Geopark Karavanke

• A Geopark is an area, which includes a particular geological heritage and a sustainable territorial development strategy supported by european and national programs to promote development. It must have clearly defined boundaries and sufficient surface area for true territorial economic development.

• Geoparks must show a certain number of geological sites of particular importance in terms of their scientific quality, rarity, aesthetic appeal or educational value. The majority of sites present on the territory of a Geopark must be part of the geological heritage, but their interest may also be archaeological, ecological, historical or cultural.

• Geoparks have an important and active role in the economic development of its territory through enhancement of a general image linked to the geological heritage and the development of Geotourism.

• Geoparks have direct impact on the territory by influencing its inhabitants’ living conditions and environment. The objective is to enable the inhabitants to reappropriate the values of the territory’s heritage and actively participate in the territory’s cultural revitalization as a whole.

• Geoparks develop, experiment with and enhance methods for preserving the geological heritage.

• A European Geopark must work within the European Geopark Network to further the network’s development and cohesion. It must work with local enterprises to promote and support the creation of new by-products linked with the geological heritage in a complimentary spirit with the other European Geoparks Network members. (Summarised by the definition of the European Geoparks Network.

ARGE Geopark Karawanken
Hauptplatz 7, A-9135 Bad Eisenkappel
Austria