English Riviera Geopark

The English Riviera Geopark (ERG) in Torbay is one of eight Geoparks in the United Kingdom, and one of fifty-three worldwide. It is the only urban Geopark, [Joint, Laura. (17 September 2007) BBC " [http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2007/09/17/torbay_geopark_status_feature.shtml Global status for Torbay.] " (writing, "Torbay is the only urban area in the world to have the status.") Retrieved 6 July 2008.] and was declared a Geopark on 16 September 2007. [ [http://www.englishriviera.co.uk/site/media/press-releases/english-riviera-geopark-status English Riviera Geopark Status] (retrieved 6 July 2008)] The Geopark covers 6,200 hectares of land and 4,100 hectares of sea bed. [ [http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:hs8kP7WiOMsJ:www.naturalengland.org.uk/sone/docs/SoNE-Section2.4.pdf+english+riviera+geopark&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=61&gl=uk&client=firefox-a State of the Natural Environment] (page 29, table 2.4) (retrieved 6 July 2008)]

Geopark status was granted to Torbay on the grounds that the area has a varied geology covering several geological periods, which are exposed to the surface in many areas, and also that Torbay Council and other bodies have worked to promote the area's distinctive geology to the community via education. ["Central to receiving the status" in [http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2007/09/17/torbay_geopark_status_feature.shtml "Global status for Torbay"] (retrieved 6 July 2008)] ]

elected sites

Many places in Torbay are part of the Geopark. Babbacombe cliffs has upside down layering of slates and limestone formed during the Variscan orogeny. Permian red breccia is also visible there. Berry Head to Sharkham Point has exposed marine cave systems. Black Head to Anstey's Cove has Torbay's largest outcrop of igneous rock. Crystal Cove has a 25 metre wide zone of calcite. Kents Cavern and Brixham Cavern contained fossils of the Woolly Rhinoceros and Cave Lion. Dyers Quarry is rich in coral fossilised in its growing position, as well as Late Eifelian limestone. Hollicombe Head to Corbyn Head have features of alluvial fan conglomerate deposits and seasonal river sandstones, both Permian in origin. Hopes Nose features gold and palladium mineral deposits left by hydrothermal fluids, and the area is also important for the study of Quaternary stratigraphy and sea level change. Long Quarry features evidence of the development, formation and growth of a stromatoporoid reef. Lummaton Quarry's shell deposits led to the naming of the Devonian period. Saltern Cove is a regionally important unconformity and Site of Special Scientific Interest. [ [http://www.englishrivierageopark.org.uk/gsites.html "Geosites within Torbay" (retrieved 6 July 2008)] ]

ee also

*International Network of Geoparks
*List of Geoparks

References

External links

* [http://www.englishrivierageopark.org.uk/index.html Official website]
* [http://www.europeangeoparks.org/isite/page/120,1,0.asp?mu=1&cmu=6&thID=0 europeangeoparks.org page on the ERG]