其他摘要：Along with conserving the natural heritage, in order to use it for regional revitalization, many local governments are working toward receiving geopark certification. In the geopark certification process, it is important to obtain residents’ understanding and cooperation; community participation is also a certification requirement. A case study of the San’in Kaigan Geopark is presented. We clarified the current situation of participation and awareness of the San’in Kaigan Geopark through a web survey of residents and interviews with geoguides and residents.According to the results of the web survey, residents were familiar with the concept of a geopark. However, they were not very interested in the geostory that states: “Dynamic environmental changes associated with the Sea of Japan are the basis for life and culture in this region.” Instead, like tourists to the region, they were interested in the region’s hot springs and local food. While they thought that the geopark program was effective for nature conservation, they did not really expect that geopark certification would lead to regional revitalization.According to interviews with residents, some noticed new vitality in the region after certification, some thought that there was no relation between them and the geopark, and others felt a sense of discomfort about the terms used in the geopark. Many residents thought that their involvement in geopark activities meant participation in environmental clean-up activities or providing information to tourists.According to interviews with geoguides, their driving force was love of and pride in the local environment or surroundings. They did not necessarily work as geoguides because of the geopark certification. While some emphasized geological as well as natural commentary on the geopark, others recognized it as one of the choices for introducing the region and talked about the park only if tourists were interested. The relationship between geoguides and geoparks varies greatly depending on the geosite.Spreading the geopark philosophy is a future challenge.
