To Read the Newsletter (PDF)

Zebro

monthly report of the Geopark Naturtejo Meseta Meridiona l

n. 31!

In this issue: – 23rd EGN Meeting: Culture of hospitality in Sardegna –

National Commission for UNESCO visits Naturtejo Geopark - Naturtejo supports the new project “Azores Geopark” – Geointerview with Roigar

López and more… www.geoparknaturtejo.comDDDDDD

Olá/Hola/Ciao/Bonjour/Γειά σου/Hallo/God Dag/Salut/Zdravo/Hello There are several ways of contributing for the development of the land that model you as individual: conservation and divulgation of legacy are two possibilities. Parco Geominerario de Sardegna is the proper example of the first way. After the decline of mining industry a strong cultural and proud connection to the underworld subsisted. So the need to preserve mining memory and heritage and rehabilitation of the old mining complexes comes from inside community, sometimes no without heroic fight against imputed strategies. The conservation of an outstanding legacy must be followed by spreading the interest of national and international societies through a well established strategy of heritage divulgation/tourism promotion. Sardinia tourism is mostly related with sun & beach and highly seasonal. Place like Carbonia, Iglesias or Buggeru offer superb tourism products but is easy to realize that they follow the seasonality of tourism as secondary attractions to diversify the tourism offer. We can feel this through the quietness of the commerce in the towns and the reception offices in the mining attractions. The landscape was radically changed by mining and strong investments for remediation must keep in pass with all the conservation. But even these landscapes transformed by metal pollutants and wasting areas can be a tourism opportunity as we may realize not far from Sardegna through the success of the Iberian Pyrite Belt and, most of all, Rio Tinto mining tourism destination. The other way is to establish a communicational strategy of a pristine legacy. This could be the case of Naturtejo Geopark. The strategy must be planned in the office, but constantly adjusted by local institutions and stakeholders in order to include community every evolving need and ambitions in to the main national projects for development. With the communication strategy being applied every day and invariant concerning the scale of action, from local to national, interest by society is kept high, and visitors increasingly arrived both national and international. But their interest on the Geopark must surpass during the visit by other means the idea they got from promotion. So, promotion must be followed with a good communication (signing) strategy that easily takes people to visit the best of the Geopark. Being here, visitors must find the best conservation efforts and facilities to understand easily and fully enjoy geological attractions and all heritage. This is the way to transform curious visitors in recurrent happy tourists. This the way to foster local economy and proud among local communities. This is the way we still need to do.

Geopark Naturtejo Meseta Meridional is…

Armindo Jacinto Carlos Neto de Carvalho Rui Marques Rafael André Cristina Preguiça Jesus Alarcón Agronomist Engineer Geologist Biologist Economist Journalist Commercial Chairman of Naturtejo Scientific Coordinator Marketing Financial Planner Administrative Agent for Spain Vice-president of Idanha Researcher

Fátima Rodrigues Eliane Antunes Alice Marcelo Pedro Martins Eddy Chambino Nuno Capelo Agronomist Engineer Financial Manager Accountant Ecotourism Anthropologist Marketing Tourism/Communication Tourism/Webpage Administration assistant Tourism/Photographer Researcher Marketing/Designer

Manuela Catana Ana Rita Mota Miguel Costa Silva Tiago Oliveira Pedro Dias Joana Rodrigues Teacher of Natural Tourism Doctor of Law Management Environment Engineer Geologist Sciences Tourism Planner/Events Events Planner/Tourism Fairs Geoheritage Educational Programs

The team work! Where… Centro Cultural Raiano – Geopark Headquarters Naturtejo – Tourism Company Av. Joaquim Morão Rua Conselheiro Albuquerque, 4 Cave C 6060-101 Idanha-a-Nova 6000-161 Castelo Branco

www.geoparknaturtejo.com 3

1) Activities 1st March – A Walk by the Geopark. 55 Spanish tourists started the month with “A walk in Geopark Naturtejo” through the history of Fossils Route, Monsanto and Idanha-a-Nova, with Eliane Antunes and Cristina Preguiça leading the group. ______

