Sunday, 03 January 2010 00:00
The regional government of the Azores will present in 2010 a proposal to make the entire archipelago into a Geopark. It would include more than 100 places of geological interest in terms of heritage, science, and geology.
The proposed "Geoparque Açores” would be based on the sustainable tourism that the Azores is developing to help keep its environment healthy and pure. The 'Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional', Geopark was created on the mainland in 2006 with the towns of Castelo Branco, Idanha-a-Nova, Nisa, Oleiros, Proença-a-Nova and Vila Velha de Ródão, and the Geoparque de Arouca, was established in 2009. The Geoparks initiative was launched by UNESCO in response to the perceived need for an international initiative that recognizes sites representing an interest for the earth science. The Global Geoparks Network program aims at enhancing the value of such sites while at the same time creating employment and promoting regional economic development. For the purposes of the program the organization developed new internationally recognized label 'UNESCO Geopark'. The idea of UNESCO is to label up to 500 Geoparks worldwide. The National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations named the Azores as the world’s second most appealing islands destination.
Portugal National Tourist Office