The Geopark designation pursues several goals:
- It is a seal of quality for landscapes that are particularly significant from a geoscientific point of view
- It defines concrete guidelines for an ecologically and economically sustainable regional economic development
In a geopark, the importance of geological and geomorphological processes for the spatial distribution of natural resources, for the surface form and valorization of the landscape and for the related economic and cultural history of a region is made conscious and tangible both internally and externally. With the promotion of regional economic development, especially in the field of tourism and recreation, the goals of nature conservation and environmental protection are to be linked in a meaningful way. Here it is important to clarify the inner connections of the sensitively coordinated system earth through targeted measures of environmental education and to sensitize people for their sense of responsibility towards the planet earth.
The majority of the sights presented for this purpose in a geopark must be part of the geological world heritage, but portions of them should also be of archaeological, ecological, historical or cultural interest. These sights are to be open to the public and connected in a network.
Find out more about the criteria and certification process of National Geoparks at the GeoUnion Alfred Wegener Foundation.