|
|
Risk Assessment on Geodiversity Sites
Kubalíková, Lucie ; Nováková, Eva ; Kuda, František ; Kirchner, Karel ; Bajer, A. ; Balková, M.
Geoconservation is an action of conserving and enhancing geological, geomorphological, hydrological and soil features and processes. Particular geoconservation measures are very often applied on the site-level to protect important geodiversity sites. Nevertheless, despite established legal protection and related geoconservation activities, threats to geodiversity sites related to the multiple use and human society demands can arise and reaching a compromise can be difficult. In this contribution, a two-level threat assessment is applied and discussed. The first level of threat assessment is based on the already used criteria within geosite/geomorphosite concept. The second level of threat assessment is represented by Risk Assessment Matrix, which may be considered a useful tool providing a complex view on the threats to geodiversity sites. The methods are applied on two different sites and their advantages and limits are discussed. Based on the assessment, specific management proposals may be implemented in order to balance conservation needs and demands resulting from human activities related to the sites.
|
|
|
Underground Spaces In Bosonožský Hájek Nature Reserve And Their Geoeducation Importance
Kirchner, Karel ; Kuda, František ; Baldík, V. ; Kubalíková, Lucie
Bosonožský hájek Natural Reserve (Brno, South Moravia) is a very important site from the Earth Science point of view, however, its geodiversity values have been rather overlooked and omitted in the past (the object of legal protection is the occurrence of well-preserved forest ecosystems and endangered species). In the last decades, a series of field work and geophysical measurements has been carried out and the Earth Science phenomena have been identified and described here. These are represented by a dense network of gullies that developed in Pleistocene loess and that are both of natural and anthropogenic origin (some gullies probably developed along the old paths) and specific underground spaces (so called dugouts). Until now, the dugouts in South Moravia have been investigated mainly by archaeologists and those in Bosonožský hájek NR have not been described in detail yet. This brief contribution brings new information about three underground landforms and their possible relationship to the age and development of the gullies. The possibility of different interpretations of the origin of these specific landforms can be considered an opportunity in the field of Earth Science (geosciences) education and as an interesting complement of tourist and recreational activities on site.
|
|
|
Viewpoint geosites and their potential for geoeducation and geotourism
Kubalíková, Lucie ; Kirchner, Karel ; Kuda, František
Viewpoint geosites are locations which allow observation of the surrounding landscape and comprehension of geodiversity (or Earth history recorded in rocks, structures and landforms) visible from this locality. The sites themselves don‘t have to be attractive from the Earth-sciences point of view, so they may be both natural (e.g. rock outcrops, mountain tops) and man-made objects (e.g. watchtowers, view terraces). These sites represent a very important resource for geotourism and geoeducation as they allow understand landscape, its history and relationships between its components. In this paper, we present examples of viewpoints from Podyjí National Park (both natural and man-made structures) that allow to observe geodiversity of the area. For an effective management and rational use of these specific and important sites, it is necessary to identify their characteristics and potential, so the guidelines for inventorying and method for assessment their potential are proposed. These procedures can contribute to the development of geotourist and geoeducational activities and above all, they enable better understanding of geodiversity’s position within landscape and justify its conservation and sustainable use.
|
|
|
Geological paths – their use for the regional geography teaching
Kubalíková, Lucie ; Drápela, E. ; Bajer, A. ; Zapletalová, D. ; Balková, M. ; Zágoršek, K. ; Kirchner, Karel ; Kuda, František ; Roštínský, Pavel
Geological paths (geopaths, geotrails) represent a type of educational paths that connect sites, which are interesting from the Earth-sciences point of view. These sites (e.g. outcrops, old quarries, historical buildings built of local stone or viewpoints) often represent the links between geodiversity and other phenomena within a region (which is in accordance with a holistic approach to geotourism). Thus, they can give complex information not only about the abiotic nature but also about biodiversity, history or culture of the region, usually through narrative. Suitable interpretation of geodiversity and its relationships to the biodiversity and cultural heritage allows to identify regional specifics, it helps to find the mutual connections between particular phenomena within the region and it supports the holistic perception of a given region. The contribution presents an example from the Brno city where the urban geopath can be used for teaching regional geography of Brno and its surroundings.
|
|
|
Anthropogenic relief transformations - their knowledge and evaluation with regard to the uniqueness and cultural identity of regions
Kirchner, Karel ; Kubalíková, Lucie ; Kuda, František ; Havlíček, M.
Within the development of new regional geography, the role of human geographic research in the study of regions is emphasized. Regional uniqueness, a consciousness of belonging to a particular However, physical geography disciplines, e.g. geomorphology, can also contribute to the knowledge of these aspects with regard to the definition of regions. Currently, within the framework of geomorphology, attention is paid to the diversity of anthropogenic landforms. The knowledge and evaluation of these anthropogenic landforms, which are an important part of the historical elements of the landscape and are also referred to as cultural artefacts of the landscape, enables to supplement the cultural-historical values of the region and to specify the cultural identity of the region. On the example of sites - Staré Hradisko and Hostýn - we will present the specifics of secondary geodiversity with respect to the cultural identity of the sites.
