Inverted Landforms of the Western Caucasus: Implications for Geoheritage, Geotourism, and Geobranding

Researchers have identified distinct inverted landforms in the Western Caucasus, revealing their significance for geoheritage and geotourism. These landforms—Gud and Gudok mountains, Kabanya mountain, and a segment of the Skazhenny range—exemplify progressive, transitional, and regressive inversion, respectively, driven by unique geological settings such as synclines and monoclines capped with resistant carbonates or shales. Fieldwork in Mountainous Adygeya confirmed their potential as geomorphosites, offering educational value and adventure tourism opportunities while proposing a geotouristic route for exploration. Additionally, the Gud and Gudok landform serves as a symbolic representation of local geodiversity, suggesting its use for branding regional products like cheese.

Ruban, D. A., Mikhailenko, A. V., & Ermolaev, V. A. (2022). Inverted Landforms of the Western Caucasus: Implications for Geoheritage, Geotourism, and Geobranding. Heritage, 5(3), 2315–2331. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5030121