Digital Community Case Study as part of the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark COVID19 Transformation Plan November 2020 one of Earth’s extraordinary places Geopark In Focus As a key element of our COVID19 Transformation Plan, English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark has recorded a suite of online interviews with senior academics and other personalities with expertise in various fields relevant to the global importance of the Geopark. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of The patron of the Geopark, Professor Iain the Geopark’s educational, scientific and cultural Stewart MBE, kindly agreed to host the seven significance, with the aim to entertain and inform interviews that were recorded via zoom adult and student audiences, especially our through the COVID lockdown. The series will older, more at risk and isolated members of the be launched on UNESCO World Science Day community, improving their knowledge of the for Peace and Development on Tuesday 10th Geopark, and ultimately encouraging visits to key November 2020, with one episode released local sites as social movement restrictions allow. per week up until Christmas. ‘UNESCO Global Geoparks are quality destinations. In this series you will find out why Torbay is a successful UNESCO Global Geopark, learning some amazing facts about the area. Our Patron Prof Iain Stewart engages in discussion with some fascinating people, revealing how the combination of urban, coastal and natural environment characteristics make the place unique. Creative writers, performers and artists talk about the inspiration they find in the history and landscape and scientists explain why the rocks and fossils are so special, and how human cultures have been coming to the area for hundreds of thousands of years. Listening to the people who live, work and visit the Geopark, sharing their stories, you will discover 'These films are a wonderful way for why the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark really is one of the people to reconnect with the amazing World’s Extraordinary places.’ Nick Powe, Chair of the Geopark natural environment that surrounds us management organisation. down on the English Riviera coast - an environment that infuses our daily lives and enriches our economic, social and cultural well-being. They are full of brilliant stories - past, present and future - that speak to the vital modern importance of Torbay's ancient geological heritage.' Professor Iain Stewart, Patron of the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark Series produced by Launching the series PLAY The series will be launched on UNESCO World Science Day on Tuesday 10th November 2020 with the first episode, Fossils and Deep Time. Further episodes will then be released weekly up to Supported by 22nd December. The interviews are hosted on YouTube and on a podcasting platform. Promotional clips will be released on the Geopark social media channels to promote each episode and partners will be encouraged to share these links to help raise awareness of the series. A press release will be issued to support the launch and supporting pages have also been created on the Geopark website. 4 Podcasts versions are And distributed via 12 major podcast channels hosted on the Buzzsprout platform… THE EPISODES AND RELEASE DATES EPISODE FEATURING RELEASE DATE 1. FOSSILS AND DEEP In this first episode of Geopark In Focus, Prof. Iain Stewart talks with Mike Benton, Professor of Vertebrate PalaeontoloGy at University of TIME Bristol, and Dr Kevin PaGe, Geoscience and Geodiversity specialist and Honorary Associate at the University of Exeter. They take us on a journey 10/11/20 throuGh deep time from when the Geopark was bathed in tropical seas south of the equator hundreds of millions of years aGo, explaininG what the rocks can tell us about Earth’s history. 2. CAVES Why are the caves of The EnGlish Riviera so internationally important? Prof. Iain Stewart is joined by Nick Powe, whose family have run Kents Cavern for five Generations, Professor of BioloGy and Environmental Science Dr. Donald McFarlane of Claremont McKenna ColleGe California, 17/11/20 who has published studies on PenGelly and Kents Cavern, and cave conservationist Tara Beacroft, discussinG their shared passion for caves and how they help us to learn about Earth's heritaGe and the history of humanity. 3. EARLY HUMANS In this episode Prof. Iain Stewart unravels the story of human history and explores how the human story is fundamentally evidenced in the EnGlish Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark. He is Guided on this journey by leadinG experts in this field, Prof. Chris StrinGer, Research Leader in 24/11/20 Human Evolution at the Natural History Museum London, and Prof. Paul Pettitt who is Professor of Palaeolithic ArchaeoloGy at Durham University. 