Overall aim of the study
The purpose of this project is to carry out a comprehensive study which will make a thorough assessment of all the key issues relating to the designation of part of the Isle of Wight coastline as either a ‘World Heritage Site’ or as a ‘GeoPark’ taking account of the outstanding geology, geomorphology and coastal scenery of much of the Isle of Wight’s coastline. The scope of the project will cover part of the north-west coast from Newtown to the Needles, the whole of the south-west coast and part of the Undercliff. One of the issues that will be assessed as part of the study will be precisely the extent of the coastline that could be designated and the relative merits of each coastal frontage in terms of a designation. Both designations carry considerable status and have proved elsewhere to have had extremely beneficial consequences for the areas concerned in terms of assisting rural economies, rural tourism, education and quality of life for those living along the coastal frontages. The aims and objectives of the project according with both the aspirations of the Isle of Wight Council as set out in its ‘Aim High’ policy document (August, 2005) which highlights the need to both protect and enhance the environment as well as the draft objectives of the Local Area Agreement for the Island which was submitted to GOSE on 30 September 2005.

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Description of the study
The proposal for a designation for part of the Isle of Wight coast follows on from the designation of the adjacent ‘Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site’ of East Devon and Dorset, which was of course linked to the Isle of Wight, in geological time, by the ‘Wight-Purbeck Ridge’ which extended from The Needles across Christchurch Bay to the Isle of Purbeck.

The West Wight coastline of the Isle of Wight meets many of the criteria for designation on account of its geology and geomorphology. The rocks exposed along this coastline are some of the most complete of their type in the world and have been described by a succession of eminent scientists and authors since the 18th Century. The landforms include textbook examples of geographical features, including the vertical coloured sands of Alum Bay, the Needles Rocks, the Chalk sea cliffs and submarine caves of the Freshwater cliffline, the open coast, reefs and chines of the south-west coast of the Island and the Isle of Wight Undercliff landslide complex the largest of its kind in north-western Europe.

The geology is complimentary to that of the Jurassic coast of Devon and Dorset but the sequences in the Isle of Wight are more recent and complete as one rises through the stratigraphical column. In addition the Island’s geology includes the Tertiary rocks which are also the most complete sequences in the world. A unique feature also of the rocks of the Island’s north-west coast are the presence of the remains of prehistoric mammals and a wealth of remains of insect species. The Isle of Wight coast has recently been classified (by National Geographic) as one of the seven most important sites for dinosaur remains in the world, and the most important site in Europe. Taking account of the fact that the Isle of Wight’s coastline is one of the most designated in Europe for its environment and landscape it is believed that the proposals would meet fully the requirements of an international designation.

A proposed designation will involve a participatory process in developing and scoping the proposals which will include the three target groups (women, young people and low-income groups). This will be achieved through consultation and feedback through a travelling exhibition which will consult local stakeholders and residents along the whole of the coastal frontage of up to 60km. The process for consultation and study development will first involve the establishment of a steering committee involving those organisations with a related statutory consultative role (eg. English Nature) as well as key officers from Council departments (eg. coastal management, geology, planning, AONB and tourism) as set out in fig A.

At least two consultative exhibitions will be held within the proposed designation area to which major landowners and representatives of all other related interest groups will be invited. This will provide the opportunity for direct discussions between individuals and the project team thereby providing the opportunity to highlight issues or raise any concerns. This process will be repeated when the draft final report and recommendations have been formulated.

The proposal will, therefore, provide opportunities for involvement of young people through their schools as well as direct consultation and feedback on social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits, and any concerns, relating to a possible designation. The project team regard the participatory process as fundamental to the successful development of this proposal. The IWCCE Coastal Education Officer will prepare three levels of fact sheet in liaison with our teachers network which will provide the opportunity for feedback from the key stage level. We anticipate that there will be very strong interest in this topic at both GCSE and A-level as aproject study theme. An educational course will be arranged by the Coastal Education Officer and will be offered as an option to schools when they visit the IW Coastal Visitors' Centre (taking account of the fact that every Island school visits the Centre each year). Feedback from schools will be collated and incorporated in the final report including conclusions and recommendations. It is anticipated that all schools within the study area will be involved within this process together with some schools outside the study area.

