EH:WH Weekend Workshop

South-west England, including the counties of Devon and Cornwall, with its rich and varied geological and geomorphological heritage offers excellent opportunities for interpretation and educational use. To date, however, the development of schemes has been somewhat haphazard and lacking in any strategic overview. To develop such a framework to help focus the work of English Nature and other organisations, increase public awareness, identify opportunities for educational use and, where appropriate, target resources for site management, the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Geological Interpretation Strategy was commissioned by English Nature (Sargeant, 1998). The final report included a detailed review of existing facilities, together with recommendations for future projects and suggested timetables. An accompanying three volume set provided an extremely valuable compilation of all available interpretative publications focussing on the geological heritage of the region and forms an important resource for future work.

Implementation of the recommendations of the report commenced in 1998, with support being provided during 1998 for a number of interpretative and educational projects throughout the region. Most significantly, a contribution was provided to expand the embryonic County Geological Sites Educational Access Register to include Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The initial register formed Phase II of the Devon CGS selection program and aimed to identify those sites with a clear potential for educational use through the compilation and distribution of an educational access register. Included sites have safe, permitted access and exhibit features that can be readily linked to the teaching of geology, geography and science through the National Curriculum, or are particularly suitable for fieldwork and research purposes for higher education (Page and Chamberlain, 1999).

Each site report included a location map, a brief description highlighting the main features of interest, photographs and diagrams as appropriate and suggested educational exercises. The register includes over 80 sites, including at least 45 SSSIs and nearly 40 CGSs, each with this full range of background information. Initially the Register was released through Devon County Council's educational intranet service, available to schools through out the county, and subsequently on the County Council's Web Site (http://www.devon-cc.gov.uk/geology). The register is also available as a CD ROM. Dissemination through the web site is most successful as it:

Enables free and open access to the great majority of educational institutions and schools in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, through Internet connections.
Allows links to be made with other regional, national and international geological and educational websites (including GRECEL).
Can facilitate updating of site information including additions and deletions as necessitated (potentially including the incorporation of feedback from site users).

Site selection and conservation projects have identified an Earth Heritage resource in Devon which is second to none in Britain. As well as encouraging the sustainable conservation of the full range of Earth Heritage sites and features in the county of scientific and educational importance, the Educational Register has helped develop this resource into a facility of primary importance for environmental education in England.

The register and it's promotion of geological sites, and by inference Geoconservation, has the additional benefit of meeting some of the objectives of the Devon Biodiversity Action Plan which now guides local and national governmental and NGO policy and action for Nature Conservation in the County (Devon Biodiversity Partnership, 1998 – currently under revision). Significant geological content is present in the Action Plan in the sections on Caves, Karst and Mines, Sea Cliff and Slope and Pits, Quarries and Cuttings. The provision of interpretative and educational facilities is a key part of each of these action plans.

Support for the production of the register also formed part of the UK's contribution to the European Community funded GRECEL project (Drandaki et al., 1999).

Devon RIGS Group and Devon County Council have discussed plans to produce a new version of the educational register, including enhancing National Curriculum related information and guidance and developing virtual excursions for school-level groups. The value of the existing register is clear, but the future is even more exciting!

References
DEVON BIODIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP (1988) The Nature of Devon: A Biodiversity Action Plan, Devon County Council.
DRANDAKI, I., DIAKANTONI, A., EDER, W., FERMELI, G., GALANAKIS, D., GONGGRIJP, G.P., HLAD, B., KOUTSOUVELI, A., MARTINI, G., PAGE, K.N. and PATZAK, M. (1999) GRECEL, Geological Heritage: Research in Environmental Education and Cooperation in European Level. In Towards the balanced management and conservation of the Geological Heritage in the new Millenium (eds D. BARETTINO, M. VALLEJO and E. GALLEGO), Sociedad Geológica de Espana, Madrid, pp. 324–9.
PAGE, K.N. and CHAMBERLAIN, P. (1999) GRECEL UK: The Devon County Council Educational Register of Geological Sites (SW England) - A new database for site-based educational programs. In : Towards the balanced management and conservation of the Geological Heritage in the new Millenium (eds D. BARETTINO, M. VALLEJO and E. GALLEGO), Sociedad Geológica de Espana, Madrid, pp. 335–8.
SARGEANT, P. (1998)Strategy for the Interpretation of Important Geological and Geomorphological sites in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, English Nature (unpublished report in 4 volumes).

