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Safeguarding Geoheritage in Ethiopia: Challenges Faced and the Role of Geotourism

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Abstract

Ethiopia is the only place on earth where every stage in the break-up of a continent, from initial uplift to incipient sea-floor spreading, can be observed. These processes are reflected in the country’s dramatic scenery and a plethora of spectacular geosites. Ethiopia’s geoheritage is well known to, and has been extensively studied by, earth scientists but is given little recognition by authorities within the country or by local communities and is not promoted to tourists. Many geosites such as the Tis Isat Falls on the Blue Nile, the lakes of the Rift Valley and even such iconic sites as the Dallol geothermal area are endangered, often by large-scale infrastructure, mineral extraction or agricultural projects. Historical heritage is recognised and valued in Ethiopia; historic sites are well protected and are the main drawcard for tourists visiting the country. Similar recognition of and respect for geoheritage could be promoted by education through geotourism, thus encouraging protection of geosites and their conservation for the future.

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Acknowledgements

I warmly thank all those people: guides, scouts, drivers, tour operators and others, too numerous to mention individually, who have assisted and shared their knowledge with me throughout my five-decade involvement with Ethiopia, during which the material for this article has accumulated. To the many Ethiopians who have provided me with friendship and hospitality, butam amesegenallhu! I have had invaluable help from staff at the Geological Survey of Ethiopia who generously provided me with maps and reports, and staff and students at Addis Ababa University offered advice and encouragement. To those friends and colleagues from Australia who have accompanied me to Ethiopia as “guinea-pig” geotourists, thank you for your trust, confidence and valuable feedback. Finally, I express my thanks to an anonymous reviewer whose comments helped to produce a more thoughtful paper.

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  1. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

    Frances Williams

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Williams, F. Safeguarding Geoheritage in Ethiopia: Challenges Faced and the Role of Geotourism. Geoheritage 12, 31 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-020-00436-9

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