The designations under consideration can be described briefly as follows:

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GEOPARKS - A NEW INITIATIVE
In response to the perceived need for an international initiative for the recognition of sites and terrains specifically of earth science interest, UNESCO plans to launch the International Network of Geoparks programme.  This programme has the dual objective of enhancing the value of sites which act as key witnesses to the Earth's history whilst creating employment and promoting regional economic development.  A new internationally recognized label 'UNESCO Geopark', destined to become synonymous to environmental protection and development, will be awarded each year to some twenty territories which merit this distinction distributed all over the world.  Eventually, up to 500 Geoparks will eventually be recognized worldwide.

The Division of Earth Sciences of UNESCO, after working with the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and governmental institutions, has taken the initiative to put together and coordinate national and international efforts which deal with geoconservation, 'geotopes', 'geosites' or general geological heritage.  The resulting Geopark Programme will operate in synergy with UNESCO's World Heritage Centre and Man and the Biosphere (MAB) World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

WHAT IS A GEOPARK?

A UNESCO Geopark is a territory encompassing one or more sites of scientific importance, not only for geological reasons but also by virtue of its archaeological, ecological or cultural value;
•  Will have a management plan designed to foster socio-economic development that is sustainable (most likely to be based on geotourism);
•  Will demonstrate methods for conserving and enhancing geological heritage and provide means for teaching geoscientific disciplines and broader environmental issues;
•  Will be proposed by public authorities, local communities and private interests acting together;
•  Will be part of a global network which will demonstrate and share best practices with respect to Earth heritage conservation and its integration into sustainable development strategies.

ADVANTAGES OF A GEOPARK

Geoparks will be territories wherein the geological heritage of the Earth is safeguarded and sustainably managed.  It should also be recognize that success can only be achieved through strong local involvement.  Geopark nominations must therefore come from local communities and local authorities with a strong commitment to develop and implement a management plan which meets the economic needs of the local population whilst protecting the landscape in which they live.  This novel initiative, which draws on four billion years of geological history in preparation for tomorrow, is an excellent means of gaining international recognition for locally or regionally important geological sites.

European Geoparks Network

What is a European Geopark?

A territory ... A European Geopark is a territory, which includes a particular geological heritage and a sustainable territorial development strategy supported by a European program to promote development. It must have clearly defined boundaries and sufficient surface area for true territorial economic development

… with a great geological heritage A European Geopark must comprise a certain number of geological sites of particular importance in terms of their scientific quality, rarity, aesthetic appeal or educational value. The majority of sites present on the territory of a European Geopark must be part of the geological heritage, but their interest may also be archaeological, ecological, historical or cultural.

A territory developing the «Geotourism »... A European Geopark has an active role in the economic development of its territory through enhancement of a general image linked to the geological heritage and the development of Geotourism

…in cooperation with its inhabitants A European Geopark has direct impact on the territory by influencing its inhabitants' living conditions and environment. The objective is to enable the inhabitants to reappropriate the values of the territory's heritage and actively participate in the territory's cultural revitalization as a whole.

An experimental territory … A European Geopark develops, experiments with and enhances methods for preserving the geological heritage

…inside a thematic network A European Geopark must work within the European Geopark Network to further the network's development and cohesion. It must work with local enterprises to promote and support the creation of new by-products linked with the geological heritage in a complimentary spirit with the other European Geoparks Network members

How to become a member of the Network:

Submit an application dossier.

This application dossier must include precise information on the following points :

•  Identification of the Geopark

•  Sign description

•  Arguments justifying nomination as a European Geopark

•  Overall economic situation of the zone

•  Sustainable development policy instituted and importance of geotourism in this context

•  Official application for nomination signed by the competent authority

The Network of European Geoparks

The European Geoparks Network was established in June 2000 by four Geoparks:

•  Reserve Geologique de Haute-Provence - France

•  Natural History Museum of Lesvos Petrified Forest ( Island of Lesvos ) Greece

•  Geopark Gerolstein/