2nd March – By the gorge of Erges River with the schools of the territory. Manuela Catana and João Geraldes guided 34 pupils from the primary schools of Penha Garcia and Relva through the Erges gorge at Salvaterra do Extremo. ______5th March – “Tourism and Development” students learn about the Geopark. 50 people from the School of Education of Leiria came to Idanha-a-Nova to meet new tourism concepts. Carlos Neto de Carvalho presented the Geopark at the Penha Garcia tourism office and guided the field trip by the Ichnological Park of Penha Garcia. Pedro Martins took the group to the Vultures Trail to observe gryphon vultures mating. Casa do Forno was the example visited as new tourism business for the region. ______

6th March – Pupils from the Land of Dinosaurs meet the Land of Trilobites. 45 students from the 11th grade and 4 teachers coming from Lourinhã High School, with a beautiful sauropod as symbol, visited for the second year Penha Garcia Ichnological Park and Monsanto inselberg. Manuela Catana and João Geraldes were the hosts of this day full of joy.

______6-8th March – Fun trip “Discovering the Templar Geopark”. Halcon Viajes commercials made the Programme “Discovering the Templar Geopark”. For the 50 commercial operators this was a fun trip where they tested the special tourism package to sell it all over Spain and Portugal. ______

10-12th March –Persian culture joins Mediterranean culture in Geopark Naturtejo. Neda Torabi is part of a research programme of PhD student at the University of Aveiro. The aim of her study is to find out the effects of creation geopark on geotourism and local economy, starting from Qeshm Global Geopark. During 2 days Neda and her husband Rasool visited some natural wonders, like the Fossils Route, Portas dos Ródão Natural Monument, Portas de Almourão Geomonument and Fossil Trees with Joana Rodrigues and Carlos Neto de Carvalho. To understand the local economy Neda was invited to try some local products such as the Earth Slides in Casa do Forno and Maranhos in S. Torcato Muradal Guest House. Neda also participated in an Educational Program, in Monsanto, with Manuela Catana and João Geraldes, with dozens of small children from the Primary School. This visit was a very rich exchange of culture, where East and Western were connected by the Geology and friendship. ______

11th March – Pupils learn while climbing the inselberg. The project “discover geomonuments from your place” reached the climax with the 45 pupils from the Ladoeiro and Relva primary schools. Remind that this project aims to meet all the

schools from Idanha-a-Nova municipality with their main geosites. Manuela Catana and João Geraldes were once more the field teachers. ______

12th March – Into the “Park of Fossils”. 42 pupils from Idanha-a-Nova Primary School visited the Ichnological Park of Penha Garcia with Manuela Catana and João Geraldes. ______

12th March - Students from Amato Lusitano High School in the National Congress of Young Geoscientists. A brilliant work done by Joana Caria and Inês Martins! After an educational program in Penha Garcia last year these students from Amato Lusitano High School, Castelo Branco, decided to develop by themselves a school project this year about Penha Garcia fossils. Their results were presented at the National Congress of Young Geoscientists, organized this year by the University of Coimbra and attended by 500 pupils. For both students the most interesting thing at the Penha Garcia Ichnological Park is the geological setting and paleoenvironments existing in this area many million years ago. For helping divulgation of the Park they decided also to create a blog which can be found at http://ichnofossils.blogs.sapo.pt/1323.html, and already visited 1280 times. Wonderful to find such proactive enthusiasm from students! ______

13th March – TriloPaint Tournament! Our young and active outdoor company Trilobite Adventure presented its recent GeoProduct: the 1st Paintball Championship – TriloPaint. Trilobite Adventure is hosted in Penha Garcia surrounded by the Ordovician vestiges and all its activities intend to present trilobites to the society. This championship is one of its products that join dozens of “colorful” people in 3 stages during March, April and May. ______

16-20th March – Naturtejo Geopark presented as example in the I Latinamerican Congress on Geotourism. Federación Geoparques de Venezuela is healthy than ever! This time they organized the I Latinamerican & Caribbean Congress on Geotourism initiative in La Asunción, Margarita Island, very close to the first Geopark project in Venezuela. This very successful meeting was sponsored by the General Mining Company of Venezuela and was composed by conferences during the mornings and discussion sessions during the afternoons, divided by the issues of geotourism, networking, laws and inventory that enabled to create the Latinamerican & Caribbean Network for Protection and Conservation of Geological Heritage, with office in Venezuela. The Congress was attended by 70 people and slide under a very informal and friendly atmosphere. The event had a good cover from regional and national media. The main subjects focused by the speakers coming from several countries were: geotourism in Costa Rica and geological paths in Brazil, the tourist use of old mines worked by the interest of communities in Venezuela and Equador, the geological and mining heritage from Spain and Cuba; the paleontological heritage, research, assessment and dangers in Venezuela and Peru; the “Geological Garden” educational project in Brazil; the new project Catalunha Central Geopark in Spain; the Cubagua Geopark project as it seen by the community, with a truly emotive talk from a local, plus all the recent achievements of Federación Geoparques de Venezuela concerning

projects of geoconservation and support to geotourism initiatives. The field excursion gave the opportunity to all participants feel the importance of Cubagua Geopark for regional development of Nueva Esparta State based on sustainable policies for the locals. ______

