ProGeo-RO – Enhancing climate resilience and environmental sustainability through the knowledge and monitoring of Romania’s internationally significant geological heritage.

Project code: PN 23-39-03-01

Project Manager: Dr. Valentina Cetean

Description
Objectives
Result

Description

The establishment of nature or geological reserves, the designation of geological features as monuments, the creation of UNESCO Geoparks (such as the “Hațeg Country” Dinosaur Geopark and the recently approved “Buzău Land”) or the Natura 2000 network, has not automatically ensured the protection and conservation of the respective geological sites (where applicable), nor of the geological substrate or soils that support biodiversity (despite the abundance of regulations). There is an increasingly critical need for a comprehensive, holistic approach, based on the growing recognition that life on this planet cannot exist without understanding, protecting, and valuing the geological environment—an environment that either underlies the features in question or plays a defining role in the very nature of what needs to be preserved and protected.

Understanding the natural potential of an area serves as a tool that is not merely useful but decisive in assessing its vulnerability to anthropogenic impacts or natural catastrophes (e.g., global warming, changes in precipitation levels, increased frequency or intensity of extreme weather events, and sea-level rise), as well as its climate resilience—a factor that shapes living conditions and quality of life. The findings can underpin local or regional strategies for preservation, protection, and/or sustainable utilization, yielding positive impacts on the local workforce, which often faces conditions falling far short of modern standards.

Furthermore, the planned activities and the information used to disseminate the results will help put locations with high tourism and educational potential on the global map, presenting them either technically or through “stories” centered on 101 geosites: GeoLife (Bio-Stones), GeoFire (Fire and Stones), GeoLand (Bare Stones), GeoAir (Air, Stones, and Metal), or GeoWater (Water and Stones).

At the global level, the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) was the first organization to carry out a project with such a global scope, identifying, characterizing, and promoting the first 100 IUGS geological heritage sites. This initiative is continuing with the next 50–100 sites, to which we also aim to contribute through the results of the ProGeo-RO project.

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Objectives

Overall objective:
Understanding, monitoring, and promoting Romania’s geological heritage for global sustainable development in the context of climate change.

Specific objectives:

  1. Establishing criteria for the analysis and classification of sites in Romania possessing geological and hybrid (mixed) heritage value of national and global significance;
  2. Vulnerability analysis of geoheritage sites in the context of climate change;
  3. Creation of an open-source database—harmonized at European and global levels—of sites with geological heritage value within Romania’s territory;
  4. Graphical representation of the distribution of sites of national geological heritage value;
  5. Selection, characterization, and promotion of 101 geoheritage sites in Romania of international significance.

RESULTS OF PN 23 39 03 01 – ProGeo-RO, Coordinator Dr. Valentina Cetean

  • Report on the international thematic situation
  • Report on the current administrative status of designated geosites in Romania (geological reserves and monuments, geoparks, etc.)
  • Development and testing of a methodology for applying selection criteria for sites of geological heritage value; inventory and preliminary description of other (categories of) geosites in Romania; good practice guide for public education and awareness-raising.
  • Application of selection criteria—based on the categories established in the project—to geosites under legal protection or included in independent geoconservation programs.
  • Comprehensive database of existing and potential geosites in Romania
  • Study on decision-support tools for enhancing environmental and natural resource sustainability
  • Study on geo-conservation methods at national sites (case study: the Dacian Fortresses of the Orăștie Mountains – on the UNESCO list) and global heritage sites.
  • Formation of the national consortium (min. 25 members) for the evaluation and selection of Romanian geosites of international relevance, including international members or organizations.
  • Assessment of the vulnerability and climate resilience capacities of geosites, based on their characteristics; applicable legislation, and international and national programs and projects.
  • Analysis of the relationship between geosites, economic levels by administrative unit (counties), and total tourism value per county.
  • Webinare /training on the subject of the phases
  • Project web page: https://mapbender.igr.ro/application/ProGeo-RO.

Applying for funding for project proposals under PN-IV-P7-7_1-PED-2024

  • Light2Land – Advanced method to use the spatial technologies for improving the accuracy of archaeological sites delimitation to increase the efficiency of territorial planning in the administration and for large-scale investments;
  • DiGeoKit – Three-dimensional digital model of the geological educational kit;
  • INFOGEOHER- Integrated information model between museum heritage and natural geological sites.

