3D exploration of the San Lucano Valley: virtual geo-routes for everyone who want to understand the Dolomites landscape

In June 2009, San Lucano Valley (Belluno, Italy) was included in the "World Heritage" UNESCO System n.3: Pale of San Martino - San Lucano-Belluno Dolomites. The Valley is already well known for their naturalistic attractions by hikers and tourists, but the combination between its geological, geomorphological, structural and stratigraphic features with its naturalistic values, make this site a "natural book" of global significance: because of its geomorphodiversity and of its environmental context, this Valley was selected for a broader project of scientific dissemination concerning the Belluno Dolomites. Our work is to translate the amount of geomorphologic and geological singularities of the Valley into attractive details, useful to underline this unique area as a real key to understand the geological history of Dolomites from Triassic to present. The purpose is to disseminate geo-scientific knowledge and reaching the most different kind of users (primary and high schools students, sightseers, amateurs, "mystical paths" pilgrims, etc.) by several facilities (GIS, WebGIS, Apps for mobile devices) used together: with a simple click you must be able to prepare for your hikes, knowing in advance the territory, bike riding first at home virtually in 3D, discover the hidden corners of the Valley and then get excited, step after step through the paths prepared for you! Each route must be accompanied by a technical card with altitude, photos, descriptions, PDF maps and .gpx files that can be downloaded. For whom wishing, just moving the mouse searching the most exciting mountain landscape, it become possible to explore by yourself. These utilities could be a starting point to stimulate and develop a sustainable geo-tourism in upland, often depopulated because of lack of expectations.