Soil Trail as a Tool to Promote Cultural and Geoheritage: The Case Study of Mount Cusna Geosite (Northern Italian Apennines)

Abstract

The soil is a component of geodiversity, a geoheritage element providing knowledge of how the geosphere works and interacts with other Earth subsystems. To promote soil as a geoheritage element, we aim to create a geotouristic trail focused on soil, geomorphology, and geoarcheology in the area of Mt. Cusna (Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park, Northern Italy), where there is a 20-years long-lasting history of research on geopedology, geoarcheology, and geomorphology. Along existing hiking paths, five soil profiles are identified as sites of potential pedological interest, whereas three more sites are selected to show the geomorphological context of the area and one the geoarcheological evidence. The soil evidence allows for the reconstruction of paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic conditions, and/or retraction of the human impact that has affected the area over time. In order to communicate the information about the geotouristic trail, illustrative panels were prepared for each trail site and underwent a formative evaluation by students attending academic courses in Natural Sciences to improve the offer. Through the trail, it will be possible to enable the visitor to discover the soil concept, which is often poorly known or even underestimated in its scientific and cultural value. Moreover, the cultural opportunities of the Mt. Cusna geosite will be enhanced.

The Hosta’s Labyrinth on the Black Sea Shore: A Case Study of “Selling” Geosites to the Lay Public

“…As for cultural appeal, there are lines of evidence from Iran [67] and Romania [68] about the successfulness of the use of popular cultural ideas in geotourism. It should be noted that some geosites representing labyrinthlooking features [69] and landslides [50,70], as well as some large geosites with inner trails showing complex configuration [71], have already been regarded as important in geotourism. The literary information provided above proves that the three established factors are not restricted to the studied geosite in question.…”

Non-Uniform Distribution of Geoheritage Resources in Geoparks—Problems, Challenges and Opportunities

“…The long history of agriculture in the region, benefitting from fertile soils, is another possible theme to develop as part of the regional tourist product, which would also contribute to raising awareness about the significance of soils as a resource, thus providing another geo-cultural link. Actually, soils were long generally neglected within geoheritage issues, but this has recently changed and studies are being published addressing this geodiversity component as well [72,73]. The challenge is to make these localities more visible and accessible, although some action has already been undertaken.…”