Geopark Arouca: a new project to promote geoconservation in Portugal

Abstract

During the last decade, the European Geoparks Network (EGN) has developed this strategy with notable results across several countries. In Portugal, in spite of its very rich geodiversity, the Geopark model is just starting. This work will present the main features of a new proposal for a Portuguese Geopark to be submitted to the EGN in 2008. One of the particularities of this project is related with the rewarding association between geoconservation and the exploration of a geological resource. During the last couple of years a significative number of Palaeozoic fossils (giant Ordovician trilobites and ichnofossils) were studied and preserved as a result of the normal activity of a slate quarry. The quarry owner is the first to collect all the fossils and to put them available for scientific research. Some new species will be defined in the near future.