Scotland's Geodiversity Charter

http://dynamicearthedinburgh.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/its-earth-shuttering.html

The Postcards from our Planet competition is being run with thanks to the Ernest Cook Trust and you can get involved. Tell us all about the discoveries you have made through our Facebook page.

• what interests you in the natural world?
• what makes Earth and environmental sciences come alive for you?
• can you catch it on camera?

Delighted that Cairngorms National Park Authority and Our Dynamic Earth have signed Scotland’s Geodiversity Charter, agreeing to support the vision of the Charter and work towards relevant actions. This brings the total number of signatories to 31, representing a broad swath – public bodies, NGOs, industry and land owners representative groups, geoconservation groups and geoparks.

Further signatories are welcome – get in touch with Angus Miller chair@scottishgeodiversityforum.org.

The Royal Scottish Geographical Society, a member of the Forum, have a new education centre and are developing innovative cross-curricular learning opportunities that explore geography, geodiversity, history and the surrounding area. You can read more in this recent article in TES Scotland.

As part of my MRes Heritage Science dissertation on values associated with geological collections I have designed and disseminated this questionnaire:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/geoattitudes

I would be grateful if you could take five minutes to complete the questionnaire on values associated with geological collections. A more detailed description of my MRes project and its aims is included in the questionnaire itself.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with myself or my supervisors, whose contact details are provided in the questionnaire.

THANK YOU!

Jane Rob

The Scottish Geodiversity Forum is delighted to announce the launch of Scotland’s Geodiversity Charter, which recognises the value and importance of our world-class geodiversity. The Charter encourages everyone to work together to promote and manage Scotland’s geodiversity and to ensure that it is better integrated in policy and guidance consistent with the economic, social, cultural and environmental needs of Scotland.

Scotland’s Geodiversity Charter has been drawn up with support from the Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage, the British Geological Survey and GeoConservationUK, and will be signed by more than 25 organisations who have agreed to support the Charter’s vision and work towards relevant actions.

The Charter will be launched by Stewart Stevenson MSP, Minister for Environment and Climate Change on Wednesday 6th June 2012.

The Forum is delighted to announce that scottishgeology.com is now managed by the Forum, and has undergone a revamp. Please take a look at www.scottishgeology.com, and look out for further enhancements in the coming months!

The following motion was passed at the SNP Conference in Glasgow on 10th March 2012

Conference welcomes the fact that the Scottish Government is revising the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy in line with EU and UN directives, furthermore it recognises the fact that main focuses of this revision are on maintaining and enhancing ecosystems and their services as well as the efficient use of the natural environment and resources.
Conference recognises that an integrated ecosystem approach takes into account the geodiversity underpinning this nation. There are undeniable links between geodiversity, landscape and biodiversity and the fact is that the geodiversity has determined the industrial and economic development of Scotland. Conference recognises that Scotland has an immense range of geodiversity for its size and calls on all Local Authorities to afford local geodiversity sites the same level of protection as for local biodiversity sites.

The motion was proposed by Councillor Phil Greene (member of the Scottish Geodiversity Forum)  and seconded by Anne McLaughlin and by Stewart Stevenson MSP, Minister for Environment and Climate Change

The AGM of the Forum will take place on Saturday 10 March at the RSGS’s Fair Maids House in Perth, 10am start. We’ll have a brief business meeting with reports on the year and election of office bearers; this will be followed by a choice of workshops.

In the afternoon there will  be an informal geodiversity walk around Perth, finishing about 4pm.

All welcome – draft programme

We are delighted to make the draft Scotland’s Geodiversity Charter available for consultation. This charter has been drawn up by a working group with the support and facilitation from the British Geological Survey, the Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage.

Comments on the draft Charter are welcomed from organisations and individuals, you have until 29th February to comment, after which it will be finalised and formally launched.