Travertine/tufa resource conservation and sustainable development call for a world-wide initiative

Travertine/Tufa landscape is an important heritage and ecological wealth given to mankind by nature. Travertine/Tufa itself has excellent scientific and aesthetic value, mostly with geological archives such as volcanoes, tectonics, and glaciers, as well as fingerprints referring to climate and evolution of life. However, these travertine/tufa landscapes also face degradation and disappearance caused by climate change, natural disasters, and human activities. Strengthening the conservation and sustainable development of the world’s travertine/tufa resources is not only a slogan, but also requires the creation of a linked platform for the conservation of travertine/tufa resources with the participation of people from all over the world. This implies the necessity of sharing of databases and technical reserves, and the involvement of more people in the conservation of travertine/tufa resources through the construction of travertine/tufa culture. By recognizing the urgency of travertine/tufa resource conservation, this paper proposes four initiatives for travertine/tufa research aimed at guiding further research and promoting international cooperation to achieve effective conservation and sustainable development of the world’s travertine/tufa resources.