BOOK REVIEW

K.S. Woo, Y.K. Sohn, S.H. Yoon, U.S. Ahn, A. Spate: JejuIsland Geopark—a volcanic wonder of KoreaSpringer Verlag, 2013. Geoheritage, Geoparks, and Geotourism, v.1. Hardcover, 88 pages(ISBN 978-3-642-20563-7) €99.95

Javier Agustin-Flores

Accepted: 5 December 2013 /Published online: 24 December 2013# Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Jeju Island Geopark—a volcanic wonder of Korea is partof a book series dedicated to the conservation and manage-ment of geoheritage, geoparks, and geotourism. The first fivechapters of the book include general information on the ge-ography, climate, flora and fauna, history, and geology of Jeju

Island Geopark. Chapter 6 contains geological descriptions ofthe geosites within the park, as well as information on thehistorical, cultural, biological, and mythological heritage as-sociated with the geosites. Future geosites are brieflydescribed in Chapter 7. The last three chapters are dedicatedto outlining the concept behind Jeju Island Geopark and itspurpose and management framework. The whole book iswritten in a concise, but informative, way with each sectionaccompanied by color illustrations. The publication isintended for a wide audiencewith different reasons for visitingthe island.

During the last few decades, there has been an increasingawareness of the key issues affecting human impacts on ourplanet. We, human beings, have come to recognize the fragileenvironment we live in and the necessity for taking action tostop or optimize the exploitation of natural resources, and tomaintain the balance of ecosystems. Within this framework,geoparks serve a variety of purposes using a multidisciplinaryapproach, starting with improving public's understanding of thegeological processes that have shaped our planet. Awareness ofgeological hazards, the promotion of sustainable tourism tominimize exploitation of resources, and the creation of a cul-tural identity are some of objectives targeted within the geoparkconcept. Jeju Island Geopark—a volcanic wonder of Koreaprovides a brief but comprehensive overview of what com-prises a geopark and how it operates. Evident throughout thebook is not only the participation of people from differentacademic disciplines to provide the necessary scientific back-ground information, but also of their interaction with govern-ment and nongovernment organizations and local people. Al-though consumptive geotourism is enhanced through geoparksin general, the sustainable uses of, and need for, geosites areemphasized as outstanding values of the Jeju Island Geopark.

Having visited Jeju Island for field work during my PhDresearch, I can confirm the beauty of the island and all the

Editorial responsibility: K. Németh

J. Agustin-Flores (*)Volcanic Risk Solutions, Massey University, Palmerton North,New Zealande-mail: kiaoranet@yahoo.co.nz

Bull Volcanol (2014) 76:791DOI 10.1007/s00445-013-0791-5

promising opportunities that it offers as a geopark. The vol-canic features are varied and extremely interesting, are easilyaccessible, and are surrounded by historical sites and vibrantlocal people. Practically all of the current and proposedgeosites are volcanic landforms, hence the book containsconcise, but comprehensive and well-referenced volcanolog-ical information. This reveals the importance of Jeju Island forthe study and understanding of intraplate volcanism.

Regarding monogenetic volcanism, the descriptions of thevolcanoes provide general insights into the complexity of theprocesses constructing small monogenetic volcanoes. Alsointeresting is the suggestion of the importance of shallowwater and aquifer conditions as factors in the triggering ofphreatomagmatic eruptive phases.

Raising awareness of the Geopark environment createdthrough the interaction and interlacing of multiple compo-nents—with us people among these components—is of vitalimportance to make the most of its existence, and hopefully tocontinue it. The book shows that there is always an intercon-nection in the development of a society within a specificenvironment. In this case, the volcanic deposits and landforms

gave birth to legends to interpret not only the origin of suchgeological features, but also of human beings themselves. Also,it is interesting to note how the people of Jeju have made use ofthese volcanic resources in response to climatic conditions.

I believe that in a way we are not much different from ourancestors, as we still need to explain the existence of ouruniverse and ourselves, and we still have material necessitiesto fulfill. There is a long way to go to achieve an optimalunderstanding of our world, but by working together peoplecan improve the pace at which we create a respectful andsustainable society. I think this book is the initiation of anew approach to bring together many apparently separateconcepts, views, and studies in a practical way that is ofbenefit for all the components of the environment that allhumans are part of. Therefore, the book is recommended notonly for people interested directly in geoparks or geotourism,but also for anyone interested in a holistic approach to theawareness of an environmental culture. However, the onlysignificant downside is that the book has a relatively highprice, which makes it somewhat of a luxury purchase for one'strip to the geopark.

791, Page 2 of 2 Bull Volcanol (2014) 76:791