19th March – Return to the “Park of Fossils”. Another group of 45 pupils from Idanha-a-Nova, Termas de Monfortinho and Penha Garcia primary schools touched the rocks and trace fossils in Penha Garcia impassioned by Manuela Catana and João Geraldes ______19-22nd March – Tierra Fuego walks by the Geopark. 4 days were not enough for the 24 Spanish tourists that come to the Geopark, with Tierra Fuego Spanish tour operator, to do the programme “Trekking in Geopark Naturtejo”. Tiago Oliveira accompanied this very enthusiastic group in the Vultures Route, Gardunha Route, Fossils Route, Egitânia Route. ______21st March – Another Spanish ecotourism operator bring trekkers to the Geopark. Once again Spain invades our territory with the programme “A walk in Geopark Naturtejo”. 27 people visited the Fossils Trail, Monsanto and Idanha-a- Nova with Eliane Antunes. ______22nd March – Conheiras Trail for celebrating water in Proença-a-Nova. Dozens of trekkers concentrated in the small village of Sobral Fernando for walking down the river Ocreza. Between flora and fauna there was time to pay attention for the importance of water for life and ancient humans activities such as agriculture and mining. The remains of Roman gold exploitation are still well alive in the landscape… ______22nd March – Casa do Forno celebrates the Day of the Water. Casa do Forno guesthouse & geobakery celebrated the International Day of Water going to the fountain of Ribeira, next to Erges gorge, in order to revive old times where the precious liquid was hard to get fresh and clean from the spring and everyday people came to this far place to carry with mules the precious liquid.

______

22-23rd March – The first official visit to the Geopark from the National Commission for UNESCO. The National Commission for UNESCO from Portugal works hard to head the celebrations of the International Year of Planet Earth and support the development of Geopark initiatives in Portugal, being perhaps one of most active UNESCO commissions concerning protection and valuing of geological heritage. Finally the National Commission visited Naturtejo Geopark running by the rhythm of a full two-day and so program. The President of the National Commission, Ambassador Fernando Andresen Guimarães, the Science sector leader Dr. Elizabeth Silva and two Deputies connecting the National Commission with the National Assembly, the very friendly Drs. Manuela Melo and Júlia Caré. The group was guided through fascinating geomonuments by Armindo Jacinto, Carlos Neto de Carvalho and Joana Rodrigues. They started to visit with the President Paulo Urbano the geosites from Orvalho and tasted the wonderful gastronomy from Proença-a-Nova; then they stopped at the Portas de Almourão geomonument and visit Portas de Ródão Natural Monument in a very interesting boat trip. After the Seminar on Naturtejo Geopark and local development where the group closed the event there was a moment to taste land flavours as part of an immense landscape at Petiscos & Granitos geo-restaurant. Finally they still had time to walk the Ichnological Park of Penha Garcia and to finish renewed with Trilobite.Aventura and few words by the Mayor of Castelo Branco Joaquim Morão. Here are some words of Dr. Manuela Melo some days after the visit. “I already miss the visit in two scarce days to Geoparque Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional. We learned so much, not only about the history of the territory, geology and biology, but also about collaboration between municipalities, connection of schools to local reality and, above all, about pawning and professionalism, as so well demonstred by the qualified technicians we had the pleasure to contact. From this plenary hall of the National Assembly, of limited horizons despite the new technologies, often come to my mind images of successive mountains with different origins, that give us health and tranquility by just keeping look at and getting lost by walking on them. Summing to all this, a generous hospitality that we never forget.” We thank National Commission for UNESCO this opportunity to improve friendship. ______

