Our Shared Geologic Heritage
America is blessed to have an abundance of outstanding and internationally important Geologic Heritage sites throughout the nation. “Geoheritage” is a term applied to sites or areas of geologic features with significant scientific, educational, cultural, or aesthetic value. Geoheritage sites include those with ‘textbook type’ geologic features and landscapes, distinctive rock or mineral types, unique or unusual fossils, or other geologic characteristics that are significant to education and research.
The American landscape displays a spectacular array of geologic features that characterize physiographic divisions and comprises our geologic heritage as a nation. Culturally significant geoheritage sites are places where geologic features or landscapes played a role in cultural or historical events.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Ice Cave, Alaska
Geologic Heritage encompasses the significant geologic features, landforms, and landscapes characteristic of our Nation which are preserved for the full range of values that society places on them, including scientific, aesthetic, cultural, ecosystem, educational, recreational, tourism, and other values. These unique areas are critical to advancing knowledge about natural hazards, groundwater supply, soil processes, climate and environmental changes, mineral and energy supplies, and other aspects of the nature and history of Earth.
The term 'Geodiversity' refers to the existence of a wide variety of different geologic forms and processes within a specific geographic region. Geodiversity has emerged as one of the most important concepts in supporting geoheritage conservation. Conserving geoheritage sites is a way to ensure that abiotic nature is preserved for future generations.
There is a growing global awareness of the importance of geoheritage, the concept of a shared geological record that embodies the connection between people, landscape and the processes that have formed, and continue to shape, our planet. Through the conservation and promotion of geological features with significant scientific, cultural, educational or historical value, geoheritage is increasingly being harnessed to highlight and celebrate this linkage, with the ultimate goal of reconnecting people to our remarkable planet — and each other.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Zion National Park
Geotourism is tourism which focuses on an area’s geology and landscape as the basis for providing visitor engagement, learning and enjoyment.
Yellowstone National Park