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Conserving Geodiversity Sites in a Changing Climate: Management Challenges and Responses

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Abstract

Climate change, and the human responses to it, represents a serious threat to the natural environment. While the impacts of climate change are now well recognised for biodiversity, little attention has been given to the effects on geodiversity and its conservation. Set in the context of current projections for climate change in the UK, this paper examines some of the likely impacts of climate change, and the human responses to it, on a wide range of geodiversity features and sites. It identifies the conservation management challenges that are likely to arise, proposes responses to these challenges and highlights areas where more evidence is required in order to inform the decision-making and management responses that will be needed. It suggests that all types of geodiversity site will be impacted to some extent by changes in active processes. Sites located on the coast, adjacent to rivers or on active slopes, and the associated geomorphological processes, are most likely to experience the greatest changes, particularly from sea-level rise, increased erosion or flooding. The human responses to these changes, in the form of ‘hard’ coastal protection or river and slope engineering are, however, likely to have the greatest impact on geodiversity. Whilst climate change will pose many challenges to the conservation of geodiversity, it will also generate new opportunities. Principles and guidance to facilitate the management of geodiversity in a changing climate are now required to inform wider adaptation strategies that address the needs of geodiversity alongside those of biodiversity and society more widely.

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Notes

  1. The seminar at the University of Chester, England, on 4 June 2009, was convened by the UK conservation agencies (the Countryside Council for Wales, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency) and the Geoconservation Commission of the Geological Society of London. Delegates included staff from government conservation agencies, the Geological Society of London, the British Geological Survey, the geological conservation voluntary sector, land managers, land owners and interested academics. The seminar explored the impacts of climate change, and the social responses to it, on geodiversity and its conservation, discussed the responses and adaptation strategies required to manage and conserve geodiversity in a changing climate and identified the evidence gaps that need to be filled in order to better understand the likely impacts of climate change.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Stewart Campbell (Countryside Council for Wales), Eleanor Brown, Naomi Stevenson, Alison Darlow, Julie Holloway and Anna Wetherell (Natural England), Neil Ellis (Joint Nature Conservation Committee), Ian Enlander (Northern Ireland Environment Agency) and Patricia Bruneau, Colin MacFadyen and Rachel Wignall (Scottish Natural Heritage) for contributing thinking that informed this paper. Eleanor Brown and Naomi Stevenson (Natural England) and the Centre for Science Communication, University of Chester, organised the seminar that led to this publication, and we are grateful to the participants for their contributions during the workshops. Michael Morecroft and Val Kirby (both of Natural England) read and helped to improve the manuscript. We also thank José Brilha and two anonymous referees for their constructive and supportive comments that have helped improve this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Natural England, Northminster House, Peterborough, PE11UA, England, UK

    Colin D. Prosser & David H. Evans

  2. Centre for Science Communication, Department of Biological Sciences, Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 4BJ, England, UK

    Cynthia V. Burek

  3. Scottish Natural Heritage, Silvan House, 231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, EH12 7AT, Scotland, UK

    John E. Gordon

  4. Scottish Natural Heritage, Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW, Scotland, UK

    Vanessa B. Kirkbride

  5. Scottish Natural Heritage, Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness, IV3 8NW, Scotland, UK

    Alistair F. Rennie

  6. Countryside Council for Wales, Maes-Y-Ffynnon, Penrhos Garnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales, UK

    Clive A. Walmsley

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  1. Colin D. Prosser
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Correspondence to Colin D. Prosser.

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Prosser, C.D., Burek, C.V., Evans, D.H. et al. Conserving Geodiversity Sites in a Changing Climate: Management Challenges and Responses. Geoheritage 2, 123–136 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-010-0016-7

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