Search

Since the Digne Convention in 1991, the literature related to Geoparks has gained a growing interest on the academy&rsquo, s part, especially in achieving the preservation of geological interest sites through sustainable tourism. This article aims to provide an analysis of the academic research on Geoparks, based on publications in the Scopus database in the period 2002&ndash, 2020. Bibliometric analysis methods and bibliographic display maps were examined using VOSviewer software. The bibliometric analysis process comprises three phases: (i) Search Criteria and Source Identification, (ii) software and data extraction, and (iii) data analysis and interpretation. The results show geoparks in full growth as a scientific discipline, thanks to the contribution of various authors, institutions, journals, and related topics that confirm the importance of this field of study. Additionally, bibliometric maps lead to an understanding of the intellectual structure of the subject, in which keyword co-occurrence analysis shows six main themes, ranging from &lsquo, UNESCO Global Geoparks&rsquo, to &lsquo, Geo-tourism-Sustainable Tourism&rsquo, this, combined with maps of co-citation, broadly exhibits this structure and development, showing areas of current interest and potential development, thus offering the latest knowledge on Geopark research worldwide. There is a growing concentration of research on geomorphological heritage and geo-tourism, focusing on methodologies to evaluate the specialities of this type of heritage and define the concept of geo-tourism, there is a great interest especially in the evaluation and identification of geo-site/geo-morphosites which try to eliminate subjectivity in methods and focus on sustainable development of the localities.

The relevant geomorphological characteristics of territory represent an essential part of its natural heritage. They are also an asset to be exploited for stimulating socio-economic development. The &ldquo, Ruta Escondida&rdquo, in Ecuador constitutes a historical place full of culture and landscapes that have been shaped over time by geological and geomorphological processes. Among the geomorphological features of the study area, volcanic cones, hilltops, terraces, foothills and glacial valleys stand out. The aims of this work were: (1) to characterize 18 places of geomorphological interest, located in the northern part of the Ruta Escondida and (2) to propose alternatives (geotourism) to contribute to the local development of the area. The applied methodology included: (1) the compilation of geomorphological elements, (2) the assessment of geomorphosites using the Inventario Espa&ntilde, ol de Lugares de Inter&eacute, s Geol&oacute, gico (IELIG) method and (3) a strengths&ndash, opportunities&ndash, weaknesses&ndash, threats analysis of the contribution and influence of geomorphosites in the development of the study area. With this work, it was possible to determine that all the analyzed geomorphological sites have a high and very high interest. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis revealed that the geomorphosites could provide significant added value to the development of geotourism on the route, complementing the already known cultural and historical attractions.

18th LACCEI International Multi-Conference for Engineering, Education, and Technology: “Engineering, Integration, and Alliances for a Sustainable Development” “Hemispheric Cooperation for Competitiveness and Prosperity on a Knowledge-Based Economy”, July 27-31, 2020, Virtual Edition., [ES] El rescate de la siembra y cosecha de agua, técnica ancestral de las civilizaciones, cada vez alcanza un mayor apogeo en los albores del siglo XXI, debido a su practicidad y eficiencia, pero sobre todo por los principios de sostenibilidad. La gestión del agua es un reto apremiante del siglo, ante el crecimiento de la población y la consecuente mayor demanda de agua y las acciones antrópicas que la contaminan, siendo el agua subterránea una alternativa al problema, y la siembra y cosecha de agua se presenta como una solución en diferentes zonas de la geografía regional. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar los sistemas de Siembra y Cosecha de Agua (SyCA) mediante las experiencias de los diferentes casos en Iberoamérica que configuran un mecanismo de cooperación y transferencia del rescate de estas técnicas ancestrales. La metodología comprende i) análisis comparativo de las técnicas de SyCA y sus características en varios países, ii) análisis FODA del proceso de rescate de SyCA mediante participación de cinco expertos internacionales, iii) estrategias para la sostenibilidad de los procesos de SyCA en países iberoamericanos. Actualmente se registran muchos casos de SyCA en Iberoamérica que presentan novedosos casos, trabajados preferencialmente por comunidades rurales que solucionan problemas de abastecimiento de agua del siglo XXI con técnicas ancestrales sostenibles de siembra y cosecha de agua., [EN] The rescue of water sowing and harvesting, an ancestral technique, is becoming increasingly popular at the dawn of the 21st century, due to its practicality and efficiency, but above all due to the sustainability principles. Water management is the challenge of the century, given the population growth and the consequent increased demand for water and the anthropic actions that pollute it, with groundwater being an alternative to the problem, and water sowing and harvesting is presented as a solution in different areas of the regional geography. The present work aims to analyze the systems of Water Sowing and Harvesting (SyCA, by its acronym in Spanish) through the study of the different cases in Iberoamerica that configure a mechanism of cooperation and transfer of the rescue of these ancestral techniques. The methodology includes i) matrix of comparative analysis of SyCA techniques and their characteristics, ii) SWOT analysis of the SyCA rescue process through the participation of five international experts, iii) strategies for the sustainability of SyCA processes in Iberoamerican countries. Currently, there are many cases of SyCA inIberoamerica presenting novel cases, worked by rural communities that have a sustainability approach.

