Characterization and Valuation of Paleontological Heritage: A Perspective from Argentina

Abstract

Argentina has a rich and diverse paleontological heritage, with fossil sites pertaining to every epoch from the Cambrian to the Holocene. In recent years, National Law 25.743/2003 has been more useful to achieve a basic level of planning protection for many of Argentina’s important fossil sites. In this article, a methodology is proposed for assessing the heritage values of paleontological sites in order to justify their inclusion into national and regional territory planning, an outstanding guarantee protection from the adverse effects of developments. Building knowledge and understanding of the landscapes and their resources, and developing assessment criteria are essential to influencing land planning policy, as well as increasing public awareness and appreciation of paleontological heritage.