Paper Number: 3873
Geodiversity, heritage, conservation and society: The role of the journal Geoheritage in raising awareness and disseminating good practice
Page, K.N.
Editor, Geoheritage, c/o School of Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences, Plymouth University, Drakes Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK, kpage@plymouth.ac.uk
___________________________________________________________________________
With the formation of ProGEO in 1993, a major force in European geoconservation was established. Through seminars, conferences, symposia, working groups, and related publications at a national and international level, ProGEO continues to promote the philosophy and practice of geological heritage and its conservation within Europe and beyond [1]. From 2009, this activity has been supported through publication of the international journal Geoheritage, in collaboration with Springer (http://www.springer.com/journal/12371). The journal specialises in high quality, scientifically informed, and peer-reviewed works on all aspects of geological heritage, ranging from principles and philosophy, to site selection methodologies (including inventories), monitoring and management systems, as well as related educational, promotional and sustainable tourism initiatives.
From 2009 to September 2016, nearly 160 papers will have been published, with many more already available online. The geographical coverage is impressive, with all continents, including Antarctica, being represented, with contributions from Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, Fiji Islands, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Iran, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine, UK and USA. Of particular importance within the publishing ethos of Geoheritage is the production of thematic Special Issues on aspects of geological heritage and its conservation, including papers presented at key geoconservation meetings convened under the auspices of ProGEO, and reviews of new techniques and technologies [2].
Geoheritage is now firmly established as the most important and influential journal in its field, as global scientific and conservation communities has become aware of its existence and potential, leading to its first award of an Impact Factor of 1.674 in 2014. It is also covered by a wide range of international abstracting and indexing services, including the Science Citation Index Expanded, SCOPUS and Google Scholar. This success has more than lived up to ProGEO’s original aims for the journal, which has now developed its own global niche and multifaceted role, through which the principles and practice of geological heritage can be disseminated, promoted and, crucially, discussed in an objective and scientific context. Contributions range from philosophy to methodology to case histories, developed within often radically different political and social contexts. Crucially, Geoheritage’s credentials established through SCI methodologies now also make it attractive for a wide range of academic Earth scientists who are contractually required to publish in such journals. Indeed, the journal provides a remarkable opportunity for many of the ‘other’ activities which characterise, for instance, University-based academic practice, including educational and community-outreach activities, to be shared and appropriate credit gained by the authors in the context of their own employment.
Geoheritage, therefore, functions both as a methodological reference source, as well as a manual of good practice, whilst providing a show case for developments in the field of geological heritage and its sustainable management, educational use and promotion globally – as well as a vehicle through which to influence governmental decision makers.
References:
[1] Erikstad L (2013) ProGEO – The European Association for the Conservation of the Geological Heritage. Geoheritage 5 (2): 151-152 (and all subsequent issues to 2016).
[2] Page KN et al. (2015) The Journal Geoheritage: a partnership between ProGEO and Springer and a force in global geoconservation. In: Programme and Abstracts, Geoconservation strategies in a changing world, VIII International ProGEO Symposium 2015, Reykjavík, Iceland.