4. TODAY’S In this episode Prof. Iain Stewart explores how the extraordinary landscape and heritaGe of the Geopark area is inspiring creativity across a INSPIRATION wide ranGe of cultural practitioners includinG writers, poets, artists and composers. FeaturinG: Chrystine Jones, Geopark Ambassador Artist, HuGh Nankivell, Composer, sonGwriter and music leader who was Musical Director and Conductor for Earth Echoes, the openinG ceremony for 01/12/20 the 7th International Conference on Global Geoparks held in Torquay in 2016. Adam Neville, Author whose stories have been inspired by the local landscape and features. Becky Nuthall, Geopark Ambassador Artist, published poet and board member of Torbay Culture. Nathalie Palin, Creative Director for Torbay Culture’s Great Place Scheme 5. PAST CLIMATE AND This week Prof. Iain Stewart is joined by Dr Jenny Bennett, who chairs the GeoloGy section at the Devonshire Association, and Malcolm Hart, SEA LEVEL CHANGE Emeritus Professor at the University of Plymouth and Chair of the Geoscientific committee of the Geopark, to explore how past climate and 08/12/20 sea level chanGe has left its mark on the Geopark area, the causes of these chanGes and implications for the future. 6. WRITERS OF THE Prof. Iain Stewart and Guests discuss the lonG history of authors who have been inspired by the EnGlish Riviera, from Charles Darwin, Oscar RIVIERA Wilde, Dame AGatha Christie and many more riGht up to the writers of today. They explore how literature and culture can be used to improve wellbeinG and inclusion for members of the local community. FeaturinG: Heather Norman-Soderlind, who chairs the International AGatha 15/12/20 Christie Festival and Literature Works, Dr. Kevin Dixon, local historian and member of the Torbay Culture board and Matt Newbury, a manaGer at Torre Abbey and author of popular Wild SwimminG and walks books 7. MARINE LIFE OF In this final episode, Prof. Iain Stewart and Guests head around the coast and underwater to explore the internationally protected marine THE BAY environment of the Geopark. Here the GeoloGy has created a wealth of intricate coves, sea caves and quiet nooks and crannies for a huGe diversity of life to thrive both above and below water from Gannets to Guillemots, seaGrass to seahorses and seals to whales! The Group also discuss how the community of the area recoGnise the incredible importance of this rich resource and how they come toGether to help care for 22/12/20 it. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT A Tranformation Plan for English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark The English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark is working to to support “As we come out of lockdown, many of the recovery in the local community from the unprecedented social and economic impacts of the COVID19 pandemic. As meta-level partnership Geopark partner organisations are looking to organisations, Geoparks are in a unique position to reengage local reopen safely. The Geopark Recovery Plan people with the Geopark sites and businesses, at the right time and in has been designed to assist in this effort. It the safest way possible. Our core priorities at this time are: will provide local people an opportunity to rediscover and enjoy the heritage and natural environment on our own doorstep, whether Creating new online education resources including video interviews, podcasts, and learning modules for children, families, students, and the coastline, beaches, the rural and urban older people with an interest in the science of the Geopark. areas, the caves and heritage hotspots across the Geopark, either by getting out and about or from home. Ensuring you feel safe Supporting our local communities reconnect with our partner and exploring the Geopark again is a key strand in associate organisations, especially those more vulnerable individuals who have been shielding in isolation due to their higher risk factors. the project.” Nick Powe Coordinating and communicating to the wider community our partner Chairman plans as they gradually ease restrictions at their organisations and businesses. Helping our tourism partners to reengage with the local community, to encourage shorter, safer and more sustainable journeys in the first instance before encouraging visitors from further afield. 9 Proposed Actions 1. Social Media A public engagement programme based on Ramping up social media ativity, building on existing social media support from the new content created from partner imagery, Communications team at Torbay Council by curating imagery, video clips, interesting facts interesting facts and video. from Geopark partner organisations and promoting these initially to a local audience. Working with local and national economic, tourism and culture partners to then broaden our reach to a national audience. 2. Geopark In Focus Online interviews exploring key Interviewing interesting people with a connection to the Geopark, be they academics with a aspects of the English Riviera specialist area or other personalities, to create a suite of viewable clips and podcasts that will appeal to an adult or student audience who want to improve their knowledge of the science, UNESCO Global Geopark culture and heritage of the area. And seeking funding for… 3. Online Activity and Learning Hub Targeted at the young person or family unit.