T123 The Stories of Geoheritage

Monday, 16 October 2023
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
320

GEOHERITAGE SITES: A PLATFORM FOR GEOLOGIC STORYTELLING LINKED TO USGS GEOLOGIC MAPPING

Paper number: T123-16
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 5:10 PM – 5:25 PM

Authors

Abstract

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing a geoheritage geospatial product (GGP) as part of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program U.S. GeoFramework Initiative. The GGP will include geologic features that are scientifically significant, are an educational resource, have cultural heritage, provide economic value, and can be appreciated for their aesthetic allure. These geoheritage values are the foundation for selecting geological sites that appeal to the public interest. The interactive application built from the GGP will provide an outreach and educational tool that links directly to USGS geologic mapping, making geoscience more relevant for the public.

The selection criteria for the GGP include sites that have been identified as geoheritage sites and geologic points of interest that are on Federal public lands where the Federal designation aligns with the geoheritage values. The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) stratotype inventory, National Natural Landmarks (NNL), and the International Union for Geological Sciences (IUGS) First 100 Geoheritage Sites were considered as ideal candidates; however, the NNLs and the IUGS sites are not exclusively on Federal public lands or are too geographically broad, and many of the stratotypes were deemed too technical for a first version of the GGP. To expand the dataset, we looked to the NPS Geoheritage Site Examples on Public Lands and Unofficial National Register of Geoheritage Sites, the Bureau of Land Management National Conservation Areas, the U.S. Forest Service Geologic Features of our National Forests and Grasslands, and other geosite references. The rationale for including only sites on Federal public lands with land management plans in place ensures that the sites can be enjoyed for generations to come.

In addition to promoting the geologic history and conservation of an area, geoheritage sites are a platform to connect geologic and sociocultural stories told to an audience beyond that of scientists and researchers, presenting the opportunity to reach communities that are historically excluded or underrepresented from such communication. Geoheritage has the potential to inspire future geoscientists from all backgrounds and provides the American people with a strong sense of place across the beautiful landscapes that we call home.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 55, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2023AM-394206

© Copyright 2023 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.