Conserving Anglesey's
Geodiversity
Geoconservation has a long history in the United
Kingdom. Its roots extend back to the late 1940s
when the Nature Conservancy started to oversee
the designation of the first National Parks in
Britain and the development of the Sites of
Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) series.
Although geological features were a component of
both designations, the first comprehensive and
systematic review of geological sites in Great
Britain was started by the Geological
Conservation Review (GCR) in 1977, under the
auspices of Nature Conservancy Council (NCC).
However, it was not until the Wildlife and
Countryside Act (1981) that it became mandatory
for the NCC to notify landowners, in addition to
local planning authorities, of geological sites
on their land. In Wales, the NCC was replaced by
the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) in 1991.
The CCW inherited the duty of notifying SSSI,
including geological sites identified by the GCR.
In addition to the statutory conservation of
geosites, a more consensual approach began to
emerge at this time with the development of the
non-statutory Regionally Important Geological
Sites (RIGS) scheme.
Geosite Management - what we
do with them
Well, in some cases, little or nothing! But
geosites such as RIGS and SSSIs are not always as
robust or indestructible as many might assume.
They are subject to a wide range of natural
processes (such as weathering and erosion) and
human influences (intentional or inadvertent
modifications), and therefore their condition can
vary over time. Sit management consists of
identifying potential threats, monitoring the
sites where considered necessary and, in a few
cases, direct management whereby a site that has
deteriorated for any reason can be restored to a
useable status.
Monitoring geosites
Periodic checking of geosites is required to
ascertain if they are in a suitable condition for
their intended purpose (e.g. research, education,
geotourism). If a geosite reaches the relevant
standard, it is said to be in 'favourable
condition'. The country conservation agencies
(CCW, EN [now Natural England] and SNH) and their
co-ordinating body, JNCC, have invested much time
and effort in developing protocols and procedures
for checking the condition of geological sites
(GCR sites/SSSI). Monitoring is taken here to
mean any activity, however cursory or detailed,
that concerns checking or ascertaining the
condition of geosites. Monitoring of a geosite
can thus vary from a short visit to determine if
the site is still capable of fulfilling its
intended use, to lengthy survey work to ascertain
if all the site's features and sub-features (e.g.
individual beds, fossiliferous horizons, mineral
assemblages etc.) are in optimal condition.
Detailed work may involve the preparation of a
site management plan to identify the condition of
all parts of the site and outline measures for
restoring or improving the site's condition.
The principal actions involved in any monitoring
scheme are:
1. Determining a timetable for visiting and
checking sites. Some types of site require less
frequent visits than others, and vice
versa. For example, large
upland geological outcrops in remote areas, where
there are few pressures on the geological
features, will require monitoring less frequently
than certain mine or fossil sites where, for
example, there has been a history of illegal
removal of mineral specimens.
2. Establishing what level of monitoring is
required. For example, a much-used research
locality may require in-depth monitoring to
establish whether all key stratigraphic and
fossiliferous horizons are accessible. On the
other hand, a RIGS identified for educational use
may well require a simple check to see if it
remains safe and accessible for use.
3. Establishing a baseline of site condition
against which future changes can be judged.
4. Identifying what remedial/restoration or
enhancement works are necessary at a site.
Although geological SSSI and RIGS may sometimes
have different purposes, the ethos involved in
monitoring the sites remains broadly similar.
While CCW has carried out much work in this
field, the preparation of a strategy for
monitoring RIGS remains a priority.
Managing geosites
From the previous section, it is clear that the
condition of geological sites can vary
(deteriorate or improve) according to a variety
of natural processes and human influences. Site
monitoring and surveillance can help to establish
whether a site is in a suitable condition for its
intended purpose. Although recommendations for
site restoration can stem even from a brief
monitoring visit, it is more usual to produce a
detailed site management plan before trying to
restore a failing site to 'favourable condition'.
For GCR sites/SSSI, CCW geologists assess the
condition of a site, detail the preferred
management and outline the nature of necessary
remedial and restoration works. Common problems
on sites include concealment of geological
exposures by processes such as vegetation growth
and the accumulation of scree or talus, and
man-made problems such as fly-tipping. In such
cases, remedial or restoration works might
include selective clearance of scrub vegetation
and/or removal of talus and tipped materials.
Such works on GCR sites/SSSI always involves the
expert involvement of a CCW geologist working
closely with the site owner or manager. An
external contractor may be employed to excavate
or re-expose critical strata or features, and to
re-establish adequate access to the site for
research. CCW has a rolling programme for such
site works. These are usually carried out in
winter, outside the bird-breeding season, and
also when vegetation is least dense. Such works
may also be carried out in advance of a major
research programme when international Earth
Scientists may require full access to sites. It
is also common for works of this kind to be
carried out by volunteers from the geological
community.
For RIGS, this process has not yet been carried
out systematically in Wales. In theory, such
works will follow the same pattern of Monitoring
and Site Management Planning followed by site
restoration and works. This process will involve
RIGS and other geological experts, landowners,
contractors and volunteers.
A distinction is made here between site
restoration and enhancement works. Restoration is
taken to mean the return of a site to a condition
appropriate for its intended use, whereas
enhancement is taken to mean works carried out on
a site to prepare it for an enhanced use, such as
for site interpretation or geotourism. In the
latter case, the works may be more concerned with
ingress/egress at a locality or modifications to
ensure the safety of visitors.
Providing advice about
geosites
The successful conservation and protection of
geosites require authoritative, accurate and
timely advice at all stages from site selection
through to management, monitoring and restoration
of sites. For geosites at the GCR/SSSI and RIGS
levels, the requirements for advice are broadly
similar. Sites are selected using the broadest
range of expert advice possible. This includes
experts from the Country Conservation Agencies,
British Geological Survey, universities, museums,
consultancies, research institutions, geological
societies and associations, and relevant
individuals. The GCR site register for Great
Britain is maintained by the JNCC, which
co-ordinates the addition of new sites to the
register and advises on the upkeep and monitoring
of the site series as a whole through its Common
Standards Monitoring guidance. In Wales, CCW
advises the Welsh Assembly Government about the
management and conservation of GCR sites/SSSI. It
also advises landowners and tenants about all
aspects of site management (including Potentially
Damaging Operations), and informs local planning
authorities about development proposals that may
adversely affect these nationally important
sites.
Although most site management issues are resolved
through giving advice at the local level, more
rarely CCW will provide advice at a public
enquiry where the fate of a site will be decided
in the public interest. CCW provides advice on
geosites through its Earth Science Officers, who
can co-opt more specialist advice from academic
and other sources when required. RIGS groups are
responsible for advising the Welsh Assembly
Government, local planning authorities,
landowners, tenants and other relevant bodies
about geosites of regional and local value. RIGS
groups can also co-opt more specialist advice
when required and can give advice and evidence at
a public enquiry.
No geosites on Anglesey are yet officially
recognised at the international level (although
some SSSI and RIGS occur within European Special
Areas of Conservation (SAC)). There is thus no
current requirement to provide specialist advice
on geosites at this level. However, it is
anticipated that the current infrastructure for
providing advice on GCR sites/SSSI and RIGS would
also satisfy the need to provide advice on
Anglesey's candidate international geosites.
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