Geotourist and teaching assessment of geomorphosites in Natural Protected Areas: application in the Cañón del Río Lobos Natural Park, Spain

Landscape, territory, geomorphological heritage or geomorphosites hold a wide potential as a cultural, educational, tourist and socio-economic resource. The intrinsic values of Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) can be considered a resource for the entire population, including the local population. Thus, it is evident that tourist and educational use is intrinsic to the declaration of any NPA, particularly in a Natural Park. The geomorphological heritage is a natural resource that can be used for tourist purposes, just as geotourism helps to raise awareness of geodiversity and geoheritage. NPA and geomorphosites can work as a vehicle for acquiring those values and knowledge, developing educational and tourist experiences and a sense of appreciation to nature in any NPE.

In this paper we propose a method for the identification of geomorphosites at local scale in Natural Protected Areas, considering their natural features as well as cultural aspects, for their subsequent tourist evaluation. The methodology relies on meticulous fieldwork, in conjunction with a detailed geomorphological map, for the identification of geomorphosites. Having identified them, a tourist assessment method has been applied. The method is based on their physical environment factors, geomorphology, and those factors that influence optimum examples for tourism. Fourteen geomorphosites of up to five attributes - karst, fluvial, structural, slopes, fluviokarst - have been inventoried and all of them have been considered suitable for teaching and geotourism.

Fourteen geomorphosites have been assessment as potential geoturistic and educational resources by mean of different assessment charts. We have differentiated between the geomorfosites with a geotouristic or an educative potential. The first one is based in scenic, cultural, scientific, conservation and added values (access, security, infrastructures), and the second one on didactic interest, the teaching level, and complementary values (cultural, scientific). Four geomorphosites have been assess with high geotouristic and educative potential. In two of them, Costalago valley and Río Lobos Canyon, match a high educative and geotouristic values.