Herefordshire & Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust

Herefordshire & Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust is part of the nationwide Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS) programme established by the Nature Conservancy Council (now Natural England). The Trust exists to identify and survey geological and geomorphological sites in the two counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire and to promote the establishment and protection of RIGS by creating and maintaining a sites database and by close liaison with the local planning authorities, wildlife trusts, natural history societies, schools and colleges, industry, landowners and those who are interested in Earth science.

The work of the Trust varies from the research, survey and designation of RIGS, to promoting public awareness of Earth Heritage through Rock and Fossil roadshows (an established major initiative developed with a Heritage Lottery Fund grant in 2003) and carrying out practical site conservation. The Trust also works closely with allied disciplines, county and district councils, and natural science and heritage organisations. This includes participating in strategic partnerships such as the West Midlands Geodiversity Partnership and the Abberley & Malvern Hills Geopark (of which the Trust is a founding partner and the current Secretariat). The Trust has also recently begun implementing Local Geodiversity Action Plans in both counties.

One, of the biggest tasks undertaken by the Trust is to raise awareness of what Earth Heritage is and why geology is important. This is achieved by various means including publishing an award winning series of 27 trail guides and information leaflets, holding annual open days at The Geological Records Centre, organising Fun Days for schools and families and involvement in many other community activities.

The GRC now contains an extensive archive of information in a variety of forms on the geology and landscape of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The aim for the GRC is to house as complete a record as is possible for the two counties and to make this information available to all interested parties.

External links

* [http://www.earthheritagetrust.org Herefordshire & Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust]