Present Climate Change as a Threat to Geoheritage: The Wildfire in Bohemian Switzerland National Park and Its Use in Place-Based Learning

Abstract

Bohemian Switzerland is a national park in Northern Czechia famous for its sandstone rocks, which were affected by a massive fire in 2022. Specific geomorphology of the region affected the spreading of the fire and complicated its extinguishing. The fire directly or indirectly damaged several geosites in Bohemian Switzerland. The catastrophe brought a possibility of showing the unique connection between geoheritage and present climate change and increasing awareness about the problems. The text is focused on field education of geography, striving to strengthen environmental awareness among students through educating their teachers. The research is based on desk research, field observation and didactic principles application. The causes of the fire were complex, including physical geographical (drought and bark beetle calamity within climate change) and human geographical phenomena (mass tourism and tourist misbehavior, inappropriate forestry practices). The teachers we worked with reached similar conclusions at the end of our course. Our fieldwork educational concept proved viable and was appreciated by them mainly thanks to the incorporation of research-based learning and the absence of unnatural emphasis on climate change. Climate change is a politicized topic, bringing controversies to the classrooms in the peripheral region. The approach we proposed is anchored in inquiry-based methods and touches on the issue indirectly.

Fire and geodiversity

“…Spalling of exposed lithological elements may be visible for upwards of 6 years, as spalled sections are often a lighter colour having undergone less weathering than non-spalled surfaces (Shtober-Zisu et al 2018). These aesthetic consequences have further implications for touristic appeal; for example, a 2022 wildfire in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park in the Czech Republic resulted in diminished touristic interest due to altered visuals of the rock forms and landscape (Boháč and Drápela 2023). Spalled sections of rock may also act to accumulate ash post-fire for 2-3 decades, impacting aesthetics and ecohydrology (Shtober-Zisu et al 2018).…”

“…Values assessment of fossil deposits, petroglyphs, and glacial pavements can be diminished when fire compromises the quality of features for cation-radio dating and reducing the volume of viable specimens for research and conservation purposes. Further, spalled rocks may compromise the safety of geotourism activities including rock climbing and trail walking, as partially spalled fragments create unsafe climbing surfaces and detached debris can increase the risk of rock falls (Boháč and Drápela 2023). Micro-fracturing of minerals at the surface and sub-surface of landforms, exposures and clasts can reduce the structural integrity of rocks and decrease resistance to other weathering and erosion agents and processes, accelerating the deterioration of natural and cultural values (Tratebas et al 2004).…”