Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
illustrant les principes g
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Keywords
History
Britain
Geoheritage
Geoconservation
Geoparks
Mots-clés
Histoire
Grande-Bretagne
G
é
opatrimoine
G
é
oconservation
G
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oparcs
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1
Introduction
information
. Beyond practical aspects, geological features
can have intrinsic worth.
In more recent years, the systematic conservation and
incorporation of assessment and management of geosites of
heritage signi
The philosophy underpinning much of this paper derives
from the adages of Aristotle (384 BC
“He who
sees things grow from the beginning will have the best view
of them
-
ca
322 BC)
cance into the world agenda have attracted a
much wider appreciation as to their importance. In general,
the term
Those who cannot
remember the past are condemned to repeat it
”
, and Santayana (1863
1952)
“
-
”
(or com-
is assigned to features of geology that
offer information or insights into the formation or evolution
of the Earth, or into the history of science, or that can be
used for research, teaching, or reference (Brocx
2008
). It
includes igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary, stratigraphic,
structural, geochemical, mineralogic, palaeontologic, geo-
morphic, pedologic, and hydrologic attributes, at all scales
(Brocx and Semeniuk
2007
). However, with few exceptions,
it was only after the destruction, or potential destruction, of
sites of geoheritage signi
'
geoheritage
'
monly paraphrased as:
Those who cannot learn from his-
tory are doomed to repeat
“
it
”
). Cuvier contended that
practitioners must familiarise themselves with history to
accelerate progress by preventing duplication of effort
(Laudan
1993
). In keeping with this stream of thought, the
history of geology, geoheritage, and geoconservation is
important to demonstrate what progress has occurred in the
scienti
c journey to establish the importance of geoheritage,
and hence inventory-based geoconservation and the estab-
lishment of Geoparks.
Globally, geoconservation has assumed increasing
importance because it has been recognised that Earth systems
are linked to the ongoing history of human development,
providing the resources for development, and a sense of place,
with aesthetic, historical, cultural, and religious values. In
addition, Earth systems are the foundation of all ecological
processes and part of the heritage of our sciences (Torfason
2001
). Once destroyed, the
geoarchive
of the Earth is lost
to future generations with a loss of already discovered
information
cance that a need for a formal
process for geoconservation was recognised.
With over 200 years of history of geological enquiry,
Britain is replete with
geological sites, classic
sites illustrating geological principles, and a history of
geological exploitation, geological controversy, and geo-
conservation. Beginning with the inauguration of the Geo-
logical Society of London in 1807, there has been a growing
number of naturalists, geologists, geoheritage practitioners,
geological interest groups, and government and non-gov-
ernment organisations that have recognised the importance
for planning and management and of having a systematic
“
standard
”
and,
importantly,
as
yet
-
to
-
be
-
discovered
