alive and well - Geological Society of Australia
alive and well - Geological Society of Australia
alive and well - Geological Society of Australia
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<strong>Society</strong> UpdateHeritage MattersThe past month has been an eventful time with ongoingwork by the Geotourism Subcommittee establishing linkswith the <strong>Australia</strong>n National L<strong>and</strong>scapes programmanagers. The subcommittee also organised GSA-facilitated talksby José Brilha in Sydney <strong>and</strong> Adelaide, <strong>and</strong> worked on asubmission by GSA following the release <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Australia</strong>nHeritage Strategy public consultation paper.GSA NSW <strong>and</strong> SA Division talksby José BrilhaOn 13 <strong>and</strong> 19 July, in Sydney <strong>and</strong> Adelaide, respectively, Pr<strong>of</strong>essorJosé Brilha, University <strong>of</strong> Minho (Portugal), <strong>and</strong> Editor-in-Chief<strong>of</strong> Geoheritage, gave GSA-sponsored talks entitled ‘Challenges inGeoconservation — towards Science, Education <strong>and</strong> Geotourism’.In his talks, José outlined the aims <strong>of</strong> geoconservation in theidentification, protection <strong>and</strong> management <strong>of</strong> sites <strong>of</strong> geologicalheritage significance (ie, those exceptional occurrences <strong>of</strong>geodiversity with particular importance for science, education<strong>and</strong> geotourism). José outlined how, during the last two decades,geoconservation has been developing as a new discipline in thegeosciences. Today, geoconservation is researched <strong>and</strong> developedin different institutions (universities, geological surveys <strong>and</strong>scientific associations) involving an increasing number <strong>of</strong> people.The study <strong>and</strong> characterisation <strong>of</strong> geosites now uses the samescientific approach taken in other geosciences, as the researchresults are published in journals <strong>and</strong> the subject matter ispresented in congresses all over the world.The first international journal fully dedicated to geoconservation— Geoheritage — was first published by Springer in2009 under the umbrella <strong>of</strong> the European Association forthe Conservation <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Geological</strong> Heritage (ProGEO). Theformalisation <strong>of</strong> geoheritage as a scientific discipline is alsoachieved through the publication <strong>of</strong> Master <strong>and</strong> PhD theses.<strong>Geological</strong> heritage involves multidisciplinary links in science, <strong>and</strong>with society. The geopark concept based on the conservation <strong>of</strong>geological heritage is just one example <strong>of</strong> the latter. By promotinggeotourism activities, geoparks promote the sustainable development<strong>of</strong> local populations, taking into account also the biological<strong>and</strong> cultural resources <strong>of</strong> the territory. Under the auspices <strong>of</strong> theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific <strong>and</strong> Cultural Organization(UNESCO), the Global Geoparks Network (GGN), created in 2004,today includes almost 80 geoparks around the world.Globally, progress in geoconservation is occurring on anumber <strong>of</strong> fronts including:n strengthening geoconservation initiatives in international institutions— International Union for Conservation <strong>of</strong> Nature(IUCN), International Union <strong>of</strong> <strong>Geological</strong> Sciences (IUGS),International Geophysical Union (IGU) <strong>and</strong> UNESCOn consolidating a global inventory <strong>of</strong> geosites withinternational scientific relevancen developing adequate legislation to protect geositesn reinforcing science-orientated decisions <strong>and</strong> science researchn growing sustainable global geopark networksn increasing the involvement <strong>of</strong> young peoplen promoting jobs creation.Following José’s talk to the SA Division, Bob Major (Chair GSASA Division Heritage Subcommittee) <strong>and</strong> Roma Schneider (FieldGeology Club <strong>of</strong> South <strong>Australia</strong>) kindly arranged an excursion toHallett Cove <strong>and</strong> Maslin Bay for José to view some superb sites<strong>of</strong> geoheritage significance in South <strong>Australia</strong>.<strong>Australia</strong>n Heritage Strategypublic consultation paperA public consultation paper was developed by the Department <strong>of</strong>Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population <strong>and</strong> Communitiesfollowing consultation with various stakeholders. Discussionpoints <strong>and</strong> questions were provided for the community torespond to. GSA was consulted after the call for public commentwas made, after the Department commissioned Dr GraemeWorboys to write an essay entitled ‘Conserving <strong>Australia</strong>’sGeoheritage’.In his essay, Graeme concluded that “<strong>Australia</strong>’s geoheritageis part <strong>of</strong> our national heritage <strong>and</strong> part <strong>of</strong> what makes our countryspecial. It needs to be <strong>of</strong>ficially recognised, listed, adequatelyprotected <strong>and</strong> effectively managed <strong>and</strong> it needs to be celebratedas an integral part <strong>of</strong> the richness <strong>of</strong> being <strong>Australia</strong>n.” The essaysummarised his findings as follows in the next paragraphs.The conservation <strong>of</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>’s geoheritage, an <strong>of</strong>ten nonrenewableresource <strong>and</strong> part <strong>of</strong> our national heritage, should beimproved through new collaborative whole-<strong>of</strong>-<strong>Australia</strong> partnerships,new research investments, the generation <strong>of</strong> newinformation, the generation <strong>of</strong> a National Geoheritage List <strong>and</strong>the implementation <strong>of</strong> improved training, site protection <strong>and</strong>active conservation management guided by a NationalGeoheritage Conservation Strategy. These improvements include:For gaps in geodiversity information1. The mapping <strong>of</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>’s geomorphology/l<strong>and</strong>forms2. The development <strong>of</strong> a taxonomically correct <strong>and</strong> peerreviewed<strong>Australia</strong>n mineral species list <strong>and</strong> potentially a‘virtual’ e-National minerals collection3. The development <strong>of</strong> a taxonomically correct <strong>and</strong> peerreviewed<strong>Australia</strong>n fossil species list <strong>and</strong> potentially a ‘virtual’e-National fossil collection18 |TAG September 2012