LGAPs

Action Plans are a common mechanism within the business and biodiversity communities for effecting actions to achieve stated aims. They provide a focus on actions that matter, enable every issue to be addressed without duplication and allow progress to be monitored. The 'Action Plan' process defines long-term objectives and short-term targets and identifies human and financial resources necessary to achieve these.

Local Geodiversity Action Plans (LGAPs) set out actions to conserve and enhance the geodiversity (the variety of rocks, fossils, minerals, landforms and soils) of a particular area. A geodiversity action plan builds upon an audit and/or inventory to determine management requirements for the different geodiversity elements. LGAPs have adopted a process of setting clear aims and objectives, with measurable targets, for local geoconservation. This approach provides a structured approach to local geoconservation delivery and aims to raise awareness of geological sites and geoconservation.

Since the first LGAPs were piloted in Cheshire and Warwickshire in 1994, at least 28 have now been created, focusing upon county or other administrative areas, and the number is continuing to increase. Company Geodiversity Action Plans (CGAPs) are also being developed for company land-holdings, with the initial focus on the minerals extraction industry.

At present, there are also plans to create a UKGAP, and a consultation process has recently been completed. For more information click here:

Geodiversity management homepage

Fossil and mineral collecting

Local Geodiversity Action Plans (LGAPs)

Promoting geodiversity

Site management

Other techniques