Understanding Landscape Aesthetics Using a Novel Viewshed Assessment of Social Media Locations Within the Troodos UNESCO Global Geopark, Cyprus

Globally, geodiversity and the associated ecosystem services it provides, are both under threat from anthropogenic pressures environmental changes. The UNESCO Global Geoparks Programme was established to create protected areas that not only preserve but enhance human wellbeing cultural heritage. Understanding role plays in providing such is necessary for holistic conservation priorities ensure their sustainable use. Studies have extensively used social media data assess services, however, photographic viewable area, which demonstrates scenic or of interest, has been scarcely evaluated. often take crude measurements viewsheds rather than isolating viewed content. Here, we gather georeferenced images taken inside geopark boundaries website Flickr as a proxy aesthetically pleasing viewpoints. To understand what landscape characteristics visible these viewpoints calculate viewshed analysis following novel visual magnitude approach. use provides metric relevancy compared traditional approaches provide binary representing non-visible. find methodology richer information about analysis. We appreciated views inferred by within Troodos Geopark, Cyprus, do include natural features forest water related anthropogenically altered landscapes mineral extraction sites vineyards, known. These results can help inform geoconservation practices with goal access enjoyment aesthetic services.