23rd March - Tourism development for Idanha-a-Nova coming from students. The students form the Hotel Management Degree from the Idanha-a-Nova Management School organized the seminar “Geopark Naturtejo and local tourist development”. The first aim was to understand the skills of the Geopark Naturtejo and his role in the local development. Joana Rodrigues opened the seminar talking about the concepts of Geopark, European and Global Geoparks Network, Geological Heritage, Geoconservation, Education for Geoconservation and Geotourism. There were presented local Geo-products and their importance for local development. Manuela Catana made an approach to the Educational Potential of the territory, to the importance and the role of Education in Nature Conservation and presented Educational Programs in Geopark Naturtejo and current specific projects. Armindo Jacinto closed the seminar with a presentation of Geopark Naturtejo tourist strategies. The students and the teachers were very enthusiastic, promising future cooperation between Geopark Naturtejo and Idanha-a-Nova Management School. National Commission got involved in the Conference during the official visit to the Geopark and the President, Ambassador Fernando Guimarães closed the ceremony together with the deputies from the National Assembly and Pedro Machado, president of the Centre tourism region. ______24th March – Naturtejo Geopark presented in Algarve. Carlos Neto de Carvalho and Armindo Jacinto travelled to Algarve, south of Portugal to present the Geopark. This time they were invited by the Estói Rotary Club to share several opportunities for tourism development. The group, mostly composed by people from North of Europe had a good impression and promised to visit us. ______

24-26th March – Spring Festival joins hundreds for the Geopark’s workshop.

The 3rd edition of the Spring Festival in Idanha-a-Nova was organized by the municipal schools group for 3 to 18 years old pupils, teachers and school staff, as well as for 40 pupils and teachers from Zarza La Mayor (transborderland partnership) and open to the community of Idanha-a-Nova. During 3 days there were many activities, workshops, exhibitions, ateliers, games, theatre, concerts and fairs. During the workshop “Casting and modelling of fossils” developed by Naturtejo Geopark 410 students participated in the activities. Manuela Catana, Joana Rodrigues, João Geraldes, Rita Ferreira and Tiago Oliveira followed all the work done that is only the beginning. Models and casts of trilobites, ammonites, shark tooth, crinoids and raptor claws will be painted by their authors in the near future. The masterpieces will be exhibit during the VIII European Geoparks Conference, at Centro Cultural Raiano. Do not miss this colourful exhibition in preparation by the young artists! ______

26th March – Portas do Ródão finally declared Natural Monument! The protection of Portas de Ródão started many years ago but only after the development of Naturtejo Geopark municipalities reunited to work together for the cause of Portas de Ródão, since ancient times a symbol of these people. Associação de Estudos do Alto Tejo local association from Vila Velha de Ródão successfully leader a multidisciplinary team towards the inventory of all natural and cultural heritage from this geomonument. After 4 years of intense work the Portuguese Government finally approved the law that declares Portas de Ródão as the 7th national Natural Monument in Portugal and the first not mainly related with paleontological findings. Associação de Estudos do Alto Tejo, Nisa and Vila Velha de Ródão must be congratulated and Naturtejo Geopark is now richer because more protected. ______

27th March - Back to school… “Geoparks goes to the School”. 10 years after leaving the Secondary School, Joana Rodrigues returned to her classroom in Augusto Gomes Secondary School, in Matosinhos (Porto), to talk about her professional experience to 210 students. The main aims of this talk were to present the Geoconservationist career and some concepts such as Geodiversity, Geological Heritage, Geoconservation, Geoparks, and Geotourism. It was possible to do a big travel through International and National Geomonuments and to talk about the Earth History. It was not easy to talk to her former Sciences, Math, History, English and Portuguese teachers about the Geologist job and show to the students that Geoconservation involves all that disciplines. This visit to the school included a presentation to Natural Sciences teachers about Geopark’s educational programs. ______

27th March – Geopark learned in the Environmental and Rural Tourism Course. The Geography of Tourism module from the Association of Commerce, Industry and Services of Castelo Branco, Idanha-a-Nova and Vila Velha de Ródão invited Manuela Catana to talk about what is Naturtejo Geopark. 15 students are doing the course for adult education and formation about environmental and rural tourism. ______

