Bringing Together Research, Geoconservation and Reaching a Broad Public in the Form of a Geotourism Project: the Ichnite Route of Soria (Spain)

A detailed evaluation of the palaeoichnological work carried out in the Highlands (“Tierras Altas”) of Soria (Spain) over the last 35 years is provided. The scientific research performed by different teams on the vertebrate tracksites of the Early Cretaceous deposits of the Huerteles Fm. has engendered and fostered the “Ruta de las icnitas de Soria” (Ichnite Route of Soria) project, which consists both of geoconservation work on the main vertebrate tracksites and of drawing public attention to their existence. The ichnite route represents a good example of how scientific research may help to promote projects based on geotourism. Further, the research has also led to the recovery of a significant collection of vertebrate footprints that are currently housed in the Numantine Museum (“Museo Numantino”) in Soria. This collection is one of the finest from the beginning of the Early Cretaceous both in terms of the number and quality of the tracks and in terms of their ichnodiversity (footprint types). Drawing increased attention to this collection by putting it on public display would be an exceptional complement to the ichnite route, as it would mean that visitors could also see other tracks.