OWERVIEW OF GEOHERITAGE ASSESSMENT METHODS

The assessment of geoheritage and geodiversity is a necessary prerequisite for the development of measures to preserve unique geological and geomorphological objects. Various foreign and domestic researchers have developed a low-level methodology for evaluating and determining the recreational value of geological and geomorphological objects. Leading developers of methodological approaches in the field of geoheritage assessment are foreign scientists Reynard (Reynard, 2012), Brilha (2016), Rocha (2014), Pereira (2013), Ferrero (Ferrero, 2012), Gray (2013 ), Fassoulas (Fassoulas, 2012), Zouros (Zouros, 2007), Asrat (Asrat et al., 2012) and others. In Ukraine, V. Hrytsenko (2006), Yu. Zinko (2003, 2009, 2019), V. Brusak (2011, 2013, 2014, 2019), S. Bortnyk, V. Stetsyuk, etc. (2020), V. Stetsyuk, (2021), G. Bayrak, L. Teodorovych (2020), G. Bayrak, A. Manko (2021) and others are engaged in the study of geological and geomorphological objects promising for geoconservation. The meaning of the concepts "geoheritage", "geodiversity" and "geoconservation" and their relationship should be distinguished. Geoheritage is geological and geomorphological objects that have special value in scientific, educational, aesthetic, recreational and other aspects, and geoconservation is the process of protecting and preserving these objects. Geoheritage is a part of geodiversity, which, in addition to geological and geomorphological properties, includes pedological, hydrological and other elements of inanimate nature in certain territories. Geodiversity, along with biodiversity, is a component of the World Natural Heritage. Geoheritage is studied at five levels – global (world), continental, national, regional and local. Two types of geoheritage assessment methods have been developed – direct and indirect. According to the evaluation procedure, the methods are divided into qualitative, quantitative, and qualitative-quantitative. Qualitative assessment consists in determining the total value of objects based on the results of descriptive studies and without any quantitative expression. Quantitative evaluation consists in defining clear evaluation criteria, their gradation and assigning certain points for each degree of evaluation gradation. Each of the criteria is divided into sub-indices that allow covering the entire spectrum of qualitative assessment of geoheritage objects. Scientific, educational, recreational, economic, prospective and other values are distinguished as evaluation criteria. The total final value of the geoheritage site is determined by the sum of points. The choice of methods for evaluating geoheritage objects was chosen depending on the characteristics of the object of study and the natural features of the studied territory. Key words: geoheritage; geoconservation; geodiversity; geoheritage assessment methods.