La carta escursionistica e geoturistica delle Alpi Apuane

Editing new hiking and geotourist maps is one of the projects that the Apuan Alps Geopark included among its 2011-2015 objectives after its official entry in the European and Global Geoparks Network, under the auspices of UNESCO. The Hiking and Geotourist Map represents the best tool to familiarize the general public with the geological heritage of the Apuan Alps and thus allowing to appreciate its great scientific and environmental value during trekking activities. The footpaths managed by the Alpine Club of Italy (CAI) have been completely redrawn and geographically referred on the most detailed available topographic base (the Technical Map of the Tuscany Region). The basic geological information is provided by polygons with different colors. The distinction of these areas follows two main parameters: the age of the outcropping rocks (Paleozoic Era and Periods for post-Paleozoic ages) and their basic classification (sedimentary rocks vs. metamorphic rocks). A further geological/geomorphological content is represented by the surveyed geosites. The tourist facilities are also highlighted; a special label is reserved for facilities certified by the Geopark for their eco-friendly choices. The Map was developed within a GIS project and printed at 1:20.000 scale with legends in two languages (Italian and English). The further development of the project will create a dynamic and interactive map available via web that will allow each user to benefit from a wealth of information through the activation of additional hyperlinks.