28th March – Professors of the University of Coimbra discover Penha Garcia. Manuela Catana guided two professors of History from the University of Coimbra and family through the Ichnological Park of Penha Garcia. ______28th March – Spanish Course for teachers visits Portas de Ródão and Penha Garcia Ichnological Park. Naturtejo Geopark was visited by the VII Geology Course certified for Spanish high school teachers from Biology, Geology and Physics-Chemistry. The course held in Cáceres had as the main subject the introduction to Paleontology and development of competencies in knowledge and interaction about physical world. The field trip of this course was a travel by the paleontology of Armorican Quartzite Formation (Lower-Middle Ordovician) from Naturtejo Geopark. They visited with Carlos Neto de Carvalho and Joana Rodrigues Portas de Ródão Natural Monument and its giant obolids and the Ichnological Park of Penha Garcia. They departure from Penha Garcia well after the sunset… ______28-30th March – Naturtejo Geopark gives a hand for the development of the new Azores Geopark. Azores Government is an ongoing project for development of Azores Geopark after intentions publicly assumed in 2008 by the Excellency the President of the Azores Regional Government, Carlos César. For this purpose, a working group joining University of Azores and the Regional Environment Board was formed with the first aim of analyzing and debating the Geopark concept and opportunities and, at the same time, to study the archipelago geodiversity and inventory potential geosites, as the way to develop Azores Geopark to be included in the European and Global Geoparks Network. University of Azores invited Armindo Jacinto for a working meeting to share his experience from Naturtejo Geopark with the Regional Secretary for Environment and the coordinators of the project, Professor João Carlos Nunes and Dr. Eva Lima. This meeting was held in the city of Horta, Faial Island after a weekend visit to S. Miguel internationally known geomonuments. ______

30th March to 4th April – 23rd EGN AC/CC Meeting - Genuine successes made in Sardegna. The EGN meetings are becoming difficult to organize better. Parco Geominerario de Sardegna must be congratulated for so much hospitability and care in the details. After the warm welcome at head office in Iglesias the meeting started in the future paleontological museum of the gigantic mining culture complex of Carbonia. This time the coordination of EGN improved a lot the procedures to make the meetings more efficient, with more time for discussion of projects. Armindo After a so tasteful lunch there was time to go inside the coal mine and see what wonderful things the Geopark is carrying one to preserve an impressive underground heritage. The most impressive jewel of this underworld is the magnificent Santa Bárbara Cave. The conservation management to maintain the proper environmental conditions inside this almost unique barite/calcite cave is absolutely amazing. Visits are restricted in order to not increase cave’s temperature and induce calcite precipitation on the delicate barite crystals. I have been in many caves but this surprise coming from Ordovician times kept my eyes and mouth fully opened. The meeting continued in the Asproni Mining School with voting for 2 new Geoparks increasing for 34 the EGN. Carlos Neto de Carvalho chaired one of the most promising sessions about common projects but the general idea is that the European Geoparks are still not working fully as a network besides the main European funding projects. We still need to share simple and inexpensive good practices and efforts with our neighbors. To invert this situation somehow EGN divided in 3 geographic INTERREG groups in order to discuss future projects. Armindo Jacinto actively participated in the Mediterranean with the well received idea of EGN shop. After the nice visit to the local geological museum and to a rather boring art exhibition from Constatino Nivola there was a lot of time for a prolonged Gala dinner with a touch of ancient times where the quality of food and wine, the sympathy of the people and specially the voices of a men chorus touched even the hearts made of rock. Finally, the fieldtrip to the beauty of Porto Flavia coast. The geology is simply amazing: the Sardic olistholites come out from the sea as islets. Porto Flavia is an outstanding piece of history of the 20th and an aesthetical work of engineering. After a wonderful lunch in Galleria Henry, that could be the one of the best restaurant projects for Sardegna, the workshop on “sustainable tourism in protected areas and local development strategies: new prospects for growth” began in Buggeru. “The workshop was aimed for giving an overall vision of the issues and the opportunities relating to the management of sustainable tourism development

(processes) in protected areas, at the same time stimulating the debate about the local growth prospects. Looking at the experiences of the stakeholders involved in local development (processes) is a good way of linking and networking policy making territorial groups (in protected areas), in other words municipalities, the academic world, the enterprise world, business and local people in general. The aim was to contribute to the spread of new methods and integrated approaches to the sustainable development of tourism in protected areas.” Some companions from EGN and others, both from Italy and abroad, presented many interesting actions and policies, as well as processes of participatory growth, orientations and good practices. There were more speeches than truly discussion between the speakers and several local stakeholders that attended to the meeting from both Buggeru and Montevecchio areas of the Geopark. This superb journey always under stormy weather ended with a visit to the local museum of Montevecchio complex and the peaceful but contrasting place of Piscinas dunar complex. Davide and Emanuelle: your commitment with your land is strong as your effort to make each one of us comfortable like at home. ______

