Geomorphological Heritage assessment in the UNESCO Global Geopark ‘Calatrava volcanoes, Ciudad Real' (Castilla-La Mancha, Spain): the case of Villamayor de Calatrava

The teaching and assessment of geomorphological heritage (applied and cultural geomorphology) in university classrooms are essential in the training of geographers, as they provide students with opportunities to analyse and evaluate the geoheritage of the territory. These skills are key to understanding their uses, their risk of degradation and geoconservation and sustainable management actions.

Geomorphological heritage forms the basis of the landscape, which reflects natural and social dynamics and elements of natural and cultural heritage threatened by the dynamics of global change. It is therefore vital to propose sustainable use and management strategies for their geoconservation, protection and the economic development through geotourism, especially in global geoparks, to achieve the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

This communication presents the results of the project work carried out by students of the Geomorphological Heritage and Tourism course in the Geography, Territorial Development and Sustainability degree programme at the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, applied to the municipality of Villamayor de Calatrava, included in the UNESCO Global Geopark ‘Volcanes de Calatrava. Ciudad Real’ (Castilla-La Mancha, Spain), due to its geological and geomorphological heritage of volcanic origin and international relevance.

A semi-quantitative methodology was used to study, identify and evaluate geomorphological heritage in conjunction with sustainable development strategies. Nine geomorfosites (sites of geomorphological interest) were inventoried and assessed, and four georoutes/geoitineraries of geotouristic interest were proposed; they connect these geomorphosites with each other, with the urban centre of Villamayor de Calatrava and with other georoutes and official trails in the geopark. The overall goal is to promote endogenous development through geotourism in a territory with severe depopulation, to address the environmental changes it has undergone in recent decades, and to contribute to expanding the inventory of the local geomorphological and geotourism resources available to the geopark.