Geoheritage Classification and Assessment in Longyan Aspiring Geopark (China)

Geoconservation, sustainable development of local community, and economic growth stimulation are the three most important reasons to establish UNESCO Global Geoparks. Longyan is an Aspiring Geopark, where the geoheritage has been rarely described and assessed. In this paper, the geoheritage in the Longyan Aspiring Geopark is thoroughly investigated based on the classification of different geological elements: stratigraphic sections, rock relics, structural sections, ore deposit, paleontological resources, rock and soil bodies, water bodies, and volcanic and tectonic landforms. The geoheritage assessment is conducted using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and principal component analysis (PCA). The results show that among the 52 geosites in the territory, 4 are of international significance, 14 are of national importance, and 34 are of provincial importance. The results are applied to promote geoconservation, geotourism and sustainable development of the Aspiring Geopark area.