Introduction

By organizing this conference in the International Map Year (IMY), the Croatian Cartographic Society wishes to contribute to the development of geoinformatics, cartography, geography and associated fields with special emphasis on commemorating the World GIS Day in studying geodiversity. A wide range of themes offered and renowned invited lecturers guarantee interesting lectures and a contemporary approach.

Although nature protection is mostly based on protection of living organisms and ecoystems, protection of geological and geomorphological natural values has a long tradition and is becoming increasingly interesting. Records in rocks allow us to peek in Earth’s history; fossil plants and animals teach us about development of life over millions of years; faults tell us about what is happening within Earth’s crust; minerals surprise us with their crystallized regular geometrical shapes, magnificent colours and exceptional luster; volcanoes keep demonstrating the intensity and shiftiness of Earth’s incandescent interior.

The geological base determines the kind of soil which is going to be present, where water is going to show up, where streams and rivers are going to flow, where mountains are going to rise and where caverns and pits are going to be. By protecting our geoheritage, we are going to preserve the most representative parts of Earth’s 4.5 billion year history, admire forces of the past and learn for the future.

Geodiversity is the diversity of phenomena such as rocks, minerals, fossils, relief and processes they influenced during Earth’s past. GIS, geoinfromation and cartography allow us to manage it.