Geodiversity Action Plan

Geological interpretation and conservation in the North Pennines AONB and European & Global Geopark is guided by a comprehensive Geodiversity Audit and Action Plan.   

What is geodiversity?

In the same way that biodiversity is the variety of life around us, geodiversity is the variety of rocks, fossils, minerals, landforms and geological processes that shape our world and form the foundations of the landscape.

Underpinning documents

In 2004 the AONB Partnership produced the first Geodiversity Audit and Action Plan for a UK Protected Landscape.

The Audit is an account of all the features that make up the geodiversity of the North Pennines, from the oldest rocks to the most recent deposits. It summarises the geological evolution of the area and also the ways in which the area's rocks and minerals have been used over the centuries. This document informs the accompanying Action Plan and is a comprehensive reference source. 

The Action Plan guides the work of the team and partners on geological conservation, interpretation and education, and identifies ways of using these to support sustainable development.

Updated versions

Both documents were recently updated, and there is now a revised Audit and a new Action Plan for the period 2010-2015. These documents underpin all our geological work and are important for our UNESCO-endorsed European and Global Geopark status.

For a copy of the Action Plan call the AONB Partnership Staff Unit on 01388 528801 or email info@northpenninesaonb.org.uk - or you can download a pdf version by clicking on the link below. The Audit is only available as a pdf and can also be downloaded by clicking on the link below.