This study offers a detailed assessment of the geosites and mining sites present in the ZarumaPortovelo mining district (Ecuador) through their qualitative and quantitative assessment. It shows up the potentiality of this area taking advantage of its geological-mining heritage. The methodological process includes: (i) compilation and inventory of all the sites within the study area with particular geological or mining interest; (ii) preparation of reports and thematic cartography, (iii) assessment and classification of the elements of geological-mining interest; (iv) SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses, Strengths) matrix preparation seeking strategies to guarantee the viability of geotourism. A total of 16 sites of geological interest and 11 of mining interest were identified. The 77% of these sites was proved to be of high and very high interest in scientific terms. Likewise, their susceptibility to degradation assessed from their vulnerability and fragility was found to be high or very high in the 30% of the cases. As for the protection priority, all the studied sites obtained a medium-high result. Finally, the study based on the SWOT-TOWS revealed the possibility of applying action strategies in order to facilitate the compatibility of geotourism with the current productive activities, despite the difficult situation in the study area created by mining activities.

Rockfall is one of the main phenomena in mountainous environments due to its fast and high speed of movement, its unpredictability, and, therefore, the difficulty of identifying signs of instability and detachment of the blocks. Compared to other types of sliding, the proportion of rockfall research is smaller and sometimes little known, but, in the last five years, rapid growth in this area has been shown. Therefore, this research aimed to review the intellectual structure of rockfall, through analysis of scientific production using bibliometric techniques that allow its analysis, knowledge, global evolution, and future trends in rockfall. The research methodology consists of three steps: (1) data compilation, (2) software and data cleaning, and (3) analysis, interpretation, and visualization. This analysis focuses on the period from 1975 to 2019. For the data, a total of 811 academic publications were retrieved from the Scopus database. The results indicate an increasing trend of annual publications on rockfall. This analysis reveals the main topics, countries, and most influential institutions in the world that have carried out relevant research in scientific publications; it also shows the journals that have the most publications. VOSviewer software was adopted to evaluate the co-occurrence of author keywords. Currently, the hotspots rockfall issues mainly include: hazard-risk assessment, remote sensing, and rockfall monitoring. Finally, this article analyzes the limitations of current research and proposes a future direction for the development of new research.

Santa Elena Peninsula is characterized by beautiful geological features, historical geoscientific knowledge, and mineral and tourism resources that could all be combined for the sake of community development. This article provides an overview of the Santa Elena Peninsula Geopark Project through the assessment of six areas that are considered by inhabitants and researchers possible geosites to foster geotourism. The methodology included: (i) a technical description and assessment of the areas of interest evaluating their geological relevance, representativeness, geotouristic prominence, geotouristic scientific interpretation, and conservation criteria; (ii) an assessment through questionnaires carried out on inhabitants; and (iii) a SWOT Plus analysis to propose strategies for promoting geotourism. Results show that the areas of interest are highly valued as geosites, since they integrate geodiversity, biodiversity, and sociocultural aspects. For example, Ancon is a historical icon of early oil exploitation, Baños de San Vicente is a natural spring of thermal water and mud volcano, and Anconcito has bituminous exudations of natural occurrence together with a spectacular landscape produced by erosion. Overall, 90% of these sites were proved to be of high and very high interest in scientific terms. Geotourism is believed to be beneficial for the inhabitants of the Santa Elena Peninsula with respect to education, valorization of resources, and the strengthening of cultural identity of communities.

UNESCO Universal Declaration about Cultural Diversity of 2001 establishes that traditional and ancestral knowledge are heritage whose value goes beyond the originating communities. In fact, they are a source of creativity and innovation. Also, their recognition promotes social inclusion and participation. In rural areas such as Manglaralto, which is part of the coastal zone of Ecuador, its residents face the challenge of managing water. Community participation and ancestral practices have been relevant mechanisms to handle water problems. Both elements have allowed the inhabitants to develop and adapt techniques to recharge aquifers, which are a natural underground storage. The aim of this research is to analyze the practical adaptation for improving the application of artificial recharge through ancestral knowledge in a community research project with the support of ESPOL Polytechnic University for the management of coastal aquifer Manglaralto. Therefore, the methodological process includes: i) the Participatory-Action-Research (PAR) cycle through observation-reflection with the concurrence of the Manglaralto community through the Regional Board of Water in Manglaralto; ii) the sequential registers of community practices that respond to the growing demand for water in the river-aquifer context; and iii) an analysis of the practical adaptations for artificial aquifer recharge. The research study includes the implementation of dykes, "tapes" (historical term in Spanish for "dykes"), as part of ancestral knowledge. The dykes were made by the community with the technical support of the university and the interactive participation of the population. Hence, the tapes have been developed and improved through the trial and error method under the PAR framework. Currently, the dyke has evolved, as it has had several modifications from its first artisanal design to its technical construction within a pragmatic, economic and functional scheme. Consequently, the community shows how ancestral knowledge provides solutions for handling complex issues such as the artificial recharge of the aquifer.

The territory of Ancon-Santa Elena stands out for its unique geological diversity which has peculiar characteristics due to the relationships of geodiversity and exuberant biodiversity linked to the marine coastal area. Ancon-Santa Elena is recognized as Cultural Heritage of Ecuador for its great historical value, as it is the place where tar was used in ancient times. In this place, the first Ecuadorian oil well was drilled. Thus, Ancon-Santa Elena is considered an ideal and relevant rural location to carry out a Geopark project due to its uniqueness and aesthetic characteristics. The aim of the research is to analyze the geotourism potential in Ancon-Santa Elena area in Ecuador through the assessment of geosites and industrial sites. Furthermore, the objective is to set up strategies with a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT-TOWS) matrix of the 45 valued sites for local development in the context of the Ancon-Santa Elena Geopark project. Hence, the methodology includes: i) the registration and preliminary inventory of places with outstanding geological and industrial interest in the study area; ii) the preparation of reports and thematic cartographies; iii) quantitative assessment and classification of geosites and industrial sites; iv) development of a SWOT-TOWS matrix which will guarantee the viability of Geotourism as a development pole. The results of the research study are represented through a map using mineral routes as expression of tourism, choosing six relevant sites out of 45 geo-and industrial sites. The researchers focused on a sustainability framework through the preparation of action strategies to ease the compatibility of geodiversity and industrial heritage with current tourism activities. Therefore, this study promotes the conservation and enhancement of the resources in a territory for its sustainable development in rural communities.

Inefficient blasting techniques and poor closure management of the old quarry that existed during the 1970s in the area of the actual General Patrimonial Cemetery of Guayaquil resulted in an almost vertical slope of approximately 50 m in height and an intense induced fracturing that weakened the rock mass. This led to the loss of stability and increased material detachment, which damaged the infrastructure of the graveyard representing a risk to visitors and workers. The aim of this research is to evaluate the slope stability through a geotechnical analysis that allows decision-making to recover and preserve the safety of the area. In this work, we used structural measurements and observations made in the field, as well as a three-dimensional model of the slant generated by photographs taken by a drone. Slope Mass Rating (SMR) and Chinese Slope Mass Rating (CSMR) rankings were used to evaluate stability, susceptibility to rockfall was determined using a theoretical–practical procedure, and the safety factor was calculated using the Morgenstern–Price method. The analysis of the geomechanical classifications yielded a low stability value of the slope, which was in accordance with the high susceptibility to rockfall and with the low safety factor. Based on these results, we recommend the application of systematic bolt and shotcrete for stabilization.

The north coastal area of Santa Elena has been touristically boosted for about 10 years by the "Ruta del Spondylus", previously called "Ruta del Sol", which consists of a route or highway that travels along the line coast and delineates most of the Ecuador´s coast, connecting coastal towns of much tourist boom. Rural populations in the north of Santa Elena´s province, do not have water distribution by the state. Some years ago, they have undertaken with the water boards organization, a community work to supply water to their communities. The aim of this paper is to analyze development practices around the use of water, through the evolution of buildings related to tourism, and other strategies that serve to establish a very peculiar development, considering the conservation of natural resources. The study methodology is based on: i) Socioeconomic data of Manglaralto, ii) The evolution of water demand in the aquifer system, iii) the evolution of the territory in its development of buildings related to tourism and iv) the spatial model of the current system that contemplates sustainable practices. The geospatial analysis through geographic information system ArcGIS has been the tool that has allowed to realize observations of the distribution of the buildings during certain periods from 2006 to 2014, in order to establish correlations between aquifer´s production, supported by a researchacademic project, and the increase of buildings. The study reflects the interrelation between the water academic research project and the reality of water supply with the development of buildings on the Manglaralto river banks. Thus, the territory-population system has been regulated, and evolves in an interaction between the reality and the academic research contribution, which consider the coastal aquifer water linked to Manglaralto river. Finally, it is noted that the community has carried out sustainable practices such as groundwater recharge, river management, environmental protection of the upper river basin, and the territory organization for its development.

the enhancement of heritage resources helps to promote conservation, contributes to more significant and better protection, and favors the efficient use of these resources. Many heritage works and liabilities linked to mining activity are abandoned, causing the deterioration of heritage resources that may become environmental liabilities over time. this work aims to develop strategies for the development of the Mining-industrial heritages through participatory methods for geomining enhancement and development of places in the Zaruma-Portovelo area. the proposed methodology consists of: (i) the creation and development of a database with several publications and documents that register the Mining-industrial heritage sites; (ii) the assessment of mining-industrial sites based on criteria or methodologies proposed by other authors; (iii) focal group work considering: (a) the identification and cataloging geosites of interest, (b) the creation and/or development of museums, tourist mines, mineral routes or geoparks in which the natural and geological-mining factors complement each other and (iv) SWot analysis and matrix which provides several strategies for value-making of geomining heritage and its promotion in the development of geotourism in a project proposal for Zaruma and its surroundings. in conclusion, this work includes twelve unified mining sites in the Proposal for geopark 'ruta del oro,' as a strategy to guarantee the conservation of heritage values and contribute to local development and geotourism.