Our rich and varied geoconservation portfolio: the foundation for the future

Geodiversity, the natural range of geological, geomorphological and soil features and processes, is an integral part of the natural environment, as geoconservation is an integral part of nature conservation. Over the last sixty years, and especially since 1990, a substantial portfolio of geoconservation sites, legislation, partnerships and initiatives has developed within the UK and internationally. This includes local, national and international geoconservation audits, suites of protected sites such as Local Geological Sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Global Geoparks and World Heritage Sites, geoconservation legislation, policies, frameworks and guidance, partnerships, groups, societies and associations, periodicals and magazines, regular conferences and examples of success in securing funding for a range of geoconservation activities. This portfolio is an extremely valuable resource for science and society, creating opportunities for research, education, training, and recreation and providing ‘windows’ through which to study and understand past environmental change and thus inform planning to accommodate future change. The current social, economic and environmental context means that the approach to geoconservation must evolve to embrace new challenges and opportunities including the ecosystem approach, adapting to climate change, increasing the relevance of geodiversity to local communities and operating in a financially constrained environment. The future of geoconservation will depend upon innovation and full engagement with new opportunities, but in so doing, it is essential to maintain and build upon, rather than cast aside, the existing hard-won portfolio of sites, legislation, partnerships and initiatives as it provides the foundation from which to build the future of geoconservation.