Scotland's Geodiversity Charter

Write right – Putting geodiversity into words
Saturday 22 November 2014, 10am – 4pm
Grant Institute, Kings Buildings, University of Edinburgh
A one-day conference organised by the Scottish Geodiversity Forum and the School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh

In leaflets, museums, websites, blogs and interpretation boards, Scotland’s geodiversity is being written about for a range of audiences. This conference is for anyone interested in writing about our geodiversity. It will encourage sharing of experiences, inspire new insights and work towards top quality writing that informs, interprets and inspires. The conference will create and publish best
practice guidance and appropriate examples to aid anyone writing about Scotland’s geodiversity in the future.

Attendance at the conference is free, but places are limited – you must book in advance at writeright.eventbrite.co.uk.

Write Right Conference 22Nov2014 – Programme

Members of the Scottish Geodiversity Forum were delighted to see the launch this week of a Geodiversity Charter for England, setting out the clear ambition that England’s ‘geodiversity is recognised as an integral and vital part of our environment, economy and heritage that must be safeguarded and managed for current and future generations’.

Lesley Dunlop, Chair of the English Geodiversity Forum says “England’s geodiversity is world class and we are privileged to live in such a diverse and exciting environment. It is important that we conserve and enhance our heritage for future generations and help all to appreciate it. The Charter marks a starting point on a journey of collaboration.”

24 November 2014, The Geological Society, Burlington House, London

www.geolsoc.org.uk/Geoconservation-Annual-Gathering-14

This event is led by the Geological Society’s Geoconservation Committee, whose aims are to help conserve the diverse geology and rich geological and geomorphological heritage of the UK.

This meeting brings together people from geoconservation initiatives around the United Kingdom to discuss fundraising opportunities and support mechanisms for geoconservation. As the impact of austerity cuts on environmental and geoconservation initiatives sets in, we will consider how best to fund and support geoconservation projects going forward.

The aim of the meeting is to support ongoing dialogue between funders of geoconservation projects, industry representatives who are involved in geoconservation and budding or potential projects, through a day of presentations, discussion and workshops.

Speakers include Drew Bennellick, Head of Landscape and Natural Heritage at the Heritage Lottery Fund and Dr David Slawson, Director at the Open Air Laboratories Network as well as representatives from several funded geoconservation projects around the UK.

A one-day conference organised by the Scottish Geodiversity Forum and the School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh

In leaflets, museums, websites, blogs and interpretation boards, Scotland’s geodiversity is being written about for a range of audiences. This conference is for anyone interested in writing about geodiversity. It will encourage sharing of experiences, inspire new insights and work towards top-quality writing that informs, interprets and inspires.

The conference will create and publish best practice guidance and appropriate examples to aid anyone writing about Scotland’s geodiversity in the future.

The conference will be held in the Grant Institute, Kings Buildings, University of Edinburgh … further details here soon!

The Scottish Geodiversity Forum strongly supports Earth Science Education Scotland and their campaign for new qualifications in Earth science in secondary schools in Scotland, to replace the current Geology Higher. The recent low enrolments in Higher Geology are not due to a lack of demand, but to a lack of availability, which is largely related to a lack of trained teachers. The creation of a new Earth science qualification will allow students to study a wide range of topics related to the Earth and its resources in a manner that will provide next generation citizens with sufficient information to understand the basics of how the planet functions over geological time and to provide some generic skills training that is unique to Earth scientists, such as 3D and 4D visualisation and handling uncertainty.

You can find out more and support the campaign at http://earthscienceeducationscotland.com/

We’ve now got 53 organisations large and small signed up to Scotland’s Geodiversity Charter, and our shared vision that Scotland’s geodiversity is recognised as an integral and vital part of our environment, economy, heritage and future sustainable development, to be safeguarded and managed appropriately for this and future generations.

Recent signatories to the Charter include Historic Scotland, Friends of Kelvin Valley and the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers. Thanks for your support!

The UK and Ireland features some of the most diverse and beautiful geology in the world, spanning most of geological time, from the oldest Pre-Cambrian rocks to the youngest Quaternary sediments. As part of Earth Science Week 2014, The Geological Society and partner organisations are celebrating this unique geo-heritage by launching a list of 100 Great Geosites across the UK and Ireland.

We need your help!

To come up with a list, we need your help. Send us your favourites via Twitter, using #100geosites, on the project’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/100geosites, or by emailing 100geosites@geolsoc.org.uk. You can support your nomination with anything you like – be it photographs, videos or enthusiastic words. You can find all of this information and more on the webpage www.geolsoc.org.uk/100geosites.

A geosite could be a classic outcrop or a beautiful landscape like the Giant’s Causeway.  The list could also include engineered sites of economic importance such as a Crossrail station, museums, structures featuring striking building stones or sites of significance to the history of geology or our industrial heritage. The only rules are that the site is in the UK or Ireland, and can be visited by the public. We’re hoping that, as well as the classic geological sites the UK and Ireland is famous for, we’ll receive some surprises!

Is there a great geosite in your region that deserves to be on the list? Why not plan an event in Earth Science Week at a local site, to celebrate our geoheritage in your area?

The list will be launched in October 2014 for Earth Science Week (13 – 19 October). We hope the final list of 100 will reflect the huge range of geological sites that can be visited in the UK and Ireland –from the countryside to the hearts of our towns and cities.

Earth Science Week 2014 is taking place on 13-19 October, with a theme of ‘our geo-heritage.’ As well as the 100 geosites project, we’re keen to hear from anyone who would like to propose an event as part of the week. From geowalks to public lectures to educational activities, all ideas are welcome – email ESWUK@geolsoc.org.uk or visit www.geolsoc.org.uk/earthscienceweek to find out more.

The Geological Societies of Glasgow and Edinburgh are offering unique opportunity for young Earth scientists to follow the journey of Hugh Miller in “The Cruise of the Betsey”.

On 6 September 2014 Leader,a wonderful old Brixham Trawler built in 1892 (www.trinitysailing.org/vessels/leader/), will set sail from Oban heading north for the Small Isles in a one-week voyage in homage to Hugh Miller and his Hebridean tours, described in his classic book “The Cruise of the Betsey“. The boat sleeps 19 people including 4 crew members, and will be filled with an inter-generational mix of geologists, geographers, artists, writers, ecologists, storytellers and historians (including a Gaelic speaker). The voyage will take the form of a mobile conference during which each participant will apply their own talents and interests in celebration of the achievements of Hugh Miller, and the landscapes, seascapes and cultural history of the Hebrides. The reward for the successful applicants will be to broaden and deepen their appreciation of Hebridean geodiversity, but also to gain new and probably unexpected perspectives on the geology, landscape and people of this beautiful sea-bound realm.

The Geological Societies of Glasgow and Edinburgh will fund up to four berths on the boat for young people (aged 16-30) studying Earth science, who have a research interest in the area or in a subject related to Hugh Miller, and a passion for sharing and communicating geology, landscape and/or Hebridean culture to a diverse audience.

Further information and application form

We’ve extended the case studies for the Charter, listing those from the original document plus further examples from our recent update. Take a look at the full selection at http://scottishgeodiversityforum.org/charter/case-studies/. Currently we’ve got a wee issue with linking the google map from wordpress (affecting not just our website) but we hope to have the full interactive map inline soon – for now you have to click on the map to access it.

Further case studies are very welcome, and more links from the existing case studies to further information – please get in touch!