Geosites

Organisations choose geological sites or geosites for different purposes, but mainly for their scientific and research value.

Internationally protected sites

Some geological sites are World Heritage Sites, others may become European Geosites. Wales doesn’t have any internationally protected geosites, although there are many strong contenders. Scientists throughout the world use some Welsh sites as ‘yardsticks’ or reference sites.

Nationally protected sites

These are the very best sites in Britain for geological and geomorphological research. The UK has around 4,000 sites, with about 450 of these in Wales.

The Geological Conservation Review (GCR) selects these sites at the national Great Britain level using geological experts from all over the country.

It’s the responsibility of CCW to designate GCR sites in Wales as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and to notify landowners and local planning authorities of the presence of such sites on their land. Geological SSSIs are legally protected like their biological counterparts, and some are incorporated within National Nature Reserves (NNR).

Local and regional sites

RIGS (Regionally Important Geodiversity Sites) groups mainly choose these sites. In Wales, there are three RIGS groups. They select sites for historical, educational and aesthetic reasons in addition to scientific qualities.

RIGS represent the distinctiveness and character of local/regional geodiversity. Unlike SSSIs, they are not legally protected, although most planning authorities are starting to take RIGS into account in the planning process.