The Geological and Palaeontological Heritage of the Buzău Land Geopark (Carpathians, Romania)

The Buzău Land Geopark, located in SE Romania, in the outer part of the Eastern Carpathians, encloses many geological and palaeontological sites of high scientific value, including unique geological phenomena. The amber deposits, the salt caves, the mud volcanoes, the mineral springs and the Neogene fossiliferous sites, along with the impressive beautiful geological landforms and landscapes represent a significant geoheritage and an attraction for worldwide tourists. The geological and palaeontological heritage of The Buzău Land Geopark may be seen also as a strong supporter for Earth Science education, and one of the best policies to promote geoconservation. So far, however, only a few geological and palaeontological sites are protected; for the other sites, the significant geodiversity indicates that they have a good potential to become protected areas of national interest. The future actions that will be taken as results of the researches in The Buzău Land Geopark need to support geoconservation, leading also to the development of the entire region.