Geodiversity surrounds us and encompasses the non-living elements of nature, such as minerals, fossils, soils, and landscapes. To raise awareness of its significance, UNESCO declared 6 October as International Geodiversity Day in 2021.

This year’s theme, One Earth, Many Stories, highlights that every landscape, rock, and fossil tells a story about the origins of our natural environment. Records in rocks allow us to look into Earth’s past, fossil remains of plants and animals inform us about the evolution of life over millions of years, folds and faults reveal events in the Earth’s crust, and minerals astonish us with their regular geometric crystallisation, beautiful colours, and lustre. The geological substrate determines soil characteristics, which plant species will develop, where water will emerge, where streams and rivers will flow, where mountains will rise, and where caves and pits will form. Thus, geodiversity influences all living things. Our planet holds a record of 4 billion years of history, which can help us prepare for and respond to current and future threats such as climate change.

As the last systematic exploration of the Plitvice Lakes National Park area dates back to the 1960s, there is a clear need for a modern geological map based on lithostratigraphic principles, accompanied by digital content. Geological maps primarily enable national parks to better assess and manage natural resources and to visualise the pervasive connection between geology and other ecosystem components. Just before International Geodiversity Day, a new Basic Geological Map of the Plitvice Lakes National Park was published at a scale of 1:50 000. The project was carried out in cooperation with the Croatian Geological Institute in Zagreb, and the creation of the map took four years and involved more than 30 experts.

The national park is located within the Dinaric Massif and consists almost entirely of dolomite and limestone. Geological mapping identified 24 lithostratigraphic units, 15 formations, 3 members, and 6 Quaternary units bounded by unconformities, covering the period from the Late Triassic to the Upper Cretaceous (200 to 70 million years ago). A special section covers the recent geological past, the last 10 000 years, when the tufa barriers and most of the lake system were formed. The map provides valuable insight into the geological structure and development of the Plitvice Lakes National Park area and is a true collection of stories about the geodiversity of our Park.

Objava One Earth, many stories – International Geodiversity Day pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

Geodiversity is all around us, and it consists of the diversity of rocks, minerals, fossils, landforms, underground objects, sediments, and soils, along with the natural processes that have created them throughout geological history and are still creating them today. To raise awareness of its importance, UNESCO declared October 6th as International Geodiversity Day in 2021.

Tufa barriers and the tufa deposition process, by which they are formed and grow, are ideal examples of geodiversity and this year’s theme for International Geodiversity Day: “Conserving The Past – Sustaining The Future.”

Cascade system of lakes and waterfalls was built by tufa barriers, and formed approximately 7,000 years ago. However, the tufa formation process at Plitvice Lakes dates back even further into the geological past. Fossil tufa (paleobarriers) was found at higher altitudes and have been estimated to be up to 300,000 years old. These paleobarriers provide us a record of the past conditions and processes, making their preservation just as important as sustaining today’s active (living) tufa.

The tufa barriers in today’s watercourses remain active, constantly changing the appearance of the lakes and waterfalls through their biodynamic processes. Tufa is a living rock that grows and serves as a habitat for numerous plant and animal species.

For more information about International Geodiversity Day, visit www.geodiversityday.org.

Objava International Geodiversity Day pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".