GEOSITES AND LANDSCAPE EVOLUTION OF THE TACCHI: AN EXAMPLE FROM CENTRAL-EAST SARDINIA

Abstract

J. De Waele et al., Geosites and landscape evolution of the Tacchi: an example from central-east Sardinia. (IT ISSN 0394-
3356, 2005).
The Tacchi area is a landscape unit located to the south of the Gennargentu mountains in the central-eastern part of Sardinia, mainly
characterised by table-like carbonatic Mesozoic mountains, locally named "Tacchi", unconformably overlaying a Paleozoic peneplain
constituted of Cambro-Silurian silty and sandy shales. The Tacchi are the result of a complex geologic history, deriving from a unique
and widespread Jurassic carbonatic cover that was split up in clods due to epirogenetic movements, faulted, uplifted or lowered and
successively eroded and isolated by fluvial processes. The palaeo-geography and the evolution of this landscape can be explained
using several different geosites of the area, such as the San Giorgio Gorge, the Su Marmuri cave and the Monte Tisiddu Tacco that,
united in a network of geosites, can bring to an improvement of the tourist offer of this interesting area. Besides these geosites many
other places of geological interest such as the Riu Pardu river and its abandoned villages of Gairo vecchio and Osini vecchio (partially
destroyed by phenomena of hydrogeologic hazard during the XXth century and especially following an exceptional rainfall in October
1951), several waterfalls and travertine deposits can be mentioned, completing an already rich and varied landscape.
The Project aims to the conservation of the geodiversity and the multiple valences present in the territory, and comprises the valorisation of the sites of geological interest in line with the principles of a sustainable development. This valorisation foresees the realisation of a local network of geosites connected to the system of Natural Monuments instituted by the Regional Law 31/1989, the arrangement of equipped pathways, the elaboration of explicative documents and panels in which geology, geomorphology, karst landscape, biology, archaeology and human settlements and processes are described. Some panels will be focalised on the reading of the landscape and its evolution (Lecture du paysage) in which geological, geomorphological and environmental aspects collimate to form an educational model of great suggestion.
This proposal of valorisation of these geosites, grouped in a network, could well be applied to other areas, and the Authors hope that
the regional and local stakeholders will, in the near future, participate in the geo-environmental preparation of their territory, giving an
important service to the many tourists that come and visit the Tacchi area.