GEOHERITAGE INVENTORY AND EVALUATION IN THE UBAJARA NATIONAL PARK, CEARÁ, BRAZIL

Abstract

The Ubajara National Park (Parna de Ubajara), Ceará, has the main karst features of the state and the meeting between the Sertaneja Depression and the Ibiapaba Glint. Despite the abiotic potentialities, a gap in specific knowledge about these geodiversity elements is evidenced in the literature. In this context, this article carries out an inventory and quantitative assessment of the Parna Ubajara geoheritage, according to educational, tourist and scientific criteria. In the inventory, classification methodologies were used according to pre-established thematic categories and the selection of places with superlative characteristics. The quantitative evaluation followed the method of the System of Registration and Quantification of Geosites and Geodiversity Sites of the Brazilian Geological Service. After the field and laboratory stages, eleven sites of geological interest in Parna de Ubajara were inventoried, which summarize the geological history and are the best representatives of the three defined thematic categories. The quantitative assessment highlighted the relevance of geoheritage by classifying eight geosites and three geodiversity sites of national relevance. It should be noted that these places should be the focus of measures to enhance and publicize the geoheritage of Parna de Ubajara, contributing to the improvement of conservation indices and educational and tourist practices already carried out.