ABSTRACT

Jashak Salt Dome, representing one of Iran’s largest and most prominent salt domes, exhibits an unparalleled diversity of geomorphological features including caves, waterfalls, and salt crystallizations—thereby qualifying it as a potential geosite. The primary objective of this study is to identify and evaluate the geomorphological heritage associated with Jashak Salt Dome utilizing the Pereira and Kubaliková models. Fieldwork was conducted involving 8 experts to analyze the site’s attributes. Subsequently, the evaluation was performed using the Pereira and Kubaliková methods, considering their respective criteria and sub-criteria. The Pereira model emphasizes scientific, acquisitive (cultural/historical), and managerial values, whereas the Kubaliková model prioritizes educational value and the vulnerability of protected areas. Notably, in the Kubaliková framework, sites with superior scientific and educational statuses receive higher scores. The findings indicate that, in the Pereira model, the criteria of scientific value, acquisitive value, geomorphological value, and conservation value achieved scores of 34.5, 54.2, 18.3, and 14.9, respectively. Conversely, under the Kubaliková model, the highest scores were assigned to the educational (25.3) and scientific (3.8) values, while conservation and acquisitive values each obtained a score of 2.5. Consequently, the results demonstrate that the most significant weights were allocated to the scientific-educational and aesthetic values. This underscores the high geological significance of Jashak Salt Dome and its unique diversity of geomorphological forms, characterized by exquisite erosion patterns, accessible caves, unique salt waterfalls, and multi-colored salt crystals. These features position Jashak as a practical educational site and a natural laboratory for students of geology and geomorphology.

EXTENDED ABSTRACT
Introduction
In recent decades, the perception of natural heritage has evolved from a purely biological focus toward a more comprehensive concept known as geoheritage, in which geomorphological landforms and geological processes play a central role (1). Geomorphological heritage comprises a set of landforms and related processes that, due to their scientific, educational, aesthetic, and cultural values, merit identification, conservation, and sustainable use. This heritage not only reflects the evolutionary history of the Earth, but also plays a significant role in Earth science education and the development of geotourism. Reynard et al. (2), through the development of a theoretical framework for geomorphological heritage, emphasized the multidimensional nature of geosite values. According to their perspective, the value of a geomorphosite is not limited solely to its scientific aspect; rather, cultural, aesthetic, educational, and even economic values should also be considered in its assessment. This holistic approach has played an important role in linking geomorphological studies with concepts such as sustainable development and geotourism. Therefore, geosites or geomorphosites can be regarded as landforms with integrated values encompassing scientific, cultural, social, and economic dimensions, capable of acting as a bridge between scientific research, cultural integration, and artistic attributes (4). From a scientific perspective, the assessment of geomorphosite potential—particularly the identification of geomorphic systems, processes, and phenomena (scientific and educational dimensions)—should be given priority, as it inherently requires appropriate geomorphological research infrastructure (5).This is because geomorphosite assessment, in addition to identifying geosystems or structures governing landforms and processes (such as glacial, coastal, lacustrine, slope, karstic systems, and others), can play an effective role in understanding geological history (6). Moreover, such assessments provide documented evidence for recognizing paleogeomorphological indicators and reconstructing the history of the Earth’s climate (scientific significance) (7). Consequently, it is evident that in the evaluation of geomorphosites and geomorphological heritage, particular emphasis must be placed on the scientific and educational dimensions, which have received increasing attention in recent decades.
Materials and methods
The present study is applied in purpose and descriptive–analytical in nature, and was conducted using documentary research, field surveys, and geomorphosite assessment methods. The main research framework was designed based on the Pereira and Kubaliková approaches.In the first stage, the required data were collected through library-based studies, including scientific articles, geological reports, and available maps. Subsequently, field investigations were carried out to identify geosites, record their geographic locations, conduct photographic documentation, and describe their geomorphological characteristics.In the next step, the identified geosites were quantitatively evaluated according to the Pereira method, focusing on criteria such as scientific value, additional values, and management value. To complement the analysis, the Kubaliková method was applied to examine the educational and geotourism potential as well as the vulnerability of the geosites.The geomorphosite assessment was conducted using a questionnaire-based approach, in which the questionnaire was designed according to the criteria and sub-criteria of each method. For this purpose, eight experts familiar with the study area and its geosites were consulted. It should be noted that each geosite was scored for each criterion, and the final score was calculated as the average of the scores assigned by the experts.Finally, the results obtained from both methods were compared, and the conservation and management priorities of the study area were determined.
Results and discussion
Given the country’s rich geological history and the diversity of its geosites, there is considerable potential for the establishment of geoparks, which are regarded as national assets. From the perspective of sustainable development, effective planning and management of these areas are of strategic importance, as the intelligent utilization of their natural, scientific, cultural, and economic attractions directly contributes to the expansion of tourism activities and the improvement of regional economic conditions. The Jashak Salt Dome has been introduced as one of the tourism hubs and national heritage sites; however, this geological heritage has not been properly utilized and, in some areas, has even been subjected to degradation. Although the geosites and natural as well as historical–cultural attractions of this region are very rich, the present study focuses on identifying the most important geosite attractions and evaluating them. The region, through the integration of geological, historical, ecological, and cultural heritage, possesses significant potential for sustainable tourism, leading to economic growth, social development, and educational advancement. In this research, the Pereira and Kubaliková methods were employed to assess the geomorphological heritage of the Jashak Salt Dome. According to the Pereira method, the findings showed that scientific value achieved the highest total score (5.34), followed by additional value (2.54), geomorphological value (3.18), and protection value (1.49). These results can largely be attributed to the lack of infrastructure, insufficient tourism services, and the absence of an integrated conservation management system. Using the Kubaliková method, the evaluation results indicated that the highest scores were assigned to educational value (3.25) and scientific value (3.80), while the protective and additional value criteria each obtained total scores of 2.50, respectively. The findings of this study are consistent with similar research conducted on salt and arid geosites in Iran by Tahmak et al. (23), Rahimi‑Harabadi (24), Mokhtari et al. (25), and Hassanzadeh et al. (26), and demonstrate that salt diapiric phenomena are among the most attractive elements of geotourism.
Conclusion
The results of the study showed that, using the Pereira method, the criterion of scientific value obtained the highest total score (5.34), followed by additional value (2.54), geomorphological value (3.18), and protection value (1.49). Likewise, according to the Kubaliková method, the highest scores were assigned to the criteria of educational value (3.25) and scientific value (3.80), while the protective and additional value criteria each received a total score of 2.50. Therefore, it can be concluded that the highest scores were attributed to the scientific–educational and aesthetic criteria. This indicates the high geological significance of the Jashak Salt Dome and the exceptional diversity of its geomorphological features, including attractive erosion patterns, visitable caves, unique salt waterfalls, and multicolored crystals. These characteristics make the area suitable as a practical educational site and a natural laboratory for students of geology and geomorphology.