Assessment of the Scientific, Educational, Tourism, and Degradation Values of Geological Features as a Basis for Geotourism Development in Bangi Cave, Malang Regency, Indonesia

¹ Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences,Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
² Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Borneo Tarakan, Tarakan, Indonesia
³ Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
⁴ Department of Geophysics, Universitas Tanjungpura, Pontianak, Indonesia
⁵ Graduate School, Universitas Brawijaya Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
⁶ Center Study on Geosciences and Hazard Mitigation, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Bangi Cave is part of a tropical karst landscape in Kedungsalam Village, Malang Regency, developed on the Wonosari Formation limestone and displaying a diversity of exokarst and endokarst features of high scientific and tourism value. To date, no comprehensive study has assessed the geotourism potential of Bangi Cave in an integrated manner, considering scientific, educational, tourism, and degradation risk values, thereby hindering the optimal implementation of conservation-based area development. This study aims to identify the geological characteristics and assess the area's feasibility as a geotourism geosite using quantitative assessment methods in accordance with the guidelines of the Centre for Geological Survey (2017), Indonesia. The research methods include surface geomorphological surveys, lithological characterisation, documentation of endokarst features, and quantitative evaluation of scientific, educational, tourism, and degradation risk values. The results indicate that Bangi Cave features an active karst system, characterised by dolines, uvalas, ponors, horizontal passages, chambers, stalactites, flowstones, and underground rivers. The quantitative assessment yielded the highest education score (77.08), followed by tourism (71.15) and science (64.29), reflecting strong suitability as an education-oriented geosite. However, the degradation risk score (60.00) indicates a relatively high vulnerability to environmental and human activities. Overall, Bangi Cave has excellent potential to become a leading conservation-based geotourism site, if mitigation strategies to address degradation, strengthening of security facilities, and targeted visitor management are implemented to sustain its geological heritage.