Geoconservation is the practice of recognising, protecting and managing sites and landscapes which have value for their

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

geomorphology Geomorphology (from Ancient Greek: , ', "earth"; , ', "form"; and , ', "study") is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of topographic and bathymetric features created by physical, chemical or biological processes operating at or n ...

. Geoconservation is carried out by a wide range of organisations from local geological societies to government agencies. Typically the conservation of

geodiversity Geodiversity is the variety of earth materials, forms and processes that constitute and shape the Earth, either the whole or a specific part of it.Zwolinski, Zb. 2004. ''Geodiversity'', in: ''Encyclopedia of Geomorphology'', A.Goudie (ed.), Routle ...

at a site or within a landscape takes place alongside that of

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...

In the UK

In the late 1970s, the former

Nature Conservancy Council The Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) was a United Kingdom government agency responsible for designating and managing National Nature Reserves and other nature conservation areas in Great Britain between 1973 and 1991 (it did not cover Northern ...

initiated the

Geological Conservation Review The Geological Conservation Review (GCR) is produced by the UK's Joint Nature Conservation Committee and is designed to identify those sites of national and international importance needed to show all the key scientific elements of the geological a ...

(GCR), a comprehensive assessment of the key geological and geomorphological sites within England, Scotland and Wales, a task which was largely completed by 1990. Over 3000 sites across Britain were identified and many are now designated as sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs), thus providing them with statutory protection. These geological SSSIs are now managed by the respective country nature conservation bodies;

Natural England Natural England is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It is responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, ...

NatureScot NatureScot ( gd, NàdarAlba), which was formerly known as Scottish Natural Heritage, is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for the country's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and ...

and

Natural Resources Wales Natural Resources Wales ( cy, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru) is a Welsh Government sponsored body, which became operational from 1 April 2013, when it took over the management of the natural resources of Wales. It was formed from a merger of the Count ...

. A similar approach has been taken in Northern Ireland with the Earth Science Conservation Review (ESCR). Many thousands of geosites beneath SSSIs across Great Britain are given protection at a level below that afforded by SSSI status. Originally referred to as

regionally important geological site Regionally important geological and geomorphological sites (RIGS) (also known as regionally important geological sites or, especially in Wales, regionally important geodiversity sites) are locally designated sites of local, national and regional imp ...

s, the term 'Local Geological Sites' (or LoGS) is now in use for them in England and 'Local Geodiversity Sites' in Scotland, whilst in Wales, they are referred to as 'Regionally Important Geodiversity Sites' (or RIGS). Numerous local groups have been established to protect and conserve these sites, all coming under the 'umbrella organisation', GeoConservationUK.

References

Nature conservation Subfields of geology Geomorphology {{geomorph-stub

In the UK

See also

References