		jh
		Education and interpretation
		jh
		The educational access register of geological sites in Devon, SW England Kevin Page Chairman, Devon RIGS Group c/o School of Earth, Ocean and Environmental Science University of Plymouth KevinP@bello-page.fsnet.co.uk http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/environment/natural_environment/ geology/ educational_register.htm

		Introduction South-west England, including the counties of Devon and Cornwall, with its rich and varied geological and geomorphological heritage offers excellent opportunities for interpretation and educational use. To date, however, the development of schemes has been somewhat haphazard and lacking in any strategic overview. To develop such a framework to help focus the work of English Nature and other organisations, increase public awareness, identify opportunities for educational use and, where appropriate, target resources for site management, the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Geological Interpretation Strategy was commissioned by English Nature (Sargeant, 1998). The final report included a detailed review of existing facilities, together with recommendations for future projects and suggested timetables. An accompanying three volume set provided an extremely valuable compilation of all available interpretative publications focussing on the geological heritage of the region and forms an important resource for future work. Implementation of the recommendations of the report commenced in 1998, with support being provided during 1998 for a number of interpretative and educational projects throughout the region. Most significantly, a contribution was provided to expand the embryonic County Geological Sites Educational Access Register to include Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The initial register formed Phase II of the Devon CGS selection program and aimed to identify those sites with a clear potential for educational use through the compilation and distribution of an educational access register. Included sites have safe, permitted access and exhibit features that can be readily linked to the teaching of geology, geography and science through the National Curriculum, or are particularly suitable for fieldwork and research purposes for higher education (Page and Chamberlain, 1999). Each site report included a location map, a brief description highlighting the main features of interest, photographs and diagrams as appropriate and suggested educational exercises. The register includes over 80 sites, including at least 45 SSSIs and nearly 40 CGSs, each with this full range of background information. Initially the Register was released through Devon County Council's educational intranet service, available to schools through out the county, and subsequently on the County Council's Web Site (http://www.devon-cc.gov.uk/geology). The register is also available as a CD ROM. Dissemination through the web site is most successful as it: Enables free and open access to the great majority of educational institutions and schools in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, through Internet connections. Allows links to be made with other regional, national and international geological and educational websites (including GRECEL). Can facilitate updating of site information including additions and deletions as necessitated (potentially including the incorporation of feedback from site users). Benefits for geoconservation Site selection and conservation projects have identified an Earth Heritage resource in Devon which is second to none in Britain. As well as encouraging the sustainable conservation of the full range of Earth Heritage sites and features in the county of scientific and educational importance, the Educational Register has helped develop this resource into a facility of primary importance for environmental education in England. The register and it's promotion of geological sites, and by inference Geoconservation, has the additional benefit of meeting some of the objectives of the Devon Biodiversity Action Plan which now guides local and national governmental and NGO policy and action for Nature Conservation in the County (Devon Biodiversity Partnership, 1998 – currently under revision). Significant geological content is present in the Action Plan in the sections on Caves, Karst and Mines, Sea Cliff and Slope and Pits, Quarries and Cuttings. The provision of interpretative and educational facilities is a key part of each of these action plans. Support for the production of the register also formed part of the UK's contribution to the European Community funded GRECEL project (Drandaki et al., 1999). Future development Devon RIGS Group and Devon County Council have discussed plans to produce a new version of the educational register, including enhancing National Curriculum related information and guidance and developing virtual excursions for school-level groups. The value of the existing register is clear, but the future is even more exciting! References DEVON BIODIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP (1988) The Nature of Devon: A Biodiversity Action Plan, Devon County Council. DRANDAKI, I., DIAKANTONI, A., EDER, W., FERMELI, G., GALANAKIS, D., GONGGRIJP, G.P., HLAD, B., KOUTSOUVELI, A., MARTINI, G., PAGE, K.N. and PATZAK, M. (1999) GRECEL, Geological Heritage: Research in Environmental Education and Cooperation in European Level. In Towards the balanced management and conservation of the Geological Heritage in the new Millenium (eds D. BARETTINO, M. VALLEJO and E. GALLEGO), Sociedad Geológica de Espana, Madrid, pp. 324–9. PAGE, K.N. and CHAMBERLAIN, P. (1999) GRECEL UK: The Devon County Council Educational Register of Geological Sites (SW England) - A new database for site-based educational programs. In : Towards the balanced management and conservation of the Geological Heritage in the new Millenium (eds D. BARETTINO, M. VALLEJO and E. GALLEGO), Sociedad Geológica de Espana, Madrid, pp. 335–8. SARGEANT, P. (1998)Strategy for the Interpretation of Important Geological and Geomorphological sites in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, English Nature (unpublished report in 4 volumes).
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