Investigation of the geodiversity and geological heritage potential of bitlis in terms of sustainable development

Approximately 4.6 billion years old, Earth is referred to as one of the rocky planets, along with Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Among these planets, Earth holds a particularly significant place as it hosts life. Due to plate tectonics, the rock cycle occurs on Earth, leading to the formation of different types of rocks and resulting in rich geodiversity. The rocks that make up the crust record all the information from the periods in which they were formed. When these records are deciphered by geoscientists, very unique information about Earth's past is obtained. Some of this information is irreplaceable and must be preserved. These special geological formations are elements of geological heritage that need to be protected both scientifically and visually. Geological heritage elements that represent good examples of their type and are at risk of extinction are defined as geosites. A rich presence of geosites in a region paves the way for geopark initiatives. With geoparks, rapidly developing geotourism activities have enabled geological heritage elements, which are abiotic assets, to become objects of sustainable development worldwide. The oldest rocks in the study area are the Precambrian-aged Bitlis Massif rocks, while the products of the Nemrut and Süphan stratovolcanoes represent the youngest rocks. Magmatic, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks formed between the Precambrian and Quaternary periods have made the region one of Turkey's richest areas in terms of geodiversity. The study area covers 5,000 km² within the Bitlis province and includes not only geological heritage but also cultural, archaeological, and biological heritage elements. In this study, 54 geological heritage elements were identified across 5 georoutes, of which 24 were defined as geosites and 5 as anthropogenic geosites. This richness provides scientific support for the creation of a geopark in Bitlis that could potentially join the Global Geoparks Network. However, for the geopark to join either the national or global network, a management plan and strategies for sustainable economic contribution need to be developed. This thesis proposes a geopark aimed at sustainable development by highlighting Bitlis's geodiversity and geological heritage potential.