INTRODUCTION TO THE GEOINDICATORS NETWORK – A
COGEOENVIRONMENT INITIATIVE
J. SATKUNAS1, A. BERGER2, R. KANOPIENE3
1
Geological Survey of Lithuania, Lt 2600 Vilnius, st S. Konarskio 35, Lithuania, e-mail: jonas.satkunas@lgt.lt
2
528 Paradise Street, Victoria, British Columbia V9A 5E2 Canada, e-mail: <aberger@uvic.ca>
3
Geological Survey of Lithuania, Lt 2600 Vilnius, st S. Konarskio 35, Lithuania
e-mail: <roma.kanopiene@lgt.lt>
The contribution of natural geological processes
and their linkages to the environment have often
been ignored in long-term environmental
monitoring and reporting. Geoindicators are
measures (magnitudes, frequencies, rates, trends)
of geological processes and phenomena, occurring
at or near the earths surface and subject to changes
that are significant for understanding environmental
change over periods of 100 years or less.
Geoindicators assess both catastrophic events, and
those that are more gradual, but evident within the
human lifespan. They focus on abiotic components
of ecosystems and landscapes. The geoindicator
concept is a new approach to indicators
of landscape change that aims
to assist in
environmental research, monitoring and reporting.
It was developed by an international working group
set up by the IUGS Commission on Geological
Sciences
for
Environmental
Planning
(COGEOENVIRONMENT).
Past Activities and Outputs
The Gros Morne Declaration (1994) emphasizing
the importance of monitoring geological parameters
in any program of environmental reporting and
assessment.
Available
at
http://iisdl.iisd.ca/sd/define/grosmorn.html
A comprehensive Geoindicator Checklist to assist
in monitoring rapid geological changes in
landscapes.
Available
at
http://www.gcrio.org/geo/title.html
A monograph entitled “Geoindicators: Assessing
Rapid Environmental Change in Earth Systems”
published by Balkema in 1996.
Articles on geoindicators in GSA
Environmental Geology and elsewhere.
Today,
Presentations on geoindicators at national and
regional meetings in Brazil, Colombia, Canada,
Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, USA and Lithuania.
International workshop on geoindicators held in
Newfoundland, Canada in 1994, and Regional
Workshops in Bangi, Malaysia (1998); Vilnius,
Lithuania (1999). The series of workshops are
continued by the current symposium in Poland
(2000).
Current Activities
The Working Group was replaced in 1999 by
the Geoindicators Initiative, directed jointly by
Berger and Satkunas. This continues to disseminate
information about geoindicators and works towards
improvements in monitoring rapid geological
change, through workshops, conference papers,
research projects and the internet.
During the 1999 Geoindicators workshop in
Vilnius, it was decided to establish and maintain
an Internet-based network as a means for improving
communication, providing information and ideas,
and
promoting
geoindicator
monitoring.
The Geological Survey of Lithuania agreed to take
responsibility to maintain the website under
the overall co-ordination of Jonas Satkunas, with
workshop participants acting initially as local and
national contacts. It was decided, that
the geoindicators network, provisionally named
GEOIN, would undertake to encourage and
disseminate case studies of successful applications
of geoindicator monitoring and assessment. Future
regional workshops will be organised to review
specific geoindicators, bearing in mind the needs
and priorities of national monitoring programs,
European Union and other standards, and
environmental legislation. GEOIN will use “bad
news” examples to “shock” authorities and
politicians into action, and will attempt to employ
mass media more effectively. It will also expand on
the economic and social consequences of each
geoindicator in the checklist and will clarify how to
measure individual geoindicators. It will also
provide information on potential sources of funding
for individual projects, and will work to create
an inventory of international experts on specific
geoindicators.
The GEOIN site is now available at
www.lgt.lt/geoin/. The website consists of 8 main
pages:
What is GEOIN? – describes the Geoindicators
network
Geoindicators – explains the concept AS tools for
environmental monitoring and assessment of rapid
geological change.
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Main references – lists the main publications on
Geoindicators.
Project catalogue – includes a number of projects
involving geoindicator monitoring, active, planned
or recently completed. the first listing applies to
the Eastern - Central and Northern Europe.
Bad news - examples where a lack of geological
monitoring has led to death, injury and/or property
damage.
Events, activities – Information about recent
meetings, workshops and seminars. Also reports on
results of completed activities are available here.
Contacts – The addresses of contact persons from
whom further information may be obtained. this
focuses initially on Eastern and Northern Europe.
Links – a list of organisations and websites relevant
to geoindicators.
We invite all interested to contribute to the website
with your information in order to strengthen
international
co-operation
and
implement
geological
monitoring
programs
using
geoindicators.
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