Geotourism Resources for Sustainable Development and Recreation: Plateau State Case Study.

Abstract

Geotourism (an aspect of ecotourism) deals with the identification, study, and development of the Earth’s geologically-based physical resources and features in an environmentally and culturally sustainable manner in order to provide recreation, relaxation, education, and employment. Virtually every state in Nigeria has several potential sites. Sites in Plateau State include the Kurra and Assop waterfalls, the Pidong crater lake, the Wase phonolite-trachyte plug, the SWAN spring water plant, the Sura (Panyam) volcanic line, Younger Granite ring dykes, complexes and hills, and the relatively little known Kahwang and Yembe river falls with their excellent exposures of polygonal columnar basalts extending for several kilometers. These columnar basalts, located about 50km and 15km south of Jos, are comparable to the world-famous Giant Causeway exposures in Ireland.