Editorial First International Symposium on the done in this issue. Contents On our part, it was a moment of joy Welcome to issue 30 of Earth science Conservation ofour Geological Heritage and great discovery for the entire staff conservation and a new era in geological First International SynlposiUlD on the Conservation ofour of the General Secretariat when all the and geomorphological conservation ­ Geological Heritage Placed under UNESCO patronage, Netherlands, Morocco, Nigeria, names that had been listed on the both nationally and internationally. Articles by Guy Martini and Mick Stanley appraise this historic meeting 3 the First International Symposium on Norway, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, computer screens finally appeared in This year has seen the replacement of the Conservation of our Geological Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, person. the Nature Conservancy Council with Pwll Y Wrach Geology Trail Heritage took place in Digne, France, USSR, Wales and Yugoslavia. I would like to take advantage of three new country conservation - practical conservation by an amateur geology group 9 between 11 and 15 June 1991. The two articles that follow, the first these few lines to thank all the staff agencies in England, Scotland and More than 120 specialists from 30 by Guy Martini, General Secretary who enabled the Symposium to be a Wales. It has seen the widespread different nations 'were brought and architect of the Symposium, and success - Irene, Sylvie, Brigitte, Sylvie The French Jurassic connection 11 acceptance of Earth science conservation together to establish, for the first time, the second by Mick Stanley, Chainnan and Nathalie from the General in Great Britain - a strategy as a a world-wide review of the protection of the Geological Society Conservation Secretariat, our translators: Jillian, coherent vision and source of practical Quaternary/geomorphological conservation conference of geological and geomorphological Committee, give a flavour of this Lionel and Ronald, and the geologists guidance for the future. And it has - spring 1992 12 features. meeting - a meeting which was, from the Reserve: Jean-Simon, seen the meeting in France of 120 The countries represented at the without doubt, the most important Nadine, Joelle and Myette. specialists from 30 countries for the Forestry and the earth sciences Symposium included: Australia, and influential earth science How can I best assess this First International Symposium on the - an upland issue 13 Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, conservation event to ever have taken Symposium? Conservation of our Geological Columbia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, place, and which has provided a £inn Firstly, it was an enriching meeting foundation for international co­ Heritage. Key sites go to inquiry 15 England, Finland, France, Gennany, which took place very hannoniously. Earth science conservation is also Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, operation in the future.• It highlighted, in my view, the convergence of our ideas and our entering a new era. The magazine is Keeping back the waves l 7 now compiled by a new editorial team, actions, whatever our geographical, with each country agency having a geological or cultural specificity may representative on the editorial board ­ Changes in the planning system be. Matthew Bennett for English Nature, - new opportunities for earth science conservation 20 Besides the phenomenon of meeting Alan McKirdy for the Nature together, of the acknowledgement and Conservancy Council for Scotland and New Dlarine reptile find in the Oxford Clay 20 Guy Martini, Director, Reserve Environment rapidly endorsed the sharing of experiences, the great Stewart Campbell for the Countryside Geologique de Haute-Provence idea with financial support ($20,000) achievement of the Symposium was Council for Wales. I have replaced RIGS update 22 and General Secretary ofthe First followed by the Conseil Regional the drafting and adoption of our Des O'Halloran as managing editor. International Synlposium on the Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur 'International Declaration of the Rights of the Memory of the Earth'. The energy and commitment which Alien mineral specimens 23 Conservation ofour Geological ($20,000) and by the Conseil General Des devoted to the magazine are Heritage des Alpes de Haute-Provence, as well Some could be tempted to say, "yet mirrored in its recent evolution and as the city of Digne ($10,000). An another declaration serving no Site conservation at Clava SSSI success - his efforts are duly The idea of this Symposium took important J'!1vate... partner, . the purpose". But not in my view. And - a Pleistocene enigma resolved? 24 acknowledged. shape in the summer of 1990 in Lom, Electricity of France Foundation, many during the Symposium said the This and future issues of Earth Norway, at a meeting of the European wishing to participate as a sponsor of same. One of the greatest problems science conservation will incorporate Cave conservation moves forward 26 Working Group on Earth Science the Symposium, provided financial for the protection of our geological further changes recommended by our Conservation (EWGESC), which was support to the order of $20,000. heritage rests essentially on the readers in a recent questionnaire Mam Tor organised by our colleague Lars Finally, after several fruitful and difficulty of obtaining any acknowl­ survey. Whilst contir:m.ing a keen - road to nowhere 27 Erikstad of the Norwegian Institute amicable contacts with Dr Ischwaran edgement that it is a heritage at all. interest in earth science conservation, for Nature Research. It was the first and Dr Dudich from the Department How can one hope to protect something when the public, and the survey has provided us with New sites for old time that I had met this newly created of Earth Sciences at the United consequently the legislators, do not valuable information about the - new access details 27 group and it was a pleasure to Nations Educational, Scientific and professional backgrounds and discover a large number of colleagues Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), perceive its value and therefore the specialisms of our readership. This equally fascinated by their occupation this orgapisation agreed that the necessity for its protection? should allow us to cater more and ready to exchange their Symposium be placed under its This situation was acknowledged during the Symposium - our effectively for a wide ranging audience Earth science conservation is a twice yearly journal produced for the earth science experiences and reflections. patronage. geological heritage is all too often and ensure a broad, balanced content. conservation community by English Nature, the Nature Conservancy Council for At the end of this meeting, I had the The budget was established and the Specific areas of change will include: Scotland and the Countryside Council for Wales. We would like to thank all pleasure of proposing, and seeing funds raised, sufficient to provide considered as something belonging to scientists and a far cry from the daily those who have assisted with the preparation of the magazine. However, the accepted, that the next EWGESC financial assistance to a certain • more emphasis on strategic, opinions expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the above meeting be held in France; a meeting number of colleagues who, unable to worries of the public. technical and practical issues agencies. Contact addresses for the editorial board are as follows: that I wished to see associated with a " find the necessary funding within their Thus, to succeed in drawing up a larger, more international event which own organisations, were still able to text together that would fmally • greater readership involvement and Managing editor Mike Harley, English Nature, Northminster House, could - indeed why not - become the participate in the Symposium. present our geological heritage use of external contributors Peterborough PEl 1UA (Telephone 0733-340345). First International Symposium on the This was then followed by all the without one scientific word, and place Conservation of our Geological classic organisational work - circulars, it in a global report on Man and the • a simplified 'easy to read' fonnat. Editors Matthew Bennett (as above). Heritage. technical organisation and applications Earth, seems to me indispensable, Earth science conservation should not Alan McKirdy, Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland, Having accepted the idea, the to the French Embassies abroad. indeed of paramount importance. be seen as the 'twice yearly report' of Bonnington Bond, 2 Anderson Place, EWGESC agreed to co-produce the Needless to say, the entire period of And I think we did it. the country conservation agencies, but Edinburgh EH6 5NP (Telephone 031-554-9797). Symposium, the other co-producer preparation for the Symposium was a I shall not comment on this text. It as the organ of the earth science being the Conference Pennanente des genuine adventure for all the secretarial suffices to read it. I only hope that conservation community as a whole. Stewart Campbell, Countryside Council for Wales, Plas Reserves Naturelles (CPRN), the staff and myself, inspiring more and you will like it as much as I, and all Penrhos, Ffordd Penrhos, Bangor, Gwynedd It is the only magazine of its type, so French federative organisation more enthusiasm as it progressed. those who participated in writing it, LL57 2LQ (Telephone 0248-370444). may I close by making a request for grouping together all the national It is difficult to talk about the do. contributions - articles, news items or Cover photo: Haute-Provence Gorge in the Reserve Geologique de Haute­ natural reserves. Symposium itself and how it went. So what is our future? letters - from you, our readers. Its your Provence - a suitable backdrop to the First International Symposium on the Once the co-producers had been I think it is the participants As mentioned earlier, the future of magazine, after all! Conservation of our Geological Heritage held at Digne, France, in June. found, the necessary funds had to be themselves who should comment on our work must lead to the popular Mike Harley (Photo by Stewart Campbell) sought.