Geodiversity and Geoheritage data from Alagna Valsesia, Sesia Val Grande UGGp (NW Italy)

Geodiversity and geoheritage are concepts that have gained popularity in recent years for managing territories by promoting geoconservation and sustainable development. For example, geoparks, areas recognized by UNESCO and considered among the best examples of promoting informal education, geoconservation and geotourism of an area, are growing in number and importance. However, establishing the role and potential use of the geodiversity map in geoconservation and geoheritage recognition remains a complex task. In fact, there are numerous methodologies proposed to assess geodiversity, which can be summarized in 2 categories: qualitative method and quantitative method. These methods assess different characteristics of geodiversity and, from a geoconservation perspective, could be complementary tools.

To explore the potential use of the quantitative geodiversity map and its association with geoheritage, we provide here files of Alagna Valsesia, a mountainous area located at the foot of Monte Rosa Massif, NW Italian Alps, within the Sesia Val Grande UGGp. Specifically, these data have been collected for the following pourposes:

Map geodiversity (shapefiles of geodiversity units and DTM of Alagna Valsesia);

Inventory and mapping of geosites (shapefiles of geosites containing, in addition to the location, information on the importance and interests of the geosites, useful for land managers for their promotion and conservation);

Statistical calculation of correlation between geodiversity and geoheritage in the field (R language script useful for calculating this correlation, which challenges the potential use of quantitative map for geosite recognition).

The data represent original data for the following publication:

Michele Guerini, Alizia Mantovani, Rasool Bux Khoso, Marco Giardino (2024). Exploring the Correlation between Geoheritage and Geodiversity through Comprehensive Mapping: A Study within the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark (NW Italy),Geomorphology, Volume 461, 109298, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109298.