What is a global geopark? (from the Unesco website)
UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.
A UNESCO Global Geopark uses its geological heritage, in connection with all other aspects of the area’s natural and cultural heritage, to enhance awareness and understanding of key issues facing society, such as using our earth’s resources sustainably, mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing natural disasters-related risks. By raising awareness of the importance of the area’s geological heritage in history and society today,
UNESCO Global Geoparks give local people a sense of pride in their region and strengthen their identification with the area. The creation of innovative local enterprises, new jobs and high quality training courses is stimulated as new sources of revenue are generated through geotourism, while the geological resources of the area are protected.
While a UNESCO Global Geopark must demonstrate geological heritage of international significance, the purpose of a UNESCO Global Geopark is to explore, develop and celebrate the links between that geological heritage and all other aspects of the area’s natural, cultural and intangible heritages. It is about reconnecting human society at all levels to the planet we all call home and to celebrate how our planet and its 4,600 million year long history has shaped every aspect of our lives and our societies. (Read more here https://en.unesco.org/global-geoparks)
Global geoparks in Spain
Andalucia
Cabo de Gata-Níjar natural park (Almeria)
Cabo de Gata is located in the southeast of the province of Almería. Its coastline is marked by cliffs, coves and beaches. This space was also declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1997 and includes the Cabo Gata-Níjar Natural Park and surrounding areas. Read more: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/cabo-de-gata-nijar
Sierras Subbéticas natural park (Cordoba)
The Sierras Subbéticas Global Geopark is noted for its stunning karstic landscape with Massive limestone and dolostone outcrop in the higher terrains. The karst landscape holds a great variety of elements such as poljes, great dolines and a dense subteranean network of around 900 recorded caves and abysses. The area is also famous for the abundance of ammonite fossils. Read More: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/sierra-subbetica/
Sierra Norte de Sevilla natural park (Seville)
The Sierra Norte de Sevilla Global Geopark is located at the north of the province of Seville in the Sierra Morena and. The geopark includes ten towns and villages within its limits: Alanís, Almadén de la Plata, Cazalla de la Sierra, Constantina, Guadalcanal, Las Navas de la Concepción, El Pedroso, La Puebla de los Infantes, El Real de la Jara and San Nicolás del Puerto. Read More: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/sierra-norte-de-sevilla/
Granada global geopark (Granada)
The Granada global geopark extends over the depressions called the Hoya de Guadix and the Hoya de Baza and is surrounded by some of the highest mountains of the Iberian Peninsula such as the Sierra de la Sagra (2381 m), the Sierra Mágina (2187 m), the Sierra de Arana-Huétor (1940 m), the Sierra Nevada (3484 m), the Sierra de Baza-Filabres (2271 m), the Sierra de las Estancias-Cúllar (1471 m) and the Sierra de Orce-María (1612 m). Read more: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/granada-global-geopark/
Aragón.
Maestrazgo global geopark
The Maestrazgo global geopark lies between Zaragoza and Teruel in a very mountainous region at the eastern end of the Iberian System. Famous for dinosaur footprints and fossils. Read more: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/maestrazgo-global-geopark
Sobrarbe global geopark
Cantabria
Geoparque Valles de Cantabria
Castilla y León
Las Loras global geopark
(Global Geosite, in the valley of the Luna River) https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/los-valles-de-omana-y-luna-biosphere-reserve/
Las Loras global geopark is also close to the Hoces del Alto Ebro and Rudrón natural park. Read more here: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/hoces-del-alto-ebro-and-rudron-natural-park/
Castilla la Mancha
Molina-Alto Tajo global geopark – The Geopark area covers 4,186.9 km2 and is populated by 10,370 inhabitants, of which a third live in Molina de Aragón. The population density is only 2.0 inhabitants per km2. It is, therefore, a very extensive but very unpopulated area, considered a demographic desert.
Cataluña
Origens global geopark
Cataluña Central global geopark
Extremadura
Villuercas-Ibores-Jara global geopark en Extremadura.
Galicia
Montañas do Caurel global geopark
Islas Canarias.
El Hierro global geopark
Lanzarote y Archipiélago Chinijo global geopark
País Vasco
Costa Vasca global geopark
Iberia Nature Forum
Discover the Iberia Nature Forum – Environment, geography, nature, landscape, climate, culture, history, rural tourism and travel.
Iberia Nature Forum: https://iberianatureforum.com/