Magazine of the Geologists' Association
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MAGAZINEMAGAZINE OFOF THETHE GEOLOGISTS’GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIAASSOCIATIONTION Volume 10 No. 2 June 2011 Future Lectures Awards 2011 Presidential Address April/March Lecture Annual Dinner Palaeontolgy in the Digital Age CIRCULAR ‘That’s Big’ Festival of Geology- from the floor Musings of a GA Treasurer Rockwatch News Charnwood Forest - a complete set Book Reviews GEOCONSERVATION MEETING UPDATE Magazine of the Geologists’ Association From the President Volume 10 No. 2, 2011 The harsh days of winter are behind us and we are now enjoying a warm and Published by the early spring (at least in most places), too dry for many farmers and gardeners, Geologists’ Association. although (along with our Durham CONTENTS Physical Geography 2nd Year students) I Four issues per year. received a thorough soaking on Skye at ISSN 1476-7600 3. The Association the beginning of April. Now I am looking forward to the weekend GA excursion Production team: JOHN CROCKER, 4. Future Lectures 5. Awards 2011 'Pre-Anglian Quaternary drainage in the Paula Carey, John Cosgrove, English Midlands' in June (see page 14), Vanessa Harley, Jon Trevelyan, 6. Presidential Address which will be a break from the examina- Chris Woolston 7. April Lecture tion process at the University. 8. March Lecture Organization of the September meeting 9. Annual Dinner in Worcester on 'Geoconservation for sci- Printed by City Print, Milton Keynes ence and society: an agenda for the 21st 10. AGS at 45/Book Review Century' continues apace, and I draw The GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION 11. Palaeontolgy in the Digital Age your attention to details on the back 13. Obituary - Paul Clasby page. In connection with this, a view- does not accept any responsibility for point paper has been published in the views and opinions expressed by indi- 14. CIRCULAR 18 ‘That’s Big’ PGA online (Prosser et al.) and will vidual authors in this magazine. appear in the printed version this sum- 19. Festival of Geology- from the mer, in time for the meeting. Also in con- floor nection with Geoconservation, I attended The Geologists’ 20. Musings of a GA Treasurer an Editorial Board of Earth Heritage, in Association 21. Rockwatch News Ludlow, on March 23rd, to discuss possi- bilities for GA involvement in the produc- The Association, founded in 1858, exists to 22. Charnwood Forest - tion and distribution of that specialist foster the progress and diffusion of the sci- a complete set publication, funding for which has previ- ence of geology, and to encourage 23. Book Review ously come from the Government agen- research and the development of new Back Cover. GEOCONSERVATION cies (Natural England, Scottish Natural methods. It holds meetings for the reading MEETING UPDATE Heritage, Countryside Council for Wales of papers and the delivery of lectures, and the Joint Nature Conservation organises museum demonstrations, pub- Committee) but is now (unsurprisingly) lishes Proceedings and Guides, and con- much reduced. With reduced resources it looks set to continue as an online publi- ducts field meetings. cation in future (with even that in jeop- Annual Subscriptions for 2011 are £40.00, ardy beyond a year or so), although with Associates £30.00, Joint Members £58.00, © The Geologists’ Association. GA involvement a renewed 'as-required' Students £18.00. All rights reserved. No part of this publi- print run might be possible, by subscrip- For forms of Proposal for Membership and cation may be reproduced, stored in a tion. A proposal will come before the GA further information, apply to the Executive retrieval system or transmitted, in any Publications Committee shortly but, Secretary, The Geologists’ Association, form or by any means, without the prior meanwhile, I would welcome views from Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J permission in writing of the author and the members who are familiar with Earth 0DU. Geologists’ Association. Heritage; for example, would they wel- E-mail [email protected] come this as part of a GA package and what do they think about online (down- Telephone 020 7434 9298 LAST Copy dates for the Circular & loadable pdf) versus printed copy? Fax 020 7287 0280 Magazine Also in connection with Geoconservation Website: http://www.geologistsassocia- March Issue January 14 matters, my attention has been drawn to tion.org.uk June Issue April 22 the cessation of the Aggregates Levy September Issue July 22 Sustainability Fund (ALSF) at the end of President: David Bridgland December Issue October 21 the last financial year. That fund, admin- istered through Natural England and Executive Secretary: Sarah Items should be submitted as soon as English Heritage, provided a resource for Stafford possible and not targeted on these some extremely valuable geological dates. We welcome contributions from research and for Geodiversity