Proposta de difusió de la geologia ambiental a l’entorn de la pedrera de Morena (Mont-ras, Baix Empordà)

Abstract

The increase in rural tourism and the accentuated sensibility towards the conservation of our natural environment are encouraging multiple new initiatives to supply the public with its demand for activities related to nature. Faced with this situation, and responding to the proposal made by the Mont-ras town hall, this project creates a set of itineraries for the dissemination of the geology of the “Morena” quarry and its surrounding area. Based on bibliographical research and geological surveying carried out in the field – in which the main environmental aspects of the area around the “Morena” quarry were examined- an inventory has been created, utilizing forms specifically designed for this purpose. These elements have been classified and put into a hierarchy, and those selected have been analyzed using a specific set of interpretive criteria. This methodology has facilitated the choice of only the optimum elements, which were deemed suitable to be included into the itineraries, and to be exposed to the visitors. Two itineraries were created; “The route of the 4 mines” and “The Morena quarry”, directed mostly to the schools and colleges of the province, but also to the general public interested in discovering with more detail the geology of the area and its mining resources (ancient mining area of Pb-Ba de Llofriu- Mont-ras). The first route is the longer of the two (7.6km) and has a 210m altitude difference, whereas the second route is a simpler one, with a length of 2.3km and a flatter terrain (altitude difference of 34m). For the dissemination of environmental information along the itineraries, this proposal utilizes the notices found already on the routes in combination with a web-site and leaflets designed specifically for this project. Finally, the environmental impacts caused by the use of the itineraries have been evaluated, and a set of mitigating and preventive measures have been suggested. For instance, a model has been put forward for the evaluation, construction, control and maintenance of the itineraries