Monitoring geosites: a geoconservation tool at Azores Geopark

Abstract

The Azores archipelago is located in the North Atlantic and is composed by nine islands and some islets. This archipelago, and the surrounding seafloor, has a remarkable geological heritage of international scientific relevance, which constitutes the basis for the establishment of a geopark that is under evaluation by the European Geoparks Network (EGN). The analysis of the evolution of the conservation status of a geosite plays a very important role in the control of its decline. The decrease of relevance of a geosite could be justified either by direct degradation of a geological feature or by lack of concern in the maintenance of the site by local authorities.