Edin Hrelja, Nusret Drešković, Muniba Osmanović
GEODIVERSITY IN THE BIJAMBARE PROTECTED LANDSCAPE - SPATIAL IDENTIFICATION AND GEOVISUALIZATION
DOI: 10.35666/28310438.2025.6.157
UDC: 338.484:502.131.1GIS(497.6 Bijambare)
Geodiversity encompasses all geological, geomorphological, hydrological, and pedological phenomena and processes. It is also defined as the diversity of the abiotic environment, including the diversity of soils, rocks, minerals, fossils, landforms, underground objects and structures, as well as natural phenomena and processes that have influenced and continue to influence their formation and evolution over time. These elements of geodiversity have scientific, educational, ecological, aesthetic, cultural, and economic value, and thus need to be identified and preserved, typically through formal protection measures – by establishing protected natural areas. The goal of the research is to identify the basic elements of geodiversity in the Bijambare Protected Landscape (PL) and to cartographically visualize and interpret their spatial distribution in accordance with the established protection zones and tourist development of the studied area. The identification of geodiversity is based on desk research (gathering and analyzing literature and cartographic data sources) and field surveys (validation and supplementation of desk research). The cartographic visualization of geodiversity was carried out using modern geoinformation technologies. In the first phase, individual elements of geodiversity were cartographically visualized. In the second phase, by applying a spatial matrix of unit areas of 1x1 km, individual elements were aggregated (analysis of the presence or absence of specific elements within each unit area), and using interpolation tools, a geodiversity map was created. Based on the research conducted, it can be stated that the Bijambare PL stands out for its significant degree of geodiversity within a relatively small spatial extent, which was the primary indicative factor for establishing this protected natural area.
Keywords: Bijambare Protected Landscape, geodiversity, GIS, protected areas, identification, geovisualisation.