 

Articles in ISI-listed/indexed journals

  • Cetean, V., Pețan, A. – Historical Use of the Ashlar Limestone at Piatra Roșie Dacian Fortress; Interdisciplinary Approach in a World Heritage Site. Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 11818; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141911818;
  • Papp, D.C. – Geological heritage in the Northern Apuseni Mountains (Romania). Degradation risk assessment of selected geosites. International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks. 11(4), 574-591, ISSN 2577-4441, e-ISSN: 2577-445X. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2023.10.001
  • Radu, V.M.; Vîjdea, A.M.; Ivanov, A.A.; Alexe, V.E.; Dincă, G.; Cetean, V.M.; Filiuță, A.E. Research on the Closure and Remediation Processes of Mining Areas in Romania and Approaches to the Strategy for Heavy Metal Pollution Remediation. Sustainability 2023, 15, 15293. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115293
  • Radu, VM., Dinca, G., Ivanov, AA. Szabo, R., Cetean, V. – New data regarding the identification of critical raw materials recoverable from raw, processed and the waste mining industry materials from Romania. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 40592–40608 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26536-x

 

Articles in BDI-indexed journals

 

SCIENTIFIC PAPERS PRESENTED AT SCIENTIFIC EVENTS (conferences, seminars, workshops)

The VII Global Stone Congress (Batalha, Portugalia), 2023

    • Papp, D.C., Cetean, V. – Geoheritage elements between exploitation and conservation. Case studies from Romania;
    • Cetean, V., Filipciuc, C., Fărnoagă, R., Tudor, E., Ion, D., Lörincz, S. – Top 12+1 ornamental stone from Romania with national and global heritage value.

IUGS-ICG-Heritage Stones Subcommission: III Workshop-cum-Seminar on natural stones and conservation of cultural heritage, India, 2023

    • Cetean, V., Dincă, G., Ivanov, A., Radu, V.-M., Paulette, L., Filiuță, A.E., Pantia, A. – Influence of the geological background and weathering processes on the ashlar limestone at the Dacian fortified acropolis of Piatra Roșie

“Natural and Cultural Heritage – A Source of Sustainable Development for the Country’s Regions” – The Levant Institute, 2023

    • Cetean, V., Asimopolos, N.-S., Papp, D.-C., Călugăru, M. – Instrumente de suport decizional de creștere a durabilității mediului și resurselor naturale

Goldschmidt 2024

    • Pintea, I., Udubașa, S.S., Munteanu, M., Iatan, E.L., Dincă, G., Cetean, M. V. – Rejuvenation features evidenced by fluid and melt inclusions from magmatic-hydrothermal systems in the Alpine metallogenetic provinces fromRomania: Preliminary approach,Paper 23754

The Scientific International Conference – The Museum and Scientific Research, Craiova, Romania, 2024

    • Prică, R.G. – Geosites – Perspectives, trends, education and challenges
    • Prică, R.G – Determination of the amount of geothermal energy potentially extractable from geological formations
    • Macovei, M., Rusu, S., Săsăran, L. – Geoheritage – geosites and museum collections: the fossil site from Globu Craiovei

Geo-Iași 2024, Scientific Symposium

    • Lörincz, S., Munteanu, M. – Informații asupra naturii fragmentelor de roci magmatice atribuite Catenei Cumane, rezultate din interpretarea compoziției chimice a unor minerale, 2024

8th Global Stone Congress 2025, Drama, Grecia

    • Cetean, V., Papp, D.C. – HeritageStones of the Bologa Region: Geological Insights and Historical Application(prezentare);
    • Papp, D.C., Cetean, V. – Limestoneheritage and geosites of the Apuseni Natural Park (Romania). Developing geosite inventory and classification (poster)

 

BOOKS/BOOK CHAPTERS:

Cetean, V., Fărnoagă, R., Tudor, G. – Romanian ornamental and heritage stones. Errare Humanum Est. Errors, Mistakes and Failures in Design – Execution – Use. Natural stone for architects and builders. https://doi.org/10.54508/978-606-638-342-4.05, 2024, Editura Universitară „Ion Mincu” București, ISBN 978-606-638-342-4