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Lithological and Structural Control on Italian Mountain Geoheritage: Opportunities for Tourism, Outdoor and Educational Activities

Irene Bollati
Irene Bollati
, 
Paola Coratza
Paola Coratza
, 
Valeria Panizza
Valeria Panizza
 et 
Manuela Pelfini
Manuela Pelfini
   | 06 sept. 2018
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Publié en ligne: 06 sept. 2018
Pages: 53 - 73
Reçu: 06 mars 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/quageo-2018-0025
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© 2018 Irene Bollati et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Location of the selected landscapes in the Italian context (the background image is courtesy of Google Earth).
Location of the selected landscapes in the Italian context (the background image is courtesy of Google Earth).

Fig. 2

Comparison among Italian granites landscapes characteristic of the Alpine areas and of the Sardinia island. a) View on the Mont Blanc Massif (case study A, Fig. 1) taken from the debris covered surface of the Miage Glacier in the Veny Valley, b) San Giovanni Battista Church (V century B.C.) in the Montorfano village (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province) and a detail of pink and white granites extracted in the surrounding areas and used also for buildings in Milan city centre (e.g. San Carlo al Corso Vittorio Emanuele), c) the inselberg of Mount Pulchiana with, in the foreground, a tafone used as a shelter (Aggius, North Eastern Sardinia) (case study C, Fig. 1), d) climbing on the granitic walls and tafonis of Capo Testa (North Eastern Sardinia) (case study C, Fig. 1), e) columns and blocks defined by erosion along the net of fractures in the granite of Capo Testa (Gallura, North-eastern Sardinia), f) a big tafone in the area of the Bear of Palau where, inside the most hidden cavities, the granite is altered by hydrolysis.
Comparison among Italian granites landscapes characteristic of the Alpine areas and of the Sardinia island. a) View on the Mont Blanc Massif (case study A, Fig. 1) taken from the debris covered surface of the Miage Glacier in the Veny Valley, b) San Giovanni Battista Church (V century B.C.) in the Montorfano village (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province) and a detail of pink and white granites extracted in the surrounding areas and used also for buildings in Milan city centre (e.g. San Carlo al Corso Vittorio Emanuele), c) the inselberg of Mount Pulchiana with, in the foreground, a tafone used as a shelter (Aggius, North Eastern Sardinia) (case study C, Fig. 1), d) climbing on the granitic walls and tafonis of Capo Testa (North Eastern Sardinia) (case study C, Fig. 1), e) columns and blocks defined by erosion along the net of fractures in the granite of Capo Testa (Gallura, North-eastern Sardinia), f) a big tafone in the area of the Bear of Palau where, inside the most hidden cavities, the granite is altered by hydrolysis.

Fig. 3

Selection of Italian limestone and dolostones landscapes in Alps and in Sardinia island.a) Moncodeno karst landscape (case study D, Fig. 1), towards North, taken from the Brioschi Hut on the Northern Grigna (2399 m a.s.l.) (Central Italian Prealps), b) panoramic view of Sasso Lungo Group (Val Gardena, Dolomites, Eastern Italian Alps) (case study E, Fig. 1), c) canyoning down the Flumineddu river (Supramonte, Central Eastern Sardinia) (case study F, Fig. 1), d) Erosional landform down the Doronè canyon and stream (Supramonte, Central Eastern Sardinia) (case study F, Fig. 1).
Selection of Italian limestone and dolostones landscapes in Alps and in Sardinia island.a) Moncodeno karst landscape (case study D, Fig. 1), towards North, taken from the Brioschi Hut on the Northern Grigna (2399 m a.s.l.) (Central Italian Prealps), b) panoramic view of Sasso Lungo Group (Val Gardena, Dolomites, Eastern Italian Alps) (case study E, Fig. 1), c) canyoning down the Flumineddu river (Supramonte, Central Eastern Sardinia) (case study F, Fig. 1), d) Erosional landform down the Doronè canyon and stream (Supramonte, Central Eastern Sardinia) (case study F, Fig. 1).

