YES-27-E-03:Transforming awareness and understanding of the role of geodiversity conservation in nature conservation and recovery

The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 gave equal weighting to ‘flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features’, i.e. biodiversity and geodiversity, in determining criteria for nature conservation. However, since then, the importance of geodiversity conservation – looking after valued geological and geomorphological features – has been greatly overlooked in nature conservation theory and practice, compared to biodiversity conservation. This skewed focus on only the biotic aspect of nature means that the abiotic component of nature, e.g. rocks, fossils, landforms and landscapes, is currently underexplored, under recognised and undervalued in nature recovery efforts. Considering geodiversity in nature recovery work is vital, because it is a critical component in ecological function, has an essential role to play in supporting human needs and wellbeing and crucially, because it is our only record of environmental change in the geological past, which can help us to understand and plan for current and future environmental change.

Ideas, knowledge and guidance on policy and good practice in geodiversity conservation exist but currently are much less well developed than their biological counterparts. Key challenges include: 1) limited public, policy and organisational awareness of the value of geodiversity and its conservation; 2) significant variability in the extent to which geodiversity conservation is considered in the context of nature conservation policy and practice at local, regional and national scales and 3) limited exploration of the complex interplay between geodiversity and biodiversity conservation in practice to support effective nature recovery.

In partnership with Natural England, and engaging with government agencies, NGOs and international organisations such as the IUCN and IUGS, this PhD aims to transform awareness and understanding of the importance of geodiversity conservation as a key element of nature conservation and recovery, through three interlinked strands of research.

1. Conceptual and historical perspectives: Examine the scientific, ethical, and philosophical underpinnings of diverse views on nature, nature conservation and geodiversity conservation. This will involve review of scientific and practice publications, and expert solicitation of key geoconservation practitioners, including their experience of how geodiversity conservation is perceived by landowners, local authorities, the public and other stakeholders.
2. Pathways to recognition and designation: Using the English UNESCO Global Geoparks as case studies, explore in detail the scientific and other factors that have led to geodiversity conservation being recognised and valued at a local and regional level, leading to their international designation – what gets conserved, how, where and why? This includes understanding how local priorities interact with national nature conservation policy and practice, e.g., to what extent geodiversity conservation has been incorporated into the Local Nature Recovery Strategies prepared by the responsible authorities covering these areas.
3. Integration with nature recovery: Investigate the relationships, synergy and tensions between geodiversity conservation and biodiversity conservation policy and practice. This will focus on specific sites within the North Pennines, the Black Country and the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geoparks, allowing contrasting upland, urban and coastal settings to be investigated.

Together, the steps above will increase our understanding of the role of geodiversity as an essential aspect of nature conservation and recovery, informed by insights from the long history of biodiversity conservation. Findings from the project will be shared widely, with the goal to influence current policy and practice, e.g. incorporation of a requirement to consider geodiversity conservation in nature recovery strategy guidance.