Geoconservation – principles into practice

Abstract:
The UK is extremely geodiverse with many geological features and sites of international, national and local importance for research, education, tourism and recreation. However, we are a small country with a large population and our geoheritage is subject to a range of threats. These include development pressure, landfill, coastal and river engineering, neglect and ignorance. Retaining these features and sites for future generations requires us to take action locally, nationally and internationally, both to conserve them and to raise awareness amongst the public and decision makers about their value to science and society. This talk explores some of the broad principles which influence different approaches to geoconservation and drawing upon the work of local geoconservation groups and societies, national associations, government conservation agencies and UNESCO Global Geoparks and World Heritage Sites, illustrates how geoconservation is being put into practice on the ground.