|
|
|
New opportunities for geotourism development at geoarcheological site Holedná Hill (Brno, Czech Republic)
Kubalíková, Lucie ; Kirchner, Karel ; Kuda, František
Special Interest Tourism is often seen as a form of ‘alternative’, ‘ethical’ or ‘environmentally responsible’ tourism and it occurs when the tourists’ motivation and decision-making are primarily determined by a particular special interest with a focus either on activities and/or destinations and settings and search for novel experiences (Novotná et al. 2019). \nOne of the types of sites are called geocultural sites (Reynard and Giusti 2018). Geoarcheological sites can be considered a type of geocultural sites and can be defined as sites where geological aspects are accompanied and closely related to archaeological issues. \nThe Holedná Hill (Brno, Czech Republic) can be considered an example of such geoarcheological site. It is important from the Earth-science point of view and it includes specific archaeological issues that are closely related to the geodiversity. This paper briefly sums the natural and cultural values of Holedná Hill and based on the geomorphosite assessment and SWOT analysis.\n
|
|
|
Old quarries in Brno city: a bridge between natural and cultural heritage
Kubalíková, Lucie
Thanks to its position on the border of two important geological units (Bohemian Massif and Western Carpathian), Brno City possesses high lithological and morphological diversity. These geodiversity aspects significantly influenced the historical development of the city, its urban settings and the availability or use of natural resources. The history of exploitation of natural resources begins in the Palaeolothic (flints on Stránská skála), however, the quarrying itself dates to the Early Middle Age – e.g. the extraction of limestones at Hády and Stránská skála, Old Red sandstones and conglomerate at Červný kopec. Currently, there are tens of abandoned quarries and pits within Brno city, which give testimony about the geological history and history of use of the natural resources. These extraction sites are often protected by law as Natural Monuments or Reserves or Important Landscape Elements. Thanks to their values they represent an important resource of the knowledge in the Earth-sciences (paleontology, stratigraphy, speleology), but they have often the significance from the cultural and historical point of view (use of the material for local architecture, anthropogenic landforms related to mining, influence on the urban development). Quarries thus represent a bridge between natural and cultural landscape features or between natural and cultural heritage. The research on quarries (or extraction sites) can bring new insights into the problem of an integrated approach to the protection and conservation of natural and cultural heritage.
|
|
|
Developing urban geotourism in Brno (Czech Republic)
Kubalíková, Lucie ; Kirchner, Karel ; Bajer, A. ; Balková, M. ; Kuda, František
The term “urban geotourism” is defined as tourism based on the places within the city boundary (both in the form of built heritage - monuments, buildings, statues - and rock outcrops) that is related to geological concepts and features. As a first step for the development of urban geotourism it is necessary to identify and inventory the geotourist resources, which should take into account both natural (geological, geomorphological, hydrological or palaeontological, and ecological aspects related to geodiversity), and cultural aspects related to geodiversity (e.g. monuments, building stone, geo-toponyms, anthropogenic landforms). Based on the classification of geotourist sites, selected examples from Brno (Czech Republic) are given, supplemented by geotourist and geo-educational activities. In the conclusion, the advantages of urban geotourism are summarized and its importance for the protection of abiotic nature and sustainable management of valuable sites is suggested.\n\n
|
|
|
Cultural functions and services of geodiversity within urban areas (with a special regard on tourism and recreation)
Kubalíková, Lucie ; Bajer, A. ; Drápela, E. ; Zapletalová, D. ; Kirchner, Karel ; Balková, M. ; Zágoršek, K. ; Kuda, František ; Roštínský, Pavel
Geodiversity (or abiotic nature) within urban areas has numerous functions and offers various benefits and services. In addition, it has strong links to cultural heritage and historical aspects and it influences and is influenced by urban development and planning. The geodiversity functions and services can be sorted according to the ecosystem services approach: regulating, supporting, provisioning and cultural services. The last mentioned includes a wide spectrum of aspects (spiritual, religious, historical, archaeological, social, artistic, sense of place etc.) and besides this, it encompasses also the tourist and recreational functions which are (in some cases) unexplored and underestimated in urban areas. The paper presents examples from two different Czech cities – Brno and Liberec. Selected geocultural sites are described and assessed and specific proposals for tourist, recreational and educational use are outlined. The results of evaluation show that they can represent an interesting alternative to the traditional tourist destinations within urban areas.
|
|
|
GEOSITE AND GEOMORPHOSITE ASSESSMENT FOR GEOTOURISM PURPOSE: A CASE STUDY FROM THE VIZOVICKA VRCHOVINA HIGHLAND, EASTERN MORAVIA
Kirchner, Karel ; Kubalíková, Lucie
Geotourism can be understood at a broader sense as geographical tourism sustaining environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of residents of a place or in a more restricted sense as a form of nature tourism that specifically focuses on landscape and geology. Geological, geomorphological and pedological sites are the most important resource for the geotourism activities. It is evident that not every site can be used for geotourism purposes. To find out which site can be used, it is necessary to identify, describe and assess various sites using a suitable assessment methodology. Based on the definition and conceptsof geotourism and the assessment methods already used for geomorphosite assessment, authors propose five groups of assessment criteria. The method was used for assessing selected sites in the Vizovickavrchovina Highland (Eastern Moravia, Outer Western Carpathians). Thanks to the assessment of the sites in this region, some potential geotourism resources were identified. Although the proposed method is numerical which should reduce the subjectivity, there is always a degree of subjectivity due to the fact that the real value of some criteria cannot be measured and it depends on assessor's experience, knowledge and preferences.
|
guest ::
RSS feed.