Geoconservation, concept of

[Excerto] The exceptional scientific value of certain geodiversity elements justifies the need to implement proper measures in order to assure their conservation. Obviously, not all geodiversity elements should be envisaged for conservation. Most elements have no particular value, and a vast variety of geological resources are exploited everyday to satisfy the needs of modern societies. This means that accurate methods should be used to select exceptional sites that need to be protected and conserved, i.e., geosites. It should be noted that geological heritage (or geoheritage) encompasses in situ occurrences of notable geodiversity elements (minerals, fossils, rocks, soils, and landforms) and ex situ elements usually integrating museum collections...