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The Rock Garden “Geologist Juan Paricio” (Alcorisa, Maestrazgo Geopark, Spain): An Effective Example of Geosciences Popularization

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Abstract

The Rock Garden “Geologist Juan Paricio” of Alcorisa provides a free geological environment in which both earth science students and visitors interested in geotourism have the educational and recreational opportunity to observe within a pleasant urban environment (a park next to a lake), 14 samples of sedimentary rocks that characterize and synthesize the geology of Alcorisa within the context of the Maestrazgo Geopark. The project offers a unique opportunity for the teaching of Geology and skills in the recognition of rocks, contextualized within the geological history of the Iberian Mountain Range through information panels, a guide accessible to a broader public (in PDF format), and additional information (available brochures) in English and Spanish. The balance of the first 5 years of activity of this accessible resource and low initial investment is positive, demonstrating great profitability and social interest, all an example of effective geological spreading in an urban context.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Town Hall and inhabitants of Alcorisa for their interest in including geology within the area’s developmental plans though projects like the Rock Garden. To teacher Ciarán Rowe Hibbits for helping us improve the English writing of the manuscript and to the anonymous reviewers, whose useful suggestions have improved the quality of this paper. Also, thanks to the Department of Education, Culture and Sport and the Department of Innovation, Research and University of the Government of Aragón, the FEDER Aragón 2014-2020 funds “Construyendo Europa desde Aragón” (FOCONTUR Quality Research Group E04_17R), Instituto Aragonés de Fomento, and the Maestrazgo Geoparks aUUGp scientific board and to all those who contributed with ideas and suggestions to improve the rock garden. This work is for the memory of Dr. J. Paricio Cardona, geologist of Teruel.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio ENSAYA, Aneto 8, 50410 Cuarte de Huerva, Zaragoza, Spain

    Luis Moliner

  2. Maestrazgo Geopark Scientific Committee, Mayor 3, Molinos, Spain

    Luis Moliner & Luis Mampel

  3. Fundación Conjunto Paleontológico de Teruel-Dinópolis (Museo Aragonés de Paleontología), Avda. Sagunto s/n, 44002, Teruel, Spain

    Luis Mampel

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  1. Luis Moliner
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Correspondence to Luis Mampel.

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Moliner, L., Mampel, L. The Rock Garden “Geologist Juan Paricio” (Alcorisa, Maestrazgo Geopark, Spain): An Effective Example of Geosciences Popularization. Geoheritage 11, 1869–1878 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-019-00398-7

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