Georgia’s territory represents a real “natural geological laboratory,” exposing magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, ranging from the Neoproterozoic to the Quaternary. After a brief presentation of Georgia’s history and culture, the authors present the stratigraphy, rock types of individual tectonic zones of Georgia, their tectonic structure and paleotectonic reconstructions of the Caucasus. This book describes the three main geotourism routes of Georgia meticulously: 1. Tbilisi-Pasanauri-Kazbegi (along the Georgian Military Road), 2. Tbilisi-Zugdidi-Mestia-Ushguli and 3. Tbilisi-Khashuri-Vardzia, which cross different parts of Fold Systems of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus and Transcaucasian Intermountain area. The following potential geoparks are described in this book: 1. Sataplia dinosaur footprints together with Sataplia and Prometheus caves; 2. Tskaltubo resort-town and mineral water deposit; 3. Borjomi resort-town and mineral water deposit; 4. Kazbegi Quaternary volcanoes and Keli volcanic highland;5. Dariali Paleozoic granitoid massif; 6. Dmanisi hominids site and the Mashavera gorge basaltic flow; 7. Dashbashi canyon; 8.Uplistsikhe rock-cut town and Kvakhvreli cave complex; 9.Udabno - Upper Miocene marine and continental deposits and David Gareja monastery complex;10. Dedoplistskaro - Vashlovani protected areas and mud volcanoes.

Georgia's territory represents a real "natural geological laboratory," exposing magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, ranging from the Neoproterozoic to the Quaternary. After a brief presentation of Georgia's history and culture, the authors present the stratigraphy, rock types of individual tectonic zones of Georgia, their tectonic structure and paleotectonic reconstructions of the Caucasus. This book describes the three main geotourism routes of Georgia meticulously: 1. Tbilisi-Pasanauri-Kazbegi (along the Georgian Military Road), 2. Tbilisi-Zugdidi-Mestia-Ushguli and 3. Tbilisi-Khashuri-Vardzia, which cross different parts of Fold Systems of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus and Transcaucasian Intermountain area. The following potential geoparks are described in this book: 1. Sataplia dinosaur footprints together with Sataplia and Prometheus caves; 2. Tskaltubo resort-town and mineral water deposit; 3. Borjomi resort-town and mineral water deposit; 4. Kazbegi Quaternary volcanoes and Keli volcanic highland;5. Dariali Paleozoic granitoid massif; 6. Dmanisi hominids site and the Mashavera gorge basaltic flow; 7. Dashbashi canyon; 8.Uplistsikhe rock-cut town and Kvakhvreli cave complex; 9.Udabno - Upper Miocene marine and continental deposits and David Gareja monastery complex;10. Dedoplistskaro - Vashlovani protected areas and mud volcanoes.

This book explores the geographical, geomorphological, ecological, touristic and socioeconomic aspects of natural heritage, argues for the dynamic conservation of that heritage and explains its key characteristics, promotion, conservation and management to achieve sustainable development goals. Emerging concepts such as geodiversity, geographical heritage sites, geomonuments, geoparks and geotourism are increasingly being used by conservationists. At present, the development of geoparks is a major global theme involving the application of geosciences to promote the inclusive growth of society and the protection and conservation of our unique geoheritage. Currently, there are 147 UNESCO global geoparks across 41 countries, in addition to a number of national-level geoparks. Pursuing a holistic approach towards such sites will sensitise the general public to the need for geoconservation of significant geosites and promote it through geotourism. It is a crucial issue, as various countries around the world are eager to develop their geoparks and are working for the conservation of geoheritage sites at the national level. This unique book gathers contributions from 15 countries in the form of case studies analysing the realities on of geographical heritage, geoparks and geotourism. The respective chapters address the role of geoparks as essential tools for education, recreation and nature conservation. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable guide for geoscientists, planners, policymakers, civil society and anyone concerned about the conservation of geoheritage sites and geoparks for a sustainable future Earth.

The aim of this book is to provide an overview of topics related to the extensive geoheritage of hot springs, their natural environments, and their integration into commercial and industrial functions. The eleven chapters explore aspects of historical and cultural traditions, geology and geochemistry, research updates, conservation issues and of course health, wellness, and recreation throughout time. Because natural hot springs and active hydrothermal areas play a significant role in the tourism industry, visitor expectations are examined together with an assessment of common hazards and potential risks in active hydrothermal environments, along with recommendations how to stay safe. For the purpose of showcasing certain unique features, to share noteworthy events and developments or to identify concerns associated with the sustainability of natural water source, examples of particular hot spring areas are included in several chapters. One chapter is also dedicated entirely to the protection of natural hot springs and raises awareness for conservation, while another chapter reviews the history of hot springs in great detail to establish a realistic and justifiable timeline of their original use. Lastly, the significance of natural hot springs for various tourism sectors is analysed and the potential for sustainable future destination development in rural and remote regions is discussed. Many locations were considered and invite the reader to use the information as a reference point in the quest to further explore the remarkable natural and cultural geoheritage of hot springs worldwide.

