, like other high mountain areas, the Dolomites are characterized by intense geomorphological dynamics, which are partly exacerbated by climate change and compounded by growing anthropogenic pressure. These dynamics lead to the constant evolution of the landscape and its landforms. In turn, this evolution could constitute a risk factor for the degradation of the area's geological heritage. Therefore, in order to conserve and manage the geological and geomorphological attributes that led to the UNESCO recognition, it’s important to assess their degradation risk and, if necessary, monitor their evolution over time.

This research focuses on developing and testing a methodological framework to assess the risk of degradation and identify geoindicators for geosite monitoring within the Dolomites World Heritage Site. The proposed workflow consists of the following main phases: i) geomorphological field surveys, aimed at characterising the sites and identifying the geomorphological, biological or anthropogenic processes currently active in the area; ii) qualitative assessment of the risk of degradation using the criteria of fragility, natural vulnerability, anthropogenic vulnerability and sensitivity to climate change (sensu Garcia-Ortiz et al., 2014); iii) definition of desirable conditions of conservation; iv) identification of site-specific indicators for monitoring.

The methodology has been tested on several sample sites, for which the preliminary results are given. High fragility and natural vulnerability were mainly associated with small, finite sites (e.g. paleontological sites, earth pyramids); in some sites there are also incipient effects of greening. Anthropogenic vulnerability was assessed as low to medium for all the analysed sites – however, some large, complex sites include geological features that are more vulnerable to human impact than the site as a whole. The sensitivity to climate change of the analysed sites is low to medium. In general, the conditions of conservation observed in the field correspond to the desirable conditions.

The proposed methodology provides an operational, evidence-based protocol for integrating geomorphological analysis into geoheritage monitoring and geoconservation, and offers a transferable framework for other World Heritage properties, Geoparks and protected areas.