Geoconservation

GeoConservation involves identifying, protecting, and managing sites and landscapes that have scientific, educational, cultural, or aesthetic value due to their geological or geomorphological features. These features include rocks, fossils, minerals, and landforms, and they represent the Earth’s heritage, providing evidence of past and present processes.

The principal aim of GeoConservation is to preserve this Geoheritage from threats like development, infrastructure, and erosion. When a vulnerable site has been identified it can be protected by its status as a Local Geological Site (LGS) – formally known as a Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites (RIGS)

Key aspects of GeoConservation involve the:

• Identification and recording: GeoConservation involves surveying and documenting sites of geological significance to create inventories.
• Protection and management: This includes actively managing – or revisiting – sites to prevent and report on any damage and to preserve their features, sometimes by integrating them into broader conservation strategies or through community-led initiatives.
• Education and interpretation: GeoConservation seeks to raise public awareness and understanding of geodiversity by promoting sites for education, research, and public enjoyment.
• Broader context: It recognizes the interconnectedness of geology with other aspects of the environment, such as biodiversity, landscapes, and soil.
• Threats: Sites are at risk from various human activities, including mining, quarrying, and general infrastructure development, which can destroy important evidence.

The GeoConservation Group associated with the MGA is the GMRIGS Group. They have their own website www.GMRIGS.ORG.UK. If you are interested in helping with any aspect of GeoConservation then contact details can be found on their website.

More details about GeoConservation Groups in general can be found at https://geoconservationuk.org/