Roigar López is Geology Engineer and the Scientific Director of Fundacion Geoparques de Venezuela. He teaches at Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela on Geology and Geomorphology and is co-tutor of Graduate Degree. Member of the Organizing Committee of the 1st Latin-American and Caribbean Congress on Geotourism Initiatives and Coordinator of the Latin- American and Caribbean Network for the Defense and Conservation of the Geological, Mining-Metalurgical and Paleontological Heritage Currently is developing a Master on Natural Protected Areas at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Universidad de Alcalá, Spain for the implementation of the first Geopark in Venezuela.

Cruziana: What is the role of “Fundación Geoparques de Venezuela” (Venezuela Geoparks Foundation)? Roigar Lopez: Fundación Geoparques de Venezuela (FGDV) is a non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research and divulgation of the geosciences. We implement these ideas through geo-social projects in which local communities have a main role. Our flag project is the creation of Geoparks in Venezuela. Currently, FGDV is working on the Venezuelan Geological Heritage inventories, the creation of geotourist routes and on building capacity of local communities to promote geotourism in their areas. We are organizing the Latin-American and Caribbean Network for the Defense and Conservation of the Geological, Mining- Metalurgical and Paleontological Heritage (REDGEMP, main office in Venezuela); a new born organization created after the 1st Latin-American and Caribbean conference on Geotourism Initiatives hold in Margarita Island, Venezuela on March, 2009. Cruziana: You co-organized the 1st Latin American Congress on Geotourism this month. How did it work? Did you find support for Geotourism and Geoparks in Venezuela developmental strategies? Roigar Lopez: Indeed, FGDV organized the 1st Latin-American and Caribbean Congress on Geotourism Initiatives. This event received the participation of distinguished speakers from 9 countries (Cuba, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Perú, Chile, Argentina, Brasil, Colombia and Venezuela) who have experiences in Geotourism and Communitarian Tourism. General participants were not exclusively interested in Geology; tourism and environmental sciences students and professors participated as well. Important and relevant presentations from local community leaders were also part of the content. We held the first reunion of the new born REDGEMP. Having achieved this main goal was a very positive experience. The congress was sponsored by the state mining company CVG-Minerven. Presently, we are preparing some proposals to develop a geotourist route in southern Venezuela, with the involvement of local mining communities.

1st Latin-American and Caribbean Congress On Geotourism Initiatives Cruziana: How many Geopark projects exist in Venezuela? How many of them is your Foundation supporting? Roigar Lopez: There are no Geoparks in Venezuela yet. For the past two years and a half, we have been working on the promotion of the Geotourism concept in local communities over our country. We have seven GeoSites-based projects; three are currently ongoing (Cubagua, Macanao, Chichiriviche de la Costa), while four are in the planning phase (Geotourist Edge El Callao-Km. 88, Orinoco Delta, Aroa Mines, Machiri). FGDV participates at different levels in each one of these. Cruziana: What difficulties and challenges do GGN pose to new Geoparks? Roigar Lopez: No comments. Cruziana: What kind of legal protection exists for Geological Heritage in Venezuela? Roigar Lopez: The Geological Heritage has no direct or legal protection in Venezuela, apart from the Natural Monuments and Paleontological Sites; the later are protected by the Cultural Heritage Law. Depending on the case, this Law protects the Geological Heritage, while in some others it might unprotect it (lack of field work, qualified scientific personnel). An important initiative was the 1st National Cultural Heritage Census, held between 2004 and 2007, where local communities included many geosites related not only to geology but also to cultural values. Cruziana: Which are the main challenges in Geoconservation to Venezuela? Roigar Lopez: To FGDV, Geoconservation must be promoted as a consequence of the social and economical development of local communities through Geotourism. The main challenge we are working on is local community organization by building capacity on Geotourism and geoscience education.

