Geoheritage Sites of the Nation Data Release v.1

Geoheritage is a term which lies at the intersection of science, society, and sustainability and is applied to significant geologic features and landforms that have scientific, educational, cultural, economic, and aesthetic value. Many geologic sites have enriched society through the geoheritage values: scientific research and education, cultural significance, economic opportunities, and aesthetic appeal. The Geoheritage Sites of the Nation geodatabase (GDB) provides an initial inventory of geoheritage sites to showcase the geodiversity and natural heritage throughout the United States (U.S.) and its territories. Sites included in this inventory were selected from compiled geosite references of in situ geologic features that have been previously identified as geologic points of interest on Federal land designations, U.S. National Park Service Geoheritage Site Examples on Public Lands, Unofficial National Register of Geoheritage Sites, stratotype inventory, National Natural Landmarks, Bureau of Land Management National Conservation Areas, U.S. Forest Service Geologic Features of our National Forests and Grasslands, and the International Union for Geological Sciences First 100 Geological Heritage Sites. For this initial inventory, one geoheritage site on Federal public lands within each U.S. state and territory were selected to provide a geographically distributed dataset that highlights the geodiversity of the nation (n=55). Sites were further characterized by the scientific significance of the geologic phenomena, educational opportunity for both formal and informal learning, cultural connections to the landscape, historic and present-day examples of economic opportunities, and the aesthetic features within our Federal public lands. The GDB also includes direct linkages to the USGS National Geologic Map Database to allow users to discover spatially related geologic mapping publications and information products within the expansive database. Connecting geoheritage values to scientifically significant geologic features can inspire the public to better understand the landforms and their related geologic processes to foster a deeper understanding of the role geology plays in society.