Afterword of UNESCO European Geoparks (Special Volume)

Geoconservation Research

دوره 4، شماره 2 - شماره پیاپی 6، اسفند 2021، صفحه 720-721   

نوع مقاله: Afterword

شناسه دیجیتال (DOI): 10.30486/gcr.2021.687466

نویسنده

Mahshid Pezeshki^*

Isfahan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

اصل مقاله

Geoconservation Research published a special issue on Paleontological Heritage and Geoconservation in UNESCO European Geoparks. The goal of this volume which was completely achieved was presenting geosites with fossil-based values and heritage in the green continent. Thanks to the experience and effort of our Guest editor, Prof. Dan Grigorescu, who invited many professors and experts from European countries, this journal could publish 60 articles submitted on European Geoparks.

This volume was divided into two issues based on geological periods: The first issue: Paleozoic and Precambrian, with 25 articles; the second issue: Mesozoic and Cenozoic, with 36 articles.

We hope this volume not only can help the present UNESCO geoparks be recognized from a paleontological point of view, but also can be a potential encouragement for the identification of new geosites as Geoparks, which may be registered with UNESCO in the future. Additionally, the published articles address the authentic features of the geology of Europe and share new ideas about geoconservation and geotourism of geoparks and their connections with fossil-based sites. Unlike the investigation of Geotourism and Geoconservation from geographical aspects in most sources, this special volume of Geoconservation Research highlights geological merits. We draw readers into the value and diversity of paleontological heritage of Europe from different geological periods.

 

Geoparks such as the Courel Mountains UNESCO Global Geopark, Sierra Norte Geopark, North West Highlands Geopark, Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark, Naturtejo UNESCO Global Geopark, Villuercas-Ibores-Jara UNESCO Global Geopark, Molina-Alto Tajo UNESCO Global Geopark, UNESCO Global Geopark TERRA.vita, Las Loras UNESCO Global Geopark, Monts d’Ardèche UNESCO Global Geopark, The Hațeg Country UNESCO Global Geopark, Luberon UNESCO Global Geopark etc have been mentioned and described in this volume, and these extend geographically from Scotland to Slovenia, and Portugal to Romania.

 

We expect that this volume can attract researchers’ interest and will be an introduction for future collections of articles on geoconservation and related subjects.

On behalf of the publisher and editorial team, we gratefully acknowledge Professor Dan Grigorescu’s dedicated contributions to Paleontological Heritage and Geoconservation in the UNESCO European Geoparks volume, for collecting and editing papers and also the editor in chief’s endeavor in managing and editing papers during the peer-review process and thereafter as well as authors contributing to this volume.