Cubagua Coast Cruziana: Do you think it would be helpful a Latin-America Network of Geoparks? What is the role of Venezuela Geoparks Foundation on it? Roigar Lopez: One of the main objectives of the new born REDGEMP is to participate in the promotion and organization of a Latin-American and Caribbean

Network of Geoparks, an initiative we plan to present from REDGEMP to the America's Conference on Geoparks organized by Araripe Geopark (Brasil) with the support of GGN this year. The creation of the Latin-American and Caribbean Network of Geoparks is a good opportunity to develop a strategy of regional integration for the promotion of Geotourism, mitigation of poverty and improvement of Geoconservation. Cruziana: Which are the most important geosites in Geopark Cubagua, at Nueva Esparta State? Roigar Lopez: The three most important Geosites in Cubagua Island are: 1. Calderas Canyon, an erosional geomorphosite that exposes more than 60 m of Cubagua Formation and a site linked to our ancestral, past and present culture. 2. “Mene” de la Brea, this is the first oil seep described in the America's literature after Spaniards came, 500 years ago. A site where the petroleum geology system can be explained, and also ecological features related to the oil seep can be seen. 3. Nueva Cadiz de Cubagua, an antique city, the first European settlement in South America, abandoned since 1541 when a tropical storm destroyed most of the city. Now it is being rescued by the Cultural Heritage Institute.

Caribbean Sea from Cubagua Cruziana: Which new (geo)tourist products will this project bring to local development? Roigar Lopez: The organization of local cooperatives, directed by local community members, will provide services such as transportation (land and marine), food and beverages, environmental geoguides and create local archaeological and geoconservation “experts”. This will support the development of the Cubagua geopark and will contribute for its population of 52 people and Punta de Piedras inhabitants (more than 5000). Some other near towns can get benefits of it (Laguna de Raya, Coche Island, Macanao Peninsula).

Calderas Canyon, in Cubagua

Cruziana: Which are the strong points and fragilities of the Geopark Cubagua project? Roigar Lopez: The strong points are given by local community: strong heritage empowerment by local people, the new born Escuela Bolivariana Isla de Cubagua that brought education to the kids living there, knowledge of the mass tourism that they do not accept to develop in their island but an alternative tourism. Other strong points are: the support by the national government to the project, the minimal anthropic impact in the island after 5,000 years of human history despite that the island is close to one of the main tourist places of Venezuela (Margarita Island). The weak points are: the non-protection of many zones of the island because of the small population, lack of a geographical definition of the protected area (especially marine) and not much attention of the environmental impact produced by marine activities. Cruziana: Cubagua Geopark is a small island with less than 100 inhabitants? Do you think that sustainable development of this island through tourism can have also a great impact in the economy and bring social benefits for surrounding Nueva Esparta State populations, like Punta Piedras town or Macanao Peninsula? Roigar Lopez: Cubagua has a population of 52 inhabitans, including 15 children. The development of a Geopark will involve to some other populations as Punta de Piedras, Laguna de Raya y Macanao Península into the communal organization strategies to the geotourism and geoconservation education. Cruziana: Venezuela Geoparks Foundation has a protocol for cooperation with Naturtejo Geopark since 2006. What were the results of this cooperation until now and what do you expect for the near future? Roigar Lopez: The Protocol for Cooperation signed with Naturtejo Geopark in 2006 has resulted in a permanent consulting each of the FGDV initiatives in Venezuela and Latin-America, bilateral visits have been made to Portugal and Venezuela (congresses, professional formation, evaluation of geosites). At the moment we are part of the Scientific Committee of the European Geopark Conference that will be held in Naturtejo in September, 2009. In the near future we expect that Naturtejo become in the “tutor” of the Venezuelan Geoparks.

Calderas Canyon

Cruziana: What advices would you leave for the Geopark Naturtejo and European Geoparks Network? Roigar Lopez: We firmly believe in the community integration through capacity building and education on Geology, Geotourism and Geoconservation. Also, the linkage of their cultural identity, people can empower their geoparks and improve local development in concordance with political, economical and social realities which results in the real practice of the Social Geology.

Find more differences with our kids...