schemes of all sorts. Its demise, it would seem, is an Members and others. example of the reduction of resources available to the volunteer community that seems destined to undermine the Prime Minister's 'Big Society' initiative. We might hope that the Heritage Lottery Curry Fund Dates for 2011 Fund will step into the breach; with that Cover picture: in mind, I completed an online consulta- A computer reconstruction of Applications to Committee tion questionnaire concerning future HLF to be received by Date strategy for 2013-2019 on behalf of the the trigonotarbid Eophrymus GA, taking what limited opportunity it prestvicii Fossil 30 mm in February 20 March 11 offered to emphasize the needs, post- ALSF, of the Earth science conservation May 20 June 10 length. See article on page 11 community, particularly in the light of August 20 September 16 cuts to Government Agency resources. November 20 December 9 For more on all this you will need to come to Worcester in September! Finally I would like to thank all those 2 GA Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 10, No. 2, 2011 THE ASSOCIATION at Great Malvern on 17th -19th June Museums requested £2,216.14 but was who came to the AGM at the beginning of where the Hereford & Worcester Earth awarded £951.50 towards the cost of May. It was a very pleasant evening dur- Heritage Trust, Gloucester materials and equipment for its Regional ing which it was my great pleasure to Geoconservation Trust, the Woolhope Geology Stewardship Project. This proj- present the Foulerton Award to Sarah Club, the Black Country GS and the ect is to aid the public understanding of Stafford, in recognition of her 25 years of newly formed Teme Valley GS will all be geology through visits to museums and service to the GA, the Halstead Medal working together under the GA's banner. assisting in the curation of the Museum's to Bob Markham, for his outstanding con- Dr. Colin Prosser has agreed to become geological materials. Similarly, tribution to East Anglian geology and Crag the chair of the Publications committee. Oxfordshire Geology Trust requested palaeontology, and the Ivor Tupper Award He is also our contact on Geology Today. £1,502 for a series of promotional mate- (for most promising geology student(for It was suggested that Field Guides rials. It was awarded £330 towards the most promising geology student) to Hong should be launched with an associated cost of printing new promotional leaflets. Chin Ng, who is at Bristol University. It field trip. The application from James Talbot for was also an opportunity to thank retiring Susan Brown reported that the organ- £4,155 for publication of the GA Field Council members, in particular Danielle isation for the Festival of Geology is Guide - Roadside Geology of Wales - was Schreve, at the end of her four years on going well with three speakers lined up referred to the GA Council for support. Council, during the middle part of which and the field trips organised. The application from NEWRIGS for geo- she proved to be an excellent President Professor Danielle Schreve has agreed logical trail leaflets was awarded and a very hard act to follow! John to take over the administration of the £735.50. Crocker, too, is standing down from awards and a clarification of the process An application from a University Council after 12 years as General has been agreed. She is standing down requesting £5,020 towards the cost of a Secretary, although happily he will contin- from Council after her terms as President research project was refused as it fell ue to edit this magazine.. and Senior Vice President, for which the outside our remit. Hampshire County President expressed thanks on behalf of Museums - Gosport Discovery Centre - David Bridgland Council. requested £1,452 for a mammoth inter- This was Dr John Crocker's last meet- active exhibit. The Committee was mind- Report from Council ing as General Secretary and the ful to consider some support, but President proposed a vote of thanks for requested more details before making a all John's work over the last twelve final decision. Supplementary informa- Since there is no Council in April, this years. John will stay on the Publications tion was also requested from Charmouth report is for the March and May meet- Committee as he will continue as Heritage Coast Centre about its applica- ings. Magazine Editor. tion requesting £1,550 towards the cost The President reported that the GA is The President thanked the other retir- of a project for the public about the fulfilling its obligation to GA members ing members of the Council, Mr Richard Charmouth Dinosaur. Once this informa- outside London by holding a two-day Bateman, Mr Peter Riches and Dr Wendy tion has been received the Committee meeting in September (sponsored by Kirk. will be able to make a decision. Elsevier) on Geoconservation in The President welcomed Mrs Diana There was one outstanding application Worcester (see back page for details).