Fig. 4

Sandstones, clay and ophiolites Italian landscapes in Apennines and Alps.a) Northern slope of Pietra di Bismantova rock slab (case study G, Fig. 1), b) calanchi and shallow landslides characterizing the surrounding of Radicofani in the Orcia Valley (case study H, Fig. 1), c) Bardi castle (Parma Apennines) build on ophiolite outcrop (case study I, Fig. 1), d) “Sasso del Drago” climbing wall (case study L; Fig. 1), e) Punta Terra Rossa (or Waserhorn) from Bocchetta d’Aurona/Kaltawasser Gletcher (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Western Italian Alps; photo courtesy of E. Zanoletti) (case study J, Fig. 1), f) Pietra Parcellara (Trebbia Valley, Northern Apennines) (case study K, Fig. 1).
Sandstones, clay and ophiolites Italian landscapes in Apennines and Alps.a) Northern slope of Pietra di Bismantova rock slab (case study G, Fig. 1), b) calanchi and shallow landslides characterizing the surrounding of Radicofani in the Orcia Valley (case study H, Fig. 1), c) Bardi castle (Parma Apennines) build on ophiolite outcrop (case study I, Fig. 1), d) “Sasso del Drago” climbing wall (case study L; Fig. 1), e) Punta Terra Rossa (or Waserhorn) from Bocchetta d’Aurona/Kaltawasser Gletcher (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Western Italian Alps; photo courtesy of E. Zanoletti) (case study J, Fig. 1), f) Pietra Parcellara (Trebbia Valley, Northern Apennines) (case study K, Fig. 1).

Summary of the analysed features of the proposed study areas.

CodeStudy caseItalian RegionMountain range/regionOther form of official recognition and protectionGeosites CataloguesLithology/iesGeomorphological featuresOutdoor activitiesOther relevant values
Primary processesSecondary processesLandscape features
AMont Blanc MassifAosta ValleyWestern Italian AlpsEspace Mont Blanc, SIC IT1204010ISPRAGranitesGlacial & gravity actionChemical weatheringSteep slopesClimbingCultural: transboundary area and alpinism history
BMottarone MassifPiedmontWestern Italian AlpsRegione Piemonte (for other aspects)GranitesChemical weatheringWater actionResidual relief with tors and inselbergsClimbingCultural and socio-economic: cave and mines
CGalluraSardiniaNorth Eastern SardiniaRegional protection on some specific sitesISPRAGranitesChemical weatheringWater runoff, gravityResidual reliefs with inselbergs, tors, rounded blocks and tafonisClimbing, canyoningCultural, archaeological, socio-economic: quarries
DGrigne MassifLombardyCentral Italian PrealpsRegional Park of the GrigneISPRA, Regione LombardiaLimestonesKarstGlacialGlacio-karstic ipo- and epi-landformsClimbing, speleologyCultural: Leonardo Da Vinci artistic works, tradition of climbing
EDolomitesTrentino-Alto AdigeEastern Italian AlpsUNESCO World Heritage List/DolomitesGravityCryoclastism, glacialTowers and scree slopesClimbingCultural: painting, photography, poetry, history of Alpinism; socio-economic: tourism
FSupramonteSardiniaCentral Eastern SardiniaRegional protection on some specific sitesISPRALimestones, dolostonesKarstGravity, fluvio-karstHypogeum and surface karstic landformsClimbing, speleology, canyoningcultural, archaelogical, socio-economic
GPietra di Bismantova mesaEmilia RomagnaNorthern ApenninesNational Park of the Tuscan-Emilia ApennineISPRA, Emilia Romagna RegionSandstoneSelected erosion & gravityWeaatheringMesa, landslidesClimbingCultural: Dante Alighieri's description, history of Alpinism; Archaeological: Bronze Age and early Iron Age settlements; Ecologic support role: endemic species
HOrcia ValleyTuscanyCentral ApenninesUNESCOW World Heritage ListISPRA (not Radicofani case)ShalesWater runoffGravityCalanchi, shallow landslidesCultural: Radicofani Castle; Ecologic support role: endemic species
IBardi ophiolitic spurEmilia RomagnaNorthern ApenninesISPRA, Emilia Romagna RegionBasalts and red jaspersDifferential erosionGravitySteep slopesCultural: Bardi Medieval Castle; Ecologic support role: endemic species
JTerra RossaPiedmontWestern Italian AlpsVeglia Devero Natural Park/SerpentiniteChemical weatheringGravityResidual ridgesAlpinism
KPietra ParcellaraEmilia RomagnaNorthern ApenninesRegional Natural ReserveISPRA, Emilia Romagna RegionSerpentiniteDifferential erosionGravityMonadnocks/Residual ridgesEcologic support role: endemic species
LSasso del DragoLombardiaCentral Italian AlpsSerpentiniteDifferential erosionRocky cliffClimbing
eISSN:
2081-6383
Langue:
Anglais
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4 fois par an
Sujets de la revue:
Geosciences, Geography
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