Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Designation of Natural Monuments by the Local Administration: the Example of Viana Do Castelo Municipality and its Engagement with Geoconservation (NW Portugal)

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Geoheritage Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 29 June 2016

Abstract

A geosite inventory done in the coastal area of Viana do Castelo district (NW Portugal) revealed the occurrence of important geodiversity elements, mainly geomorphological features such as granite, tectonic, fluvial, aeolian, and cultural landforms. This geoforms record regional tectono-eustatic changes and the major paleoclimatic events from MIS11 to MIS1. The quantitative assessment showed that among 17 geosites, 6 of them have exceptional scientific value, high to very high potential for tourism and educational uses, and medium to high risk of degradation. Based on these results, the Viana do Castelo municipality has decided to designate these 6 geosites as 5 local natural monuments, according with the Portuguese legislation of nature conservation. This paper shows a good example of the importance of the involvement of local administration in the implementation of effective geoconservation strategies, once solid scientific studies reveal the real relevance of geodiversity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Almeida CB (2005) – A exploração do sal na costa portuguesa a Norte do Rio Ave. In: Da Antiguidade Clássica à Baixa Idade Média. Actas do I Seminário Internacional sobre o sal português. Instituto de História Moderna da Universidade do Porto, Porto, pp. 137–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Brilha J (2005) – Património geológico e geoconservação: a conservação da natureza na sua vertente geológica. Palimage Editores, Viseu, p 190

  • Brilha J. (2008) – Geoconservation Awards: a way to promote geological heritage in Portugal. Proc. 5th International Symposium ProGEO on the Conservation of the Geological Heritage, Rab, Croatia, 13–14.

  • Brilha J. (2009) – Geological Heritage and Geoconservation in Portugal. Proc. 8th European Geoparks Conference, New Challenges with Geotourism, C. Neto de Carvalho & J. Rodrigues (Eds.), Idanha-a-Nova Municipality/Naturtejo Geopark, Portugal, 31–35.

  • Brilha J (2015) inventory and quantitative assessment of geosites and geodiversity sites: a review. Geoheritage. doi:10.1007/s12371-014-0139-3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brilha, J., Alcala, L., Almeida, A., Araújo, A., Azeredo, A., Azevedo, M., Barriga, F., DA Brum, Silveira, A., Cabral, J., Cachão, M., Caetano, P., Cobos, A., Coke, C., Couto, H., Crispim, J., Cunha, P., Dias, R., Duarte, L., Dória, A., Falé, P., Ferreira, N., Soares, A., Fonseca, P., Galopim De Carvalho, A., Gonçalves, R., Granja, H., Henriques, M., Kullberg, J. C., Kullberg, M. C., Legoinha, P., Lima, A., Lima, E., Lopes, L., Madeira, J., Marques, J., Martins, A., Martins, R., Matos, J., Medina, J., Miranda, R., Monteiro, C., Moreira, M., Moura, D., Neto Carvalho, C., Noronha, F., Nunes, J.C., Oliveira, J.T., Pais, J., Pena Dos Reis, R., Pereira, D., Pereira, P., Pereira, Z., Piçarra, J., Pimentel, N., Pinto De Jesus, A., Prada, S., Prego, A., Ramalho, L., Ramalho, M., Ramalho, R., Relvas, J., Ribeiro, A., Ribeiro, M., Rocha, R., SÁ, A., Santos, V., Sant’ovaia, H., Sequeira, A., Sousa, M., Terrinha, P., Valle Aguado, B., Vaz, N. (2010) – The national inventory of geosites in Portugal. Abstracts Book of the International Conference on Geoevents, Geological Heritage and the Role of IGCP (First Meeting of ProGEO Regional Working Group SW Europe), Ayuntamiento de Caravaca de la Cruz, Spain, 18–24.

  • Carvalhido, R. (2012) – O Litoral Norte de Portugal: evolução paleoambiental quaternária e proposta de conservação do património geomorfológico. Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências, Universidade do Minho.

  • Carvalhido, R.; Pereira, D. & Cunha, P. (2014a) – Depósitos costeiros quaternários do noroeste de Portugal (Minho - Neiva): caracterização datação e interpretação paleoambiental. Comunicações Geológicas (2014) 101, Especial II, 605–609.

  • Carvalhido, R.; Brilha, J. & Pereira, D. (2014b) – Monumentos Naturais Locais de Viana do Castelo: processo de classificação e estratégias de valorização. Comunicações Geológicas (2014) 101, Especial III, 1219–1223.

  • Carvalhido, R.; Pereira, D; Cunha, P.; Buylaert, J. & Murray, A. (2014c) Characterization and dating of coastal deposits of NW Portugal (Minho-Neiva area): a record of climate, eustasy and crustal uplift during the Quaternary. Quat Int, 328-329: 94–106

  • Carvalho A (2007) – O Crime das Pedras Ruivas. Cadernos Vianenses, 39:257–274

  • Costa M, Machado J, Lopes H, Almeida T (2012) Pias salineiras do Canto Marinho: inventário aqueológico. Cadernos Vianenses, Tomo 46:95–111

    Google Scholar 

  • García-Cortéz A, Carcavilla L (2009) Documento metodológico para la elaboración del inventario español de lugares de interés geológico (IELIG). Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Madrid version 12, 61 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Lima, F. (2008) Proposta Metodológica para a Inventariação do Património Geológico Brasileiro. Tese de Mestrado, Universidade do Minho, Braga, 94 pp.

  • Pamplona J, Gutiérrez-Alonso G, Ribeiro A (2006) Superposition of shear zones during orogenic development: an example from the NW Variscan Belt. Viana do Castelo, NW Portugal

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was co-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund, based on COMPETE 2020 (Programa Operacional da Competitividade e Internacionalização), project ICT (UID/GEO/04683/2013) with reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007690 and national funds provided by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Earth Sciences, Pole of University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

    Ricardo Jorge Carvalhido, José B. Brilha & Diamantino I. Pereira

Authors
  1. Ricardo Jorge Carvalhido
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. José B. Brilha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Diamantino I. Pereira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ricardo Jorge Carvalhido.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 119 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Carvalhido, R.J., Brilha, J.B. & Pereira, D.I. Designation of Natural Monuments by the Local Administration: the Example of Viana Do Castelo Municipality and its Engagement with Geoconservation (NW Portugal). Geoheritage 8, 279–290 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-016-0183-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-016-0183-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation