Paleontological heritage, cultural or natural?

ENDERE, MARIA LUZ; PRADO, JOSÉ LUIS; ARROYO-CABRALES, JOAQUIN; LAURENZ, MARÍA JOSÉ

Guanajuato

Congreso; VIII Congreso Latinoamericano de Paleontología; 2013

Sociedad Mexiacana de Paleontología

The paleontological heritage is considered from different perspectives, as cultural or natural heritage, depending on the legal tradition in different countries. In Latin America, paleontological resources have usually been part of the cultural heritage. According to this concept, fossils become part of cultural heritage when they are conceptualized by the paleontological science, which gives them a historical dimension and assigns them to a particular period of the earth?s history. Furthermore, paleontological objects and sites are considered part of the cultural heritage not only for its scientific value but also because of the public interest in protecting what is understood as part of a collective legacy. Heritage is a social good and the State has the responsibility to regulate its preservation and management through legislation. On the other hand, Commonwealth countries used to include paleontological resources as part of the natural heritage. Considering the origin of fossils as natural objects, not created by human action, their protection should be framed within the natural heritage. Furthermore, they share with natural heritage other characteristics including the large extension of the paleontological zones. Fossils are indivisible of the rocks and the geological landscape environment in which they were found. In sum, sites and collections have a double dimension due to the fact of sharing characteristics of both natural and cultural heritage.