Geodiversity Supports Cultural Ecosystem Services: an Assessment Using Social Media

Abstract Geodiversity is under threat from both anthropogenic activities and environmental change which therefore requires active management in the form of geoconservation to minimise future damage. As research on role geodiversity ecosystem service (ES) provision has been limited, there a need improve our understanding aspects are most important providing ES better inform approaches its conservation. Here, we focus cultural hiking Wales, UK. Harnessing big data social media website Flickr, used locations geotagged images range spatial layers representing geodiversity, biodiversity predictor variables habitat suitability models. To gain deeper driving distribution this service, estimated strength nature relationship each indicator with hiking. Our models show that three (distance coast, slope elevation) two greenspace access point distance road) were drivers Furthermore, assessed content understand features people interact while We found generally take geomorphological hydrological features, such as mountains lakes. Through well identifying hiking, analysis can help methods by focusing efforts these features.