Some 20 years ago, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) began a process of certifying geoheritage sites and promoting geotourism. Geotourism focuses on historically substantial geological features and the processes that created and sculpted them. It aims to conserve and promote a place as a so-called geosite.
In contrast to the national park system of the United States, which imposes tightly restrictive rules and regulations as to what is and is not allowed within a park’s boundaries, a UNESCO Global Geopark is guided by a series of general principles and recommendations. Primary among them is a bottom-up philosophy. That is, a Global Geopark should start and end at the local level, with local communities interested in protecting, enhancing and promoting their unique geological heritage.