7-7 Geodiversity, geoheritage and education in geosciences through the Sacred Triangle UNESCO Global Geopark Project, MEXICO

Session: A Change in Focus for Sustainability in Geoscience Education

Presenting Author:

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Abstract:

Sacred Triangle UNESCO Global Geopark Project (STUGGP) in Querétaro, central Mexico, covers 5,530 km². The geopark proposal was registered in 2019 through Mexico´s CONALMEX as “Peña de Bernal and STUGGP”, later cut to STUGGP. Geopark´s main characteristics are Geodiversity, Geoheritage and Education. Geodiversity because it is located at the intersection of three major geological provinces, Sierra Madre Oriental folded belt (Mesozoic), Sierra Madre Occidental ignimbrite range (Eocene-Miocene), and the Mexican Volcanic Belt (Miocene-Present). Geodiversity of STUGGP includes 245 Ma Triassic marine deposits of Pangea time continuing with Jurassic to late Cretaceous marine sedimentation after Pangea´s break up. At 80-60 Ma these deposits were folded and thrusted creating the Sierra Madre Oriental cordillera, or Sierra Gorda highlands at Queretaro. Explosive supereruptions from calderas produced gigantic silicic ignimbrites from 31-29 Ma corresponding to Sierra Madre Occidental volcanism. Volcanism drastically changed at 12 Ma, with the formation of andesitic stratovolcanoes that marked the initiation of the Mexican Volcanic Belt province, which continued until 5 Ma in the STUGGP, including stratovolcanoes, calderas, cones and mountain-size domes, such as the emblematic Peña de Bernal peak, the most visited site of the geopark after Querétaro City.

Cultural values include archeological sites of ca. 600 AD and the Otomi-Chichimeca (OC) original people that dates from pre-Hispanic time until now, and still speak their native language, Ñhañhú. OC culture is rich in memories and celebrations that have been inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Unmaterial Heritage site. The Sacred Triangle name of this project refers to the OC cosmovision of three sacred mounts with profound spiritual meanings but also representing the geopark´s Geodiversity: Frontón Mt. (anticline-Triassic), Zamorano Mt (volcano-Miocene), and Peña de Bernal (spine dome-Miocene).

Education in geosciences is implicit in the STUGGP in several ways, such as explanations of the geological processes that formed the actual landscape and divulgation of this information to the public in several ways, either for locals or visitors to the geopark, as well as to students doing field trips, from basic scholars to graduates.

Sustainable development is an important goal, providing information on the geological and cultural aspects to the local guide services to be explained during geotourism and ecotourism services, and promoting the conservation of the environment through education.

Acknowledgments: DGAPA-UNAM PE103820, PE102822, PE101324, IN108621, IN106125.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-11387

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