Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
In April 2000, the EGN was placed under the auspices of
UNESCO and, in 2004, in Madonie, Italy, the
Sites of Regionally Important Sites
—
RIGS (1980s);
“
Madonie
ProGEO, and the geosites programme (1990);
”
Declaration
was signed.
Global Geoparks are de
ProGEO working groups (1996);
ned as a territory encompassing
one or more sites of scienti
Declaration of the Rights of the Memory of the Earth
(in Digne in 1991; Anon
1993
);
c importance, not only for
geological reasons but also by virtue of its archaeological,
ecological or cultural value. The Global Geoparks Network
(GGN), established in 2004 is an annually-expanding pro-
gramme that currently (2013) has 100 geoparks across 29
countries, of which 28 geoparks are in China. The GGN is a
“
The Malvern Conference (1993);
European Geoparks Network (2000);
Global Geoparks Network (2004);
Council of Europe Working Group on the Geological
Heritage (2002);
c legal effect beyond the
commitment to protect the sites under the applicable local,
regional or national laws.
Africa has only one national geopark which is in Mor-
occo (Mgoun Geopark). Further, most of the other African
countries
do not have legislation to protect their sites of
geoheritage signi
quality label
”
, without speci
IUCN Resolution Geoheritage (2008);
The Journal
Geoheritage
(2009);
Asia-Paci
c Geoparks Network (2009);
African Geoparks Network (2009);
IUCN Resolution Geoheritage WCC-2012-Res-048-EN:
“
Valuing and conserving geoheritage within the IUCN
Programme 2013
cance
(Errami et al.
2013
). In order not to
lag behind in the endeavour of geoconservation, in 2009, the
African Association of Women in Geosciences created the
African Geoparks Network (AGN) to promote the concept of
geoparks in Africa and to conceptualise how African geo-
parks can be achieved (Errami et al.
2012
).
2016
”
.
-
6
Conclusions
While there was an interest in Geology, rocks, fossils, geo-
logical mapping, minerals, geohistorical interpretations, and
other matters geological, in various regions in the Antiqui-
ties and during the Renaissance, using the terminology of the
model of Britain, much of the activity did not proceed past
what could be termed
5
Key Progress in Geoconservation
Globally
, where the history of
geoheritage/geoconservation in Britain is considered to have
progressed to near-completion and provides the best model
of the unfolding of the history of Geology, leading to the
concept of geoheritage and geoconservation in time, and
their use in landscape and land-use planning, conservation of
biodiversity, and the establishment of geoparks.
Britain, a country rich in geoheritage sites, thus plays a
key role in the history of modern-day geoconservation. Its
history reveals that, with advances in the geosciences, and a
growing awareness of the importance of geology and geo-
heritage, geoconservation emerged and became incorporated
into environmental legislation, and planning and manage-
ment at all government levels. Geoheritage is a fundamental
tenet of conservation in that it addresses scienti
“
Pre- Phase I
”
As outlined earlier in this paper, there has been emphasis on
Britain as a model for the history of geoheritage and the
development of geoconservation, as it shows the most
complete record of the phases of geological awareness and
pursuit of geoconservation. Other countries show incomplete
or only partial stages of this type of history (Brocx
2008
).
The key milestones in the history of geoconservation,
globally, either in the conservation of a geological site, or an
important event, or some other conservation-oriented activ-
ity, strategy, or concept, are summarised below:
The Baumannshole Cave in Germany was the subject of
a nature conservation decree by Duke Rudolf August in
1668 (Erikstad
2008
);
Foundation of the Geological Society of London (1807);
c impor-
tance, and geoconservation addresses the importance of
geology and geoheritage and the link between geodiversity
and biodiversity and cultural needs. Geoheritage also pro-
vides a sense of place, spatially, evolutionarily, and tempo-
rally. Doyle et al. (
1994
) noted the importance of
geoheritage for modern society, and for future generations.
The unfolding history of geoconservation in Britain is
seen to follow two strands. The
Natural monuments
rst used as a term by Humboldt
1819 (Wiedenbein
1994
);
Crystal Palace Park, SE London,
the
rst geological
theme park (1853);
The importance of (geological) monuments is proffered
as sites where the Earth
'
s geological history can be
deciphered (Lyell
1872
);
The Antiquities Act, USA (1906)
, which is arguably one
of the most important Acts in protecting natural areas of
all time;
rst led to systematic
inventory-based geoconservation. The ad hoc conservation
of sites during the pioneering days of scienti
c discovery in
the 1800s led to early audits to provide an inventory of sites
of geological signi
National Parks and Access to Countryside Act, Great
Britain (1949)
;
cance in the mid-1900s, and then to the
