Geoparks
A European Geopark is an area with a particular geological heritage and a sustainable development strategy supported by an European programme. It must have clearly defined boundaries and a sufficient areal extent to allow for true economic development. A European Geopark is an area with a special geological heritage. It must contain geological sites of special significance in terms of their scientific quality, rarity, aesthetic appeal or educational value. While the majority of heritage sites within the territory of a European Geopark must be geological, sites of archaeological, ecological, historical or cultural heritage should also be identified and promoted.

What is the European Geopark Network?
The network exists to provide for:
· exchange of knowledge and best practise among its members
· quality branding for sites of geological heritage across Europe
· and to work closely with local enterprises to promote and support the creation of new by-products aimed at promoting geological heritage and responsible economic development.

Following the signing of an agreement in April 2001, the network obtained a strong endorsement from UNESCO (Division of Earth Sciences), which represented a step along the road towards a UNESCO-supported Global Network of Geoparks (established in 2004).

Current members
To date (September 2009) there are 35 territories designated as European Geoparks spread across Europe. For more details about these Geoparks, please visit the European Geoparks Network website.

European Geoparks in Ireland
Ireland now has two UNESCO endorsed European & Global Geoparks - Marble Arch Caves, Co. Fermanagh & Co. Cavan and The Copper Coast, Co. Waterford. These are community driven, EU and Local Authority funded initiatives to both conserve and use the geological resources of a discrete area to develop sustainable tourism and community life. Whilst membership of the European & Global Geoparks Network is difficult to achieve, in a few selected areas, an application could be viable.

Geoparks Ireland Committee
The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) and the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSNI) wish to contribute to the future development of Geoparks as a major tourism resource in Ireland and Northern Ireland. To this end, they have jointly established the ‘Geoparks Ireland Committee’ as an all-island committee which will apply the highest standards of geoscience in assisting stakeholders to build the Geoparks brand throughout the island of Ireland. Committee Terms of Reference (PDF 19Kb)

Geoparks Ireland Forum
One of the Geoparks Ireland Committee actions was to set up a Geoparks Ireland Forum to inform and guide stakeholders and provide networking opportunities. Membership is open to any body or group, including both community based and local authority organizations, seeking to develop or already operating a Geopark, and whether or not it is already designated as a European and/or Global Geopark. Stakeholders are likely to include existing and prospective Geoparks, local authorities, the Heritage Council, the Environment and Heritage Service, Tourism Ireland Ltd., universities and regional and local tourism bodies.

Geoparks Ireland Forum - 1st meeting, 19th February 2008, GSI Dublin

All documents below are available for download as PDF files.

Agenda (26Kb)

Presentations:
    - Copper Coast (1.6Mb)
    - Marble Arch Caves (14.9Mb)
    - Burren - Cliffs of Moher (2.5Mb)
    - Cooley - Mourne - Gullion (4Mb)
    - Kerry community (1.3Mb), geology (2.3Mb)

Notes of the Discussion (23Kb)

Geoparks Ireland Forum - 2nd meeting, 28th October 2008, Marble Arch Caves, Co. Fermanagh

All documents below are available for download as PDF files.

Agenda (27Kb)

Presentations:
    - Marble Arch Caves (9.8Mb)
    - Copper Coast (2.3Mb)
    - Burren - Cliffs of Moher (3.2Mb)
    - Cooley - Mourne - Gullion (657Kb)
    - Kerry (no presentation available)

Geoparks Ireland Forum - 3rd meeting, 20th-21st October 2009, Ennistymon, Co. Clare

Agenda (99Kb)

Presentations:
    - Burren/Cliffs of Moher (5Mb)
    - The Joyce Country part 1(2.7Mb), part 2 (1.4Mb)
    - Mourne-Cooley-Gullion (no presentation available)
    - Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark (3.9Mb)
    - Copper Coast Global Geopark, an update (5.5Mb) and activities (2.8Mb)
    - UNESCO Global Network of National Geoparks (1Mb)

Notes of the discussion (129 Kb).


The next Geoparks Ireland Forum meeting will take place on the 26th and 27th October 2010 in the Joyce Country, Co. Mayo/Galway.

Details to be announced in Spring 2010.

Contact: if you are interested in joining the forum or attending the next meeting, please contact Sophie Préteseille, sophie.preteseille@gsi.ie, 01-678 2741.