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English Riviera Geopark Status

THE ENGLISH RIVIERA RECEIVES GLOBAL RECOGNITION AS GEOPARK STATUS IS CONFIRMED

...Torbay declared one of only fifty three Geoparks in the world...

PRESS CALL; TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER AT 10.30 FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE 2007-10 GEOPARK ACTION PLAN
AZURE RESTAURANT AT LIVING COASTS

17 September 2007

Long-awaited news that the UK's English Riviera is to receive international geo-tourism status arrived last night (Sunday 16 Sept).

With its successful bid for admission into the European and Global Geopark Network confirmed, the English Riviera is set to capitalise on this world-wide recognition.

Now, as one of only six in the UK, and 53 around the world, the new Geopark status will have a dramatic effect across the local community, impacting positively on education, economic regeneration, European partnerships and Torbay's widely acclaimed cultural and heritage sites.

Enthusing about this prestigious accolade, Torbay Mayor Nick Bye said: "This is great news for Torbay and its beautiful and geologically rich landscape. I am truly delighted that our wonderful natural heritage has been recognised on a global level through gaining Geopark status and I pay credit to those who have achieved this accolade.

"The array of international opportunities now open to the English Riviera is phenomenal and we must fully embrace them. Torbay is already promoted on a global level, but this new Geopark branding will undoubtedly enhance our tourist status amongst overseas travellers and those who love the environment even further."

Aviva Pearson, Director of Tourism at the Torbay Development Agency said: "We are thrilled that after so much hard work by so many, the English Riviera Geopark has become a reality. The potential, in terms of tourism and the products we can create, is huge. We are already putting together new guides and packages and looking into ways of exploiting these roads into attracting new markets. Our staff are receiving special training about the value of this new status and how this can be shared with our visitors. The Geopark status is a valuable new string to our bow and something our whole team is extremely excited about."

"Our press and PR activities are set to increase 100 fold, with the Geopark status adding great value to our already busy schedule of national and international press initiatives. This certainly gives us an exciting new way of promoting our beautiful Bay in terms of geology and heritage and certainly gives us a fresh new angle with which to reach brand new markets."

Operating under the international 'Geopark' umbrella, Torbay will now be recognised as an area with 'geological heritage of international significance'.

Professor Malcolm Hart, of Plymouth University's Earth Science Department, played a key role in the inspection and said: "Torbay's geological heritage is outstanding, and provides one of the best teaching areas for students in the whole of the South West. The Geopark will mean more people understand how the world around them came to be, and deepen their appreciation of the natural world".

Part of the application for the Geopark status meant proving Torbay's sustainable economic development through geological heritage. Integral to this part of the bid was Nick Powe, Managing Director of Kents Cavern whose prehistoric caves house some of the UK's only known bone artefacts believed to date back to Neanderthal man. He said:

"We've been working on this new bid since 2002 and I'm absolutely delighted that it has been a success. Both locally and internationally, the Geopark status holds great significance and it offers Torbay even more opportunities for increased tourism development.

"Under the global Geopark umbrella, we can really optimise on this success and promote many more of Torbay's assets including links to the work of Charles Darwin, Agatha Christie and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, plus our fabulous wildlife, marine biology, seagrasses, dolphins, archaeological and geological heritage, and much more."

An assessment of Torbay's bid was carried out by Guy Martini, UNESCO expert on Geoparks on the 8 and 9th September last week. Part of his remit was to evaluate how the English Riviera was using its geology and natural heritage as a regeneration tool.

Nick Powe recalls Guy Martini's extremely encouraging comments: "He said that Torbay undoubtedly housed Geosites of great national and International significance, and that he had rarely seen such an enthusiastic Geopoark management team.

"He also commented that it was the first Geopark he had ever visited from the sea. And, on a very positive note for our caves, he mentioned that he never seen any other cave interpreted and operated as professionally as Kents Cavern."

Following his visit, Guy Martini presented his evaluation to the UNESCO Geopark Panel who recommended that Torbay be accepted under the Geopark banner.

This recommendation was then put to the final vote of the General Geopark Panel, which announced Torbay's successful bid last night at the annual Geopark conference at North West Highlands Geopark, Scotland.

The conference was attended by Nick Powe from Kents Cavern, Mel Border (Eng Riviera Geopark Coordinator - working for Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust) and Dr Adrian Humpage (BGS and expert geological advisor to the English Riviera Geopark).
Maintaining a truly unique status within the international Geopark arena, Torbay will be the only urban Geopark in existence.

Dominic Acland, Director of the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust commented: "Everyone is working to regenerate Torbay, which we know has social and economic problems, and the Geopark designation turbo-charges all those regeneration efforts. It is a fundamental part of our strategy to build up people's pride in the area, to attract new visitors, to diversify and improve our tourist offering.

"The key thing is that it puts Torbay on the international stage as an important heritage destination. This boosts our perception of ourselves, and boosts the way other people will view the Bay. And, this was only possible through the tremendous partnerships that were developed during the bid with people working together as ERGO, the English Riviera Geopark Organisation.

"So there is huge potential in this designation. If we use it properly it will be a significant part of the power-house that turns Torbay around and sets it on a different course towards a more sustainable society and economy. What's more, we've got the international geological recognition at last that Torbay's coastline rightly deserves!"

The ERGO partnership includes: Torbay Council, the Torbay Development Agency, the Torbay Business Forum, the Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust, the Earth Science Department from Plymouth University, Natural England, Devon Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS group), local secondary schools, British Geological Survey (BGS) and many others who made this bid successful.

ENDS
NOTES TO NEWS/PICTURE DESK

-A media facility attended by many of the key players involved in achieving Torbay's new Geopark status will be held on Tuesday morning at 10.30am at Azure restaurant at Living Coasts.

-Dominic Acland, Chairman of ERGO, can be contacted on Tel: 01803 606035, Mobile: 07768 052548

-For further information and interview or photography/filming requests at Kents Cavern, please contact Nick Powe on (01803) 215136 or e-mail: nickpowe@kents-cavern.co.uk

-A Geopark is an area that actively uses its geology to generate sustainable development - through tourism, education, community involvement and site management. There are five other Geoparks in the UK, a further 26 across Europe and a total of 52 across the globe in 17 different countries. The other UK Geoparks are: Abberley and Malvern Hills Geopark, England; North Pennines AONB Geopark, England; Fforest Fawr Geopark, Wales; North West Highlands Geopark, Scotland; Marble Arch Caves and Cuilcagh Mountain Park, Northern Ireland. For more information visit www.unesco.org/science/earth/geoparks.shtml.

-As an official UNESCO site, the English Riviera Geopark is also now closely allied with the neighbouring UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Dorset and East Devon Coast; the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, and the North Devon Biosphere Reserve.

For more information about the English Riviera Geopark visit www.englishrivierageopark.org.uk