Multifinality in geoheritage inventories: a cross-cutting approach of geotourism and geoconservation issues in the “Causses du Quercy” Regional Natural Park (Lot, SW France)

Geotourism and geoconservation are the main management issues of geoheritage inventories. In France, the INPG (National Inventory of Geological Heritage) constitutes a good basis for the definition of future protected areas and the further promotion of geoheritage. However, methodological adjustments are often necessary to fit with the different finalities of the inventory. The aim of this paper is to propose a cross-cutting approach of geotourism and geoconservation issues in the “Causses-du-Quercy” Regional Natural Park (PNRCQ), a rural territory typified by a rich geoheritage with a predominance of palaeontological and karstic sites. This geoheritage is currently the subject of protection measures (creation of a National Nature Reserve of geological interest, RNNg) and promotion actions (project of Geopark application). Because numerous geosites of the Regional Park are not managed, the PNRCQ aims to develop a substantive, integrated geoheritage project well beyond the limits of the reserve and extended to the whole PNR territory. To achieve this, two parallel studies (geoconservation and geotourism) were launched in 2013-2014. On one hand, a qualitative approach with cyndinic assessment – inspired by experience in risk evaluation – was proposed for the definition of a geoconservation strategy applied to karstic sites. On the other hand, a semi-quantitative method of geosite assessment – based on multi-criteria analysis adapted to geotourism purposes – met the need to define a ranking or priority-based classification of geosites of geotouristic interest, in accordance with the Regional Park management policy and the geoconservation issues. As a whole, this integrated work constitutes a solid, prospective basis for consolidating the project of Geopark application.