geosciences Article Relationship between the Geotourism Potential and Function in the Polish Part of the Roztocze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Teresa Brzezi ´nska-Wójcik Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Al. Kra´snicka,2d, 20-031 Lublin, Poland; [email protected] Abstract: The Polish part of the Roztocze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve area is characterized by diversified geotourism resources with relatively high value. However, their potential seems not to be fully used in the current product offer. The aim of the study was therefore to assess the spatial variability of the geotourism potential and function and to determine their interrelations in view of further development of geotourism in the Roztocze TBR and the perspective of creation of the “Kamienny Las na Roztoczu” geopark. The study was carried out with the use of the taxonomic method of multidimensional comparative analysis consisting of calculation and analysis of general, total, and partial indices of the geotourism potential and function in 22 communes. The results showed the highest total indicator of geotourism potential in two communes, i.e., Józefów and Krasnobród, and the highest value of the total geotourism function index in Krasnobród. The results of the analysis of the relationships between the geotourism potential and function indicate that the geotourism resources and products are fully used in terms of the development of the function only in Krasnobród commune. In turn, the value of the total geotourism function index in the Zwierzyniec commune exceeds the geotourism potential indicator, which implies that this area is overloaded by tourist movement. The total indicators of geotourism potential in the other Citation: Brzezi´nska-Wójcik,T. Relationship between the Geotourism communes, especially Józefów, Krasnobród, Lubycza Królewska, and Susiec, indicate the possibility Potential and Function in the Polish of more intensive exploitation of geotourism resources in preparation of interesting products in Part of the Roztocze Transboundary compliance with the principles of sustainable development and, consequently, the development of Biosphere Reserve. Geosciences 2021, 11, the geotourism function. 120. https://doi.org/10.3390/ geosciences11030120 Keywords: geotourism resources; geotourism product; multidimensional comparative analysis; Roztocze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve; Kamienny Las na Roztoczu geopark project Academic Editors: Jesus Martinez-Frias and Aberra Mogessie Received: 25 January 2021 1. Introduction Accepted: 4 March 2021 Published: 7 March 2021 The development of various forms of nature-related tourism in protected areas has a long tradition/history [1]. It includes the activities in Biosphere Reserves [2] focused on Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral the popularization and promotion of their resources carried out since 1977 [3–6]. These with regard to jurisdictional claims in activities are especially relevant in regions that have not developed a coherent brand to published maps and institutional affil- attract tourists [7] not only to specific recognizable objects but also to interesting but less iations. known ones. An example of such an area is the Polish part of the Roztocze region [8], which has been protected as the Roztocze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (Roztocze TBR) since 19 June 2019 [9,10]. Geotourism in areas covered by Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme protection is part of the popular ecotourism trend [11] and a form of sustainable tourism [12–14], Copyright: © 2021 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. which favors geological education and benefits the local community in a holistic way [15,16]. This article is an open access article In addition, it promotes knowledge of the geological and geomorphological features of the distributed under the terms and area and the related tourism products (attractions). Geotourism also includes many aspects conditions of the Creative Commons of other activities, e.g., transport, accommodation, planning, management, and comple- Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// mentary/additional services [17,18], which are important for sustainable development. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ A review of the current literature [19–21] indicates that the vast majority of authors 4.0/). employ an empirical approach to evaluation of geotourism resources constituting the Geosciences 2021, 11, 120. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11030120 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/geosciences Geosciences 2021, 11, 120 2 of 28 features of the area and the related tourism products (attractions). Geotourism also in- cludes many aspects of other activities, e.g., transport, accommodation, planning, man- agement, and complementary/additional services [17,18], which are important for sustain- able development. Geosciences 2021, 11, 120 A review of the current literature [19–21] indicates that the vast majority of authors2 of 26 employ an empirical approach to evaluation of geotourism resources constituting the po- tential for geotourism development. In turn, fewer authors analyze the extent to which thispotential form forof tourism geotourism supports development. the development In turn, fewer of local authors communities analyze the and extent highlight to which the developmentthis form of tourism of geotourism supports in theterms development of sustainability of local of communitiesthe region [22,23]. and highlight In the latter the context,development many of authors geotourism (e.g., in[14–16,24]) terms of sustainabilityemphasize the of theimportance region [ 22of,23 geotourism]. In the latter re- sourcescontext, as many a basis authors for creation (e.g., [14 of– 16an, 24interest]) emphasizeing geotourism the importance product of [25,26]. geotourism Product-based resources geotourismas a basis for contributes creation of to an the interesting economic geotourism development product of [regions,25,26]. Product-basedinducing positive geo- changestourism contributesin residents’ to awareness the economic of geotourism development resources of regions, [27], inducing as well positive as in in changes protected in areasresidents’ [14]. awareness of geotourism resources [27], as well as in in protected areas [14]. InIn the the broad-sense broad-sense tourism tourism context, context, the the Polis Polishh part of the the Roztocze Roztocze region region has has already already beenbeen assessed, e.g.,e.g., inin terms terms of of the the diversification diversification of theof the tourism tourism potential potential and and function function [28], [28],taking taking into accountinto account all nature all nature resources. resources. Nevertheless, Nevertheless, the following the following questions questions arise: (1) arise: the (1)extent the extent to which to which geotourism geotourism resources resource ands relatedand related products products determine determine the the geotourism geotour- ismfunction function in the in the 22 communes22 communes included included in in the theRoztocze Roztocze TBR TBRand and (2) (2) thethe possibilitiespossibilities of exploitationexploitation of of the geotourism potential in the context of sustainable development of the area,area, with the perspectiveperspective ofof creatingcreating the the “Kamienny “Kamienny Las Las na na Roztoczu” Roztoczu” geopark geopark (Figure (Figure1) 1)within within its its borders. borders. Figure 1. LocationLocation of of the the Polish Polish part part of of the Roztocze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve [9,10][9,10] and the “Kamienny Las na Roztoczu” geopark project [[29]29] against thethe border of thethe RoztoczeRoztocze regionregion [[8].8]. 2.2. Materials Materials and and Methods Methods 2.1.2.1. Geotourism Geotourism Resources Resources of of the the Roztocze Roztocze TBR InIn administrative administrative terms, terms, the the Roztocze TBR area covers 22 communes located within thethe borders borders of of the the Polish part of the physico- physico-geographicalgeographical region region of of Roztocze Roztocze (Figure (Figure 11,, FigureFigure 22a).a). In terms of geology, the area of the Polish part of the Roztocze TBR is located within the Trans-European Suture Zone [30]. It was unevenly elevated in the late Miocene– Pliocene as a large-scale flower structure rooted into deep substrate (Figure2b). The formations exposed on the Roztocze surface are dominated by Late Cretaceous carbonate and carbonate–siliceous rocks (93–65 million years ago) [31,32]. These are marine sediments (gaize—glauconitic sandstone, opoka—calcium carbonate and silica rock formed by, i.e., Bryozoa, Bivalvia, Echinoidea, coccoliths), with numerous fossils of cephalopods, scaphopods, Geosciences 2021, 11, 120 3 of 28 In terms of geology, the area of the Polish part of the Roztocze TBR is located within the Trans-European Suture Zone [30]. It was unevenly elevated in the late Miocene–Plio- cene as a large-scale flower structure rooted into deep substrate (Figure 2b). The for- mations exposed on the Roztocze surface are dominated by Late Cretaceous carbonate Geosciences 2021, 11, 120 and carbonate–siliceous rocks (93–65 million years ago) [31,32]. These are marine3 of 26 sedi- ments (gaize—glauconitic sandstone, opoka—calcium carbonate and silica rock formed by, i.e., Bryozoa, Bivalvia, Echinoidea, coccoliths), with numerous fossils of cephalopods, scaphopods,bivalves, brachiopods,bivalves, brachiopods, and fish scales. and Therefish scales. are quite There numerous are quite crustacean