How Can Geoscience Communication Foster Public Engagement with Geoconservation?

Abstract

Geoscience and geodiversity, two sides of the same coin, deal with very poor social visibility and recognition. Ensuring the protection of geodiversity is not only in the geoscientists’ hands and all of society needs to be involved. Therefore, public engagement with geodiversity demands new solutions and a change of paradigm in geoscience communication. Most of the science communication activities undertaken by geoscientists, even when they use modern approaches and technologies, are mainly designed based on empirical experience, laid on didactical approaches and assuming the public’s knowledge deficit. In order to engage the society with geodiversity, it is not enough to focus on scientific literacy and deficit models in which lack of knowledge is considered to be the main obstacle between science and society. It is fundamental to establish a commitment between society and science based on dialogue where lay public is not seen anymore as a single entity with a knowledge deficit. Non-experts must become also protagonists in scientific decisions with social impact and integrate their knowledge and concerns in public participation and decision-making. Engagement with geoscience and geodiversity would benefit from more effective and targeted communication strategies, with different approaches to engage with communities, local stakeholders, media, students and teachers, scientific community, tourists, politicians or policy-makers, and groups with different concerns and distinct relations with science. In the last 20 years, science communication research has made many relevant contributions in order to promote more participatory processes with which society is asked to engage. Regarding geoscience communication as a discipline, it is a very recent Earth science branch that also incorporates social science, behavioral science, and science communication, but still lacks a clear and formal definition. This study provides a comprehensive review of the literature in order to develop a conceptual framework for geoscience communication research, identifying the main challenges and opportunities.

A New Geosite as a Contribution to the Sustainable Development of Urban Geotourism in a Tourist Peripheral Region—Central Poland

“…These events can be organised in the lapidarium area provided that access to the collection is easy, that it is equipped with boards with accessible information, and that it is characterised by proper quasi-touristic developments expected by the recipients (e.g., identification labels on rock specimens, baskets for garbage, places to rest). It is important to have a geo-interpreter who will sensitise students, as well as the non-specialized general public, to the beauty of abiotic nature in an interesting and skilful way (e.g., [2,3,50,[85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92]).…”

“…It is worth ensuring that schoolchild part in annual events popularising earth sciences, such as Earth Day (21 April), G sity Day (6 November), and International Geomorphology Week (1st week of M celebrated in Poland. These events can be organised in the lapidarium area provi access to the collection is easy, that it is equipped with boards with accessible info and that it is characterised by proper quasi-touristic developments expected by t ients (e.g., identification labels on rock specimens, baskets for garbage, places to r important to have a geo-interpreter who will sensitise students, as well as the non ized general public, to the beauty of abiotic nature in an interesting and skilful w [2,3,50,[85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92]). Rock gardens/collections can help the local community achieve real econom fits by first building them and then by developing (geo)tourism according [13,14,[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33].…”

“…The lack of widely known tourist facilities/products does not mean that the region has nothing else to fill this gap. Geotourism, a new branch in the tourism sector, shows that even objects that are little known to a wider audience, if only well interpreted [2][3][4], can satisfy the recipient's cognitive need. Geotourism is based on two pillars: 1.…”

“…Hence, the initiative to protect erratic boulders should be recommended and popularised by locating the objects in one place and equipping them with boards and modern media employing smartphones and tablets, informing the public about the importance and role of geoheritage in the modern world's functioning (e.g., [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]). Geointerpretation through storytelling [2,3,50] should not be omitted. Rock collections most often take the form of rock gardens or abiotic trails.…”

Graces from the Sea: Strengthening Science Curriculum Through a Marine Museum

“…The conversation with parents or companions starts children's curiosity to ask more questions. The museum can always create its brand (20) ; in this study, the brand is a museum of local marine resources as instructional materials in the science curriculum in Japan and the Philippines.…”