GEOHERITAGE SITES: A PLATFORM FOR GEOLOGIC STORYTELLING LINKED TO USGS GEOLOGIC MAPPING

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing a geoheritage geospatial product (GGP) as part of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program U.S. GeoFramework Initiative. The GGP will include geologic features that are scientifically significant, are an educational resource, have cultural heritage, provide economic value, and can be appreciated for their aesthetic allure. These geoheritage values are the foundation for selecting geological sites that appeal to the public interest. The interactive application built from the GGP will provide an outreach and educational tool that links directly to USGS geologic mapping, making geoscience more relevant for the public.

The selection criteria for the GGP include sites that have been identified as geoheritage sites and geologic points of interest that are on Federal public lands where the Federal designation aligns with the geoheritage values. The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) stratotype inventory, National Natural Landmarks (NNL), and the International Union for Geological Sciences (IUGS) First 100 Geoheritage Sites were considered as ideal candidates; however, the NNLs and the IUGS sites are not exclusively on Federal public lands or are too geographically broad, and many of the stratotypes were deemed too technical for a first version of the GGP. To expand the dataset, we looked to the NPS Geoheritage Site Examples on Public Lands and Unofficial National Register of Geoheritage Sites, the Bureau of Land Management National Conservation Areas, the U.S. Forest Service Geologic Features of our National Forests and Grasslands, and other geosite references. The rationale for including only sites on Federal public lands with land management plans in place ensures that the sites can be enjoyed for generations to come.

In addition to promoting the geologic history and conservation of an area, geoheritage sites are a platform to connect geologic and sociocultural stories told to an audience beyond that of scientists and researchers, presenting the opportunity to reach communities that are historically excluded or underrepresented from such communication. Geoheritage has the potential to inspire future geoscientists from all backgrounds and provides the American people with a strong sense of place across the beautiful landscapes that we call home.