3) Geopark’s Impact in Media Newspapers/Magazines March/April (Boletim Informativo de Castelo Branco) - “Naturtejo promotes region in the Tourism Fair of Lisbon” March (Ensino Magazine) - Geo-news “students explore ancient Roman gold mine” March (Jardins Magazine) – “Weekend programmes “Routes by the Naturtejo Geopark” March (O Concelho de Vila Velha de Ródão)– “Stolen Fossil log with five million years old” March (Raiano) - “Medieval Dinner” March (ESAL Newspaper) - “IV Congress of Young Geoscientists - the geoscientists of the future” 4th March – (Expresso do Pinhal) – “Archeology and geology revealed” 4th March - (Jornal do Fundão) - “-Pedro Machado, president of ERT Centre of Portugal point the tourism vectors to develop” 5th March (Jornal do Fundão) - “Small detectives set out searching for evidences in rocks” 5th March (Reconquista) - “Workshop on Geology”

10th March (Povo da Beira) - “Small detectives set out searching for evidences in rocks” 11th March (Gazeta do Interior) - “Small detectives set out searching for evidences in rocks” 11th March (Gazeta do Interior) - “Rocks from Geopark in movies” 12th March –(Reconquista) – “”Detective” children in the Geopark” 12th March –(Reconquista) – “History on the table” 12th March –(Reconquista) – “Environmental films projected on rocks” 17th March (www.TVI24.iol.pt) - “Naturtejo in the European Earth Festival” 18th March (Gazeta do Interior) - “We want to give Castelo Branco more tourist visibility in the internal and external trade” 19th March (Visão Magazine’s first page) - “Unexplored Portugal” 19th March (Reconquista) - “Stones that show the beauty of Beiras” 19th March (Reconquista) - “The poetry of Idanha” 24th March (Povo da Beira) - “Trekking 2009 started last Sunday” 24th March (Povo da Beira) - “Trans-geopark’s unite naturtejo municipalities in the European Earth Festival 2009” 24th March (Tribuna Desportiva) - “Trekking 2009 started last Sunday” 25th March – (Gazeta do Interior) – “Alcains - capital of granite and cheese” 25th March – (Gazeta do Interior) – “Trekking started in S. Miguel D’Acha” 26th March – (Reconquista’s first page) – “UNESCO emphasizes the role of Naturtejo” 26th March – (Reconquista) – “Casa do Forno celebrates the Day of Water” 26th March – (Reconquista) – “Fossils from Penha Garcia in congress of scientists” 26th March – (Reconquista) – “Naturtejo is international example” 31st March - (Povo da Beira’s first page) - “Portas de Ródão protected as Natural Monument” 31st March - (Povo da Beira) - “Naturtejo Geopark hosts the visit of two Deputates”

Scientific Contribution for Geosciences - BAUCON, A. – Italy, the Cradle of Ichnology: the legacy of Aldrovandi and Leonardo. In: M. Avanzini & F. M. Petti (eds.), Italian Ichnology. Studi Trentini Science Naturali, Acta Geologica, 83: 15-29. - BAUCON, A. & NETO DE CARVALHO, C. – Taking Ichnology to the general public: the experience of TERRAGAZE and TERRAGAZE mobile. In: M. Avanzini & F. M. Petti (eds.), Italian Ichnology. Studi Trentini Science Naturali, Acta Geologica, 83: 31-41. - BAUCON, A.; PRIVITERA, S.; MORANDI BONACOSSI, D.; CANCI, A.; NETO DE CARVALHO, C.; KYRIAZI, E.; LABOREL, J.; LABOREL-DEGUEN, F.; MORHANGE, C. & MARRINER, N. – Principles of Ichnoarchaeology: new frontiers for studying past times. In: M. Avanzini & F. M. Petti (eds.), Italian Ichnology. Studi Trentini Science Naturali, Acta Geologica, 83: 43-72. - BAUCON, A. & NETO DE CARVALHO, C. – From the river to the sea: Pramollo, a new ichnolagerstätte from the Carnic Alps (Carboniferous, Italy-Austria). In: M. Avanzini & F. M. Petti (eds.), Italian Ichnology. Studi Trentini Science Naturali, Acta Geologica, 83: 87-114. - BAUCON, A. & AVANZINI, M. – Zoophycos-like structure associated with dinosaur tracks in a tidal-flat environment: Lower Jurassic (Southern Alps, Italy).

In: M. Avanzini & F. M. Petti (eds.), Italian Ichnology. Studi Trentini Science Naturali, Acta Geologica, 83: 123-131. - BAUCON, A. – Neoichnology of a microbial mat in a temperate, siliciclastic environment: Spiaggia al Bosco (Grado, Northern Adriatic, Italy). In: M. Avanzini & F. M. Petti (eds.), Italian Ichnology. Studi Trentini Science Naturali, Acta Geologica, 83: 183-203.

1st Circular in pdf available online. Register now!!!