The Araripe Geopark (NE Brazil): Discovering the Earth’s Past as a Driver of Economic and Social Transformation

Autor: Francisco Idalécio de Freitas, Rafael Celestino Soares, Ronald Raminelli, Ismar de Souza Carvalho, Maria Helena Henriques, José Artur Ferreira Gomes de Andrade
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Geoheritage. 13
ISSN: 1867-2485
1867-2477
DOI: 10.1007/s12371-021-00586-4
Popis: The territory of the Araripe Geopark, located in Northeast Brazil, covers a wide range of aspects related to earth and life sciences, as well as other aspects in the socio-cultural sphere that result from a complex interaction linked to the geology of the region. A key element for this diversity is the paleontological heritage that exists in the area and which was one of the bases for the creation of this geopark. The knowledge of the diversity and exquisite preservation of the fossils from the Araripe Geopark results from a long history of prospection of natural resources, starting in the eighteenth century. Since these first discoveries, the records of life in the area of the Araripe sedimentary basin were exceptional. To this day, the first natural resources prospected by Joao da Sylva Feijo transcend the perception of fossils as mere remains of past life on Earth. The excellent quality of these paleontological records enables new understanding of organic matter preservation processes. This knowledge built over 200 years of research and results in a new perception of the relevance of the Araripe Geopark fossils. Thus, the history of paleontology in this geopark intertwines with the history of scientific knowledge since the eighteenth century. Observation and exploration of natural resources have led to the first discovery of fossils in the region, as well as the scientific understanding of the importance of these records of past life on Earth. Additionally, that increase in scientific knowledge about nature enabled solutions to political and economic problems. Two centuries after their first discovery, the fossils belonging to Araripe Geopark are part of the main paleontological collections of universities and museums around the world. We evaluate how the ex situ paleontological heritage, resulting from the long history of studies in this geopark, may drive the economic development of the region through geotourism activities. The fossil heritage represented by the museum collections in exhibition or those in research collections, whether or not located in the Araripe Geopark region, should be considered as potential paths for disseminating information and encouraging geotourism. The possibility of learning the geological history of the area’s landscape, fossils, and human interactions, by means of the various museum collections, represents an enormous potential to stimulate visits to the Araripe Geopark, thereby assisting in the economic development of the region.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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