Southwest Asia is one of the most remarkable regions on Earth in terms of active faulting and folding, large-magnitude earthquakes, volcanic landscapes, petroliferous foreland basins, historical civilizations as well as geologic outcrops that display the protracted and complex 540 m.y. stratigraphic record of Earth's Phanerozoic Era. Emerged from the birth and demise of the Paleo-Tethys and Neo-Tethys oceans, southwest Asia is currently the locus of ongoing tectonic collision between the Eurasia-Arabia continental plates. The region is characterized by the high plateaus of Iran and Anatolia fringed by the lofty ranges of Zagros, Alborz, Caucasus, Taurus, and Pontic mountains; the region also includes the strategic marine domains of the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Caspian, and Mediterranean. This 19-chapter volume, published in honor of Manuel Berberian, a preeminent geologist from the region, brings together a wealth of new data, analyses, and frontier research on the geologic evolution, collisional tectonics, active deformation, and historical and modern seismicity of key areas in southwest Asia.

This ETC and UNWTO Handbook on Marketing Transnational Tourism Themes and Routes aims at acquiring a deeper understanding of the transnational tourism themes and routes that are already proposed to travellers. Through illustrative case studies it furthermore provides practical guidance - especially for NTAa and NTOs - on the the creation and implementation of tourism routes, on marketing thematic tourism, including its development, management and promotion. The handbook will enrich UNWTO's tools for innovation, and feed into the ETC's 'Destination Europe 2020' strategy, contributing also to the development and promotion of its VisitEurope.com Internet portal."

Cumulative global transformations, occurring daily, affect important aspects of our life. Characteristic cultural and natural heritage, including sites of priceless value, is under constant threat. There are growing pressures, of both natural and human origin, such as wars, con icts, natural or technological disasters and the effects of global climate change. These provoke the continuous degradation of many sites included in the World Heritage List. In consequence, immediate strategic measures must be taken. Natural heritage is our legacy from the past, that we inherited from our ancestors and pass on to future generations. It is vital to realize its value and protect it by all possible means, enforcing innovative and sustainable action plans that promote global international co-operation. This book aims to address speci c natural heritage sites in Europe, from West to East. The six countries of study interest are Portugal, Malta, Greece, Italy, Romania and Turkey. For each case, the corresponding current status is presented. This is accompanied by recommended action plans for protection and conservation, tra- ing initiatives that improve the public awareness of natural heritage issues and efforts to estimate the natural/environmental value of the sites. The book is the overall result of an interregional initiative aiming to promote convergence, provoke public interest and recommend action for radical changes in our attitude towards heritage conservation.

This book seeks to enhance the cultural dimension of sustainable development and particularly focuses on minor historic centers and their natural and rural landscapes. In a society becoming ever more globalized, without territorial restrictions in the production of goods and able to reproduce in China the goods and product characteristic of South American crafts (to mention just two extremes), the only element that can still be contextualized is heritage identity: the result of close integration between cultural assets, intangible assets and settled communities. Thus, heritage identity is one of the few elements, together with natural resources, which has the potential for economic development that is still firmly rooted in places and local populations. These towns are often the centerpiece of urban landscapes and geographical areas with original features, not always but often as individual places within networks of minor historical centers linked by shared history, traditions and/or natural elements (rivers, forests, river systems or other natural elements). They are outside the major tourist networks, even if now there is a budding interest in the touristic exploitation of these environments. So, they are the right places to pursue a sustainable and local development with a cultural perspective. This book is a product of the VIVA_EASTPART project (Valorisation and Improving of management of Small Historic Centres in the eastern PARTnership region), under the EU-funded “ENPI Eastern Partnership” program. It complements the more practically-focused work that is in production from this group, more focused on empirical approaches to the development of minor historic centers of the nations involved. Though the book has been influenced by this research and working experience, the authors are solely responsible for the content and opinions presented.

The first full history of ancient Georgia ever to be written outside Georgia itself, this book also serves as a valuable introduction to the substantial archaeological work that has been carried out there in recent decades. Designed to open up ancient Georgia for the world of scholarship at large, it is not only a history of a neglected region, but also a sustained attempt to inform topics and issues that are more familiar to the historians of antiquity. Examples include myths of the periphery; Caucasian mountains and their passes; Greek colonization; the Persian, Athenian, and Selecuid empires; Pompey's conquest of Mithridates' empire; the development of the Roman frontier in the eastern Black Sea region; Roman diplomacy in Iberia; the Christianization of Iberia; Sassanian ambitions in Transcaucasia; and Byzantine warfare there.

Cork oak has historically been an important species in the western Mediterranean—ecologically as a canopy or “framework” tree in natural woodlands, and culturally as an economically valuable resource that underpins local economies. Both the natural woodlands and the derived cultural systems are experiencing rapid change, and whether or not they are resilient enough to adapt to that change is an open question. Cork Oak Woodlands on the Edge provides a synthesis of the most up-to-date, scientific, and practical information on the management of cork oak woodlands and the cultural systems that depend on cork oak. In addition, Cork Oak Woodlands on the Edge offers ten site profiles written by local experts that present an in-depth vision of cork oak woodlands across a range of biophysical, historical, and cultural contexts, with sixteen pages of full-color photos that illustrate the tree, agro-silvopastoral systems, products, resident biodiversity, and more. Cork Oak Woodlands on the Edge is an important book for anyone interested in the future of cork oak woodlands, or in the management of cultural landscapes and their associated land-use systems. In a changing world full of risks and surprises, it represents an excellent example of a multidisciplinary and holistic approach to studying, managing, and restoring an ecosystem, and will serve as a guide for other studies of this kind.