Santa Elena Peninsula is characterized by beautiful geological features, historical geoscientific knowledge, and mineral and tourism resources that could all be combined for the sake of community development. This article provides an overview of the Santa Elena Peninsula Geopark Project through the assessment of six areas that are considered by inhabitants and researchers possible geosites to foster geotourism. The methodology included: (i) a technical description and assessment of the areas of interest evaluating their geological relevance, representativeness, geotouristic prominence, geotouristic scientific interpretation, and conservation criteria, (ii) an assessment through questionnaires carried out on inhabitants, and (iii) a SWOT Plus analysis to propose strategies for promoting geotourism. Results show that the areas of interest are highly valued as geosites, since they integrate geodiversity, biodiversity, and sociocultural aspects. For example, Ancon is a historical icon of early oil exploitation, Ba&ntilde, os de San Vicente is a natural spring of thermal water and mud volcano, and Anconcito has bituminous exudations of natural occurrence together with a spectacular landscape produced by erosion. Overall, 90% of these sites were proved to be of high and very high interest in scientific terms. Geotourism is believed to be beneficial for the inhabitants of the Santa Elena Peninsula with respect to education, valorization of resources, and the strengthening of cultural identity of communities.

Zaruma is host to the &lsquo, &lsquo, El Sexmo&rsquo, &rsquo, tourist mine, the galleries of which extend below the city, and its exploitation dates back to precolonial times. The mining boom created important development in the area, but informal mining also emerged causing environmental issues and safety problems. This study presents a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the &ldquo, El Sexmo&rdquo, Tourist Mine in the context of its potential as a tourism geosite and mining site. The methodological stages included: (i) The process and systematization of the general mine information and its surroundings, (ii) the assessment of the geological and mining interest of the mine, through GAM and Brilha method, and (iii) description and proposal of action strategies through Delphi analysis and a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) matrix. Based on the results of the quantitative evaluation, the high values in the educational, scientific, and tourist aspects of the two applied methodologies, show the mine as a potential geosite and mining site with added cultural value. In addition, the quantitative assessment in correspondence with the qualitative analysis, allowed to propose improvement strategies to take advantage of the geological resources and mining identity of the area, as an alternative that strengthens the infrastructure of the mine and consolidates the geotouristic development of the area.

The enhancement of heritage resources helps to promote conservation, contributes to more significant and better protection, and favors the efficient use of these resources. Many heritage works and liabilities linked to mining activity are abandoned, causing the deterioration of heritage resources that may become environmental liabilities over time. This work aims to develop strategies for the development of the Mining-Industrial heritages through participatory methods for geomining enhancement and development of places in the Zaruma-Portovelo area. The proposed methodology consists of: (i) The creation and development of a database with several publications and documents that register the Mining-Industrial heritage sites; (ii) The assessment of mining-industrial sites based on criteria or methodologies proposed by other authors; (iii) Focal group work considering: (a) The identification and cataloging geosites of interest, (b) The creation and/or development of museums, tourist mines, mineral routes or geoparks in which the natural and geological-mining factors complement each other and (iv) SWOT analysis and matrix which provides several strategies for value-making of geomining heritage and its promotion in the development of geotourism in a project proposal for Zaruma and its surroundings. In conclusion, this work includes twelve unified mining sites in the Proposal for Geopark ‘Ruta del Oro,’ as a strategy to guarantee the conservation of heritage values and contribute to local development and geotourism.

A socio-ecological system describes dynamics and interactions between society and ecosystems, through social, economic, and ecological processes that influence the state of natural resources. The aim of this paper is to describe the socio-ecological system of Manglaralto through participatory action research in order to understand human ecodynamics and the perception of beneficiaries about ecosystem services focus to the planning of a participatory ecofuture scenario for Manglaralto. The sustainable management of the Manglaralto coastal aquifer has been identified as a key activity. The key stakeholders involved in the socio-ecological system of Manglaralto are the population of rural community, the Manglaralto Regional Drinking Water Management Board, associations, and economic activities, highlighting the tourism. Agriculture ceased to be the most important economic activity in Manglaralto. Its inhabitants have strengthened other economic activities such as small businesses of buying and selling, fishing, and tourism because of its coastal geographical location and the natural and cultural attractions of great tourist potential that it has. A future is glimpsed based on the sustainable use of ecosystem services such as water and tourism.

Universities have the mission to serve society by being pragmatic, diverse, and multidisciplinary. Similar to society in general, these centers have a common challenge: finding a way to articulate projects that favor the demands and needs of vulnerable rural sectors. In this case, the community-university partnership is based on the interaction of the Manglaralto population, represented by the Junta Administradora del Agua Potable Regional de Manglaralto and the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), both from Ecuador. Specifically, it is based on a collaborative relationship since 2005, through the Centro de Investigación y Proyectos Aplicados a Ciencias de la Tierra (CIPAT) of the ESPOL. This work aims to evaluate the community-university partnership through the results obtained in community work projects. In addition, it describes the resolution of problems reached on the sustainability of water resources in the parish of Manglaralto (Ecuador). The methodology was based on (i) the description of the existing community-university interaction framework, (ii) the analysis of the community projects that CIPAT developed in the period 2017–2020, and finally, (iii) the evaluation of the impact of the actions carried out on the sustainability of the coastal aquifer. The community-university partnership has generated relevant information (e.g., water reserves, extraction processes, aquifer recharge, and care of the resource) for the community and has allowed for the strengthening and transmitting of knowledge in different specialties (education, culture, and environment). In the 2017–2020 period, four community projects were carried out with students, researchers, and the inhabitants of the rural area of Manglaralto. These projects allowed wells for water extraction and engineering structures such as dikes and green filters that help the use and recharge the aquifer. In addition, the initiatives carried out made it possible to inform the population of the importance of the sustainable exploitation of water resources. In general, this work made it possible to identify a natural laboratory of human interaction in which the results obtained are based on the collaboration and contribution of all the participating actors.

Travel itineraries are fundamental in the development of tourism of a given area. Traditional thematic routes (e.g., architectural, archaeological) can be significantly improved and optimized by including geological and mining interest sites. The present study offers an analysis of the influence that inclusion of geosites or mining sites could have on the existing routes of the Zaruma-Portovelo region (Ecuador), together with a global assessment of these itineraries as the basis of fostering local development in communities of the region. The methodology consists of the following stages: (i) compilation of existing travel itineraries, (ii) analysis and assessment of those geosites and mining sites that are included in two geotouristic routes through the Spanish Inventory of Places of Geological Interest method (IELIG, acronym in Spanish), but have not been assessed previously, (iii) assessment of existing routes (two geotouristic routes and one geomining route) from a global perspective through the Geotouristic Route Assessment Matrix method (GtRAM, acronym in Spanish), and (iv) definition of strategies for the development and promotion of travel itineraries within the context of geotourism. According to the results of quantitative assessment, three new sites (both geosites and mining sites) were studied and their obtained score of interest was “High” (164/400). The existing routes achieved good results both from the geological-mining perspective “High” score of (189/400) and within a global context “Very High” score of (3.5/5). The quantitative assessment allowed us to propose improvement strategies to disseminate and use these itineraries to unfold sustainable development based on geotourism.

Resilience has several meanings, among them the ability to overcome difficulty and return to the state of providing service, even if the initial conditions change. Assessing resilience in an ecosystem, or any system, requires a concise methodology with standard variables and parameters. The current challenge presented by coastal areas is focused on overcoming problems related to the water supply through correct management. This paper aims to evaluate the communal coastal aquifer system with a matrix for assessing water resilience based on indicators in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a socio-hydrological framework and the four axes of development (political, social, environmental, and cultural), to promote the development of new strategies for water sustainability. The method is based on (i) political, economic, social, environmental, and even cultural aspects involved in sustainable water management and (ii) the groundwater resilience assessment method (GRAM) design. The GRAM is used for a quasi-quantitative assessment of the resilience in a communal coastal aquifer system. This method was applied to the Manglaralto community, the results show a highly resilient groundwater system (62.33/100 points). Representatives of the community have achieved appropriate use, management, and conservation of the water resource by applying water harvesting and other technical criteria. Hence, they have avoided aquifer overexploitation and provided water to the community.

Geodiversity has elements of exceptional scientific value that are considered to represent geoheritage, or geological heritage. One way to conserve and promote the knowledge of these elements is through the initiatives of United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Geoparks, which, over a decade ago, began to notably highlight a new sustainable tourism alternative called geotourism, or geological tourism, that promotes the protection of the unique geological resources of territory and, at the same time, provides social, economic, and environmental benefits. This study aims to investigate the scientific information related to geotourism in the Scopus database through a bibliometric analysis, using the VOSviewer software, for the evaluation of the structure, conceptual evolution, and trends of geotourism following related publications. The research comprises four study phases: (i) search criteria of the research field, (ii) search and selection of documents, (iii) software and data extraction, and (iv) analysis of results and trends. The results present geotourism as a scientific discipline that is in a phase of exponential research growth and exhibits its scientific productivity from 1984 to 2019, where three main periods are differentiated: introduction, theoretical development, and diversification of information. The most active research area is geomorphological heritage, which is very far from the emerging line of research of engineering geology in geotourism. However, growing exploration during the last six years has generated the development of various geoscientific branches promoted by geotourism that, currently, present their research area trends such as geosites, geoheritages, and geoparks.

This study offers a detailed assessment of the geosites and mining sites present in the Zaruma-Portovelo mining district (Ecuador) through their qualitative and quantitative assessment. It shows up the potentiality of this area taking advantage of its geological-mining heritage. The methodological process includes: (i) compilation and inventory of all the sites within the study area with particular geological or mining interest, (ii) preparation of reports and thematic cartography, (iii) assessment and classification of the elements of geological-mining interest, (iv) SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses, Strengths) matrix preparation seeking strategies to guarantee the viability of geotourism. A total of 16 sites of geological interest and 11 of mining interest were identified. The 77% of these sites was proved to be of high and very high interest in scientific terms. Likewise, their susceptibility to degradation assessed from their vulnerability and fragility was found to be high or very high in the 30% of the cases. As for the protection priority, all the studied sites obtained a medium-high result. Finally, the study based on the SWOT-TOWS revealed the possibility of applying action strategies in order to facilitate the compatibility of geotourism with the current productive activities, despite the difficult situation in the study area created by mining activities.