Announced today, October 6, World Biodiversity Day, first 100 geological World Heritage Sites. Among them are two from Greece: her petrified forest Lesvos and its volcanic caldera Santorini.

International Union of Geological Sciences in cooperation with UNESCO, took the initiative to compile a list of the best geological objects in the world. In this context, the International Geological Heritage Committee (IUGS-IGC) has launched an international program to register and assess the identification of the first 100 geological heritage sites.

According to the Commission, a geological heritage site (IUGS Geological Heritage Site) is defined as an area that has geological features or geological processes of international scientific scale that are used as a reference point or have made a decisive contribution to the development of the earth sciences. with time.

• petrified forest of Lesvos is a protected natural monument. The nomination file was submitted by the Natural History Museum of the Petrified Forests of Lesbos and prepared by the scientific team of Prof. N. Zuro (University of the Aegean), Prof. N. Sulakellis (University of the Aegean) and PhDs. H. Valiakos and K. Bendana.
• For caldera Santorini, The Municipality of Thera made a joint decision to apply for the nomination in cooperation with the scientific team consisting of Associate Professor P. Nomiku (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens). Dr. X. Fasoulas (Museum of Natural History, University of Crete) and Prof. N. Zouros (Aegean University).

The first 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites will be commemorated at a special event in Zumaya (Basque Coast, UNESCO World Geopark) in Spain from 25-28 October 2022.

The event was organized on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the creation of the International Union of Geological Sciences in cooperation with UNESCO and the Global Geoparks Network.

The Lesbos petrified forest nomination will be presented by Professor N. Zouros, and the Santorini Caldera nomination by Associate Professor P. Nomiku.

Petrified Forest of Lesbos

The Lesvos Petrified Forest is a rare petrified forest ecosystem comprising large aggregations of petrified trees and animal fossils that were covered with volcanic material and petrified in situ 18 million years ago.

Inside the layers of volcanic ash, standing and lying fossilized trunks, branches, roots, fruits and leaves of trees, as well as fossilized bones and teeth of animals were found. Important fossil areas are also found in the coastal zone and in the marine zone to the west of Lesvos.

The petrified forest area also has spectacular volcanic geosites, evidence of intense volcanic activity in the past. By Presidential Decree (PP 443/1985), the Petrified Forest was declared a protected natural monument.

The Petrified Forest of Lesvos is one of the four founding members of the European Geoparks Network in 2000 and the Global Geoparks Network in 2004.

It is a geological heritage site that has been used for decades by schools for environmental education and by universities in the fields of earth sciences, geohazards and climate change.

Santorini Caldera

OUR santorini caldera.

Its wider promotion and protection, as a result of its successful inclusion in the 100 most important geological monuments of the world, will enable a large number of visitors, as well as the inhabitants of the island, to appreciate the greatness of the processes of our planet in this so important corner of our country.

By observing the successive layers of lava and ash that formed the island over time, and admiring in awe the imposing slopes created by one of the strongest and most decisive volcanic eruptions in history, the average person will be able to connect with the Earth, understand and appreciate its power in Santorini.

With information and photos from APE-MPE