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America Geoheritage II – Webinar Series Autumn 2020

Geoheritage sites are conserved so that their lessons and beauty will remain as a legacy for future generations (US NPS)

it is also vandalism wantonly to destroy or to permit the destruction of what is beautiful in nature, whether it be a cliff …  Theodore Roosevelt

There is a groundswell of interest in the U.S. regarding ‘Geoheritage’, America’s natural geologic legacy. According to the U.S. National Park Service, ‘Geologic Heritage encompasses the significant geologic features, landforms, and landscapes … preserved for the full range of values that society places on them, including scientific, aesthetic, cultural, ecosystem, educational, recreational, tourism, and other values.’

Springboarding off growing interest in the Geoheritage concept, the U.S. National Committee for the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is presenting “America’s Geoheritage II: Identifying, Developing, and Preserving America's Natural Legacy Distinguished Speaker Webinar Series” throughout fall 2020. The kickoff event is Tues., 8 Sept. at 11:00 a.m. (EDT) with keynote speakers Tim Badman (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and Patty Limerick (University of Colorado, Boulder).

Presentations will revolve around the rationale and concepts of the Geoheritage initiative, and the contributions of stakeholders from the geosciences community. The webinar series is free and open to everyone. The program subtext is to promote research, education, public outreach, community planning, and geotourism.

Importantly, these presentations set the stage for a virtual writing workshop to be convened the week of January 10, 2021 to explore opportunities to develop and promote Geoheritage sites in the U.S. The timing is fortuitous for those of us in southern Arizona, as it follows on the heels of the Dec. 2018 designation of the Santa Cruz River Valley and surrounding mountain ranges as America’s latest National Heritage site.
 
For webinar dates, topics, and speakers and to register, please visit  https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/americas-geoheritage-ii-a-workshop .
 
Some prominent Geoheritage-related program websites:

Posted 8/30/2020 (fmc)

Geoheritage II