Extended Abstract

Introduction

Recent advances in sustainable natural heritage management increasingly recognize that ecosystems cannot be effectively understood, managed, or conserved independently of the cultural systems that have co-evolved with them. Biological diversity, geological diversity, and cultural diversity constitute interconnected components of socio-ecological systems whose long-term resilience depends on integrated conservation strategies. Within this framework, geoheritage and natural heritage represent valuable assets that simultaneously support biodiversity conservation, scientific research, environmental education, and sustainable regional development. Geotourism has emerged as an effective approach for promoting the sustainable use of geoheritage resources while enhancing public awareness of geological processes and landscape evolution. Assessing the tourism potential of natural heritage therefore requires a multidimensional framework that considers not only geological significance but also ecological integrity, landscape quality, educational value, accessibility, conservation status, management capacity, and tourism infrastructure. Such integrated assessments provide a scientific basis for identifying priority sites and designing sustainable tourism strategies that simultaneously promote conservation and local economic development. Accordingly, this study evaluates the geoheritage and natural heritage resources of Kurdistan Province, western Iran, through an integrated assessment framework that combines internationally recognized geosite evaluation methods. The research aims to identify priority sites for geotourism development while examining the relationship between tourism potential and conservation status to support sustainable regional planning.



Methodology

This research adopted a quantitative descriptive-analytical approach integrating field investigations, spatial datasets, and expert-based assessment techniques. To provide a comprehensive evaluation of geoheritage and natural heritage resources, four internationally recognized assessment frameworks were integrated: Kubalíková, Fassoulas, Comănescu, and the Geosite Assessment Model/Modified Geosite Assessment Model (GAM/M-GAM). The integration of these complementary methodologies enabled simultaneous evaluation of scientific, educational, ecological, conservation, management, aesthetic, and tourism-related values. The research was conducted in several sequential stages. Initially, an extensive review of geological, geomorphological, ecological, cultural, historical, and tourism-related literature was undertaken to identify potential geoheritage and natural heritage sites across Kurdistan Province. This was followed by comprehensive field surveys during which geological features, geomorphological characteristics, biodiversity, landscape quality, accessibility, tourism infrastructure, conservation conditions, and management practices were systematically documented. For each investigated site, a standardized database was established comprising:

• General site characteristics, including location, typology, geological and geomorphological setting, topography, and photographic documentation;

• Scientific, ecological, cultural, educational, and aesthetic attributes;

• Existing tourism infrastructure, visitor facilities, and associated cultural attractions;

• Current conservation status and management practices.

Subsequently, the identified sites were incorporated into proposed geotourism routes based on their geoheritage significance and spatial relationships. Site assessments were independently conducted by specialists in geology, geomorphology, geotourism, and tourism planning using standardized field-based and online evaluation procedures. Ten experts and experienced visitors were selected through purposive sampling according to their professional expertise and familiarity with the study area. Finally, indicator scores for 65 geoheritage and natural heritage sites were aggregated to quantify their scientific, educational, ecological, aesthetic, conservation, economic, and tourism values.



Results and Discussion

The integrated assessment demonstrates that Kurdistan Province possesses substantial potential for the development of nature-based tourism and geotourism. The evaluated sites achieved mean educational (Vedu) and tourism (Vtour) scores of 7.40 and 7.45, respectively, indicating above-average capacity for supporting educational activities, scientific interpretation, and sustainable tourism development. Among the investigated sites, Karaftoo Cave, Zrebar Lake, Kani Bel Spring and Waterfall, and Qomchoqay Castle obtained the highest combined educational and tourism scores. Similarly, the Chehel Cheshmeh Mountains, Sirwan River, the forests of Baneh and Marivan, and the Hawraman (Uramanat) cultural landscape were identified as priority areas owing to their exceptional geological, geomorphological, ecological, landscape, and cultural significance. Despite these high tourism and educational values, conservation assessments revealed considerable management deficiencies. The mean protection value (Vprot) score of 3.90 reflects an overall weak conservation status across the investigated sites, while ecological sensitivity indicators (Feco) indicate that numerous locations remain vulnerable to environmental degradation and anthropogenic pressures. The results further reveal a pronounced imbalance between tourism potential and conservation capacity. Inadequate management planning, insufficient tourism infrastructure, weak institutional coordination, and limited integration of geoheritage conservation into regional land-use planning constitute major constraints to sustainable geotourism development. Moreover, land-use change, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, habitat degradation, and increasing human disturbance represent significant threats, particularly within forest ecosystems, freshwater environments, and ecologically sensitive landscapes. These findings underscore that tourism development alone cannot ensure sustainable utilization of geoheritage resources unless accompanied by effective conservation policies, ecosystem-based management, and scientifically informed planning strategies.



Conclusion

This study confirms that Kurdistan Province possesses exceptional geoheritage and natural heritage resources capable of supporting sustainable geotourism and nature-based tourism. The integrated assessment framework successfully identified priority sites with high scientific, educational, ecological, aesthetic, and tourism values while simultaneously revealing significant weaknesses in their current conservation and management status. The findings demonstrate that sustainable utilization of these resources requires a balanced management framework integrating geoconservation, biodiversity conservation, tourism planning, and regional development policies. Ecologically sensitive areas should prioritize habitat conservation, ecosystem restoration, pollution control, and biodiversity protection, whereas geological heritage sites require dedicated geoconservation measures, visitor management, monitoring systems, and appropriately designed buffer zones to safeguard their scientific integrity. Furthermore, strengthening scientific interpretation, educational tourism, and community participation can substantially enhance the visibility, educational value, and long-term sustainability of geoheritage resources. Future tourism infrastructure should therefore be developed within the principles of responsible and sustainable tourism to minimize environmental impacts while maximizing socio-economic benefits for local communities. Overall, this study provides a robust scientific framework for integrating geoheritage conservation, natural heritage management, geotourism development, and regional spatial planning. The proposed integrated assessment approach can also serve as a transferable decision-support model for evaluating geoheritage resources and prioritizing sustainable geotourism development in other regions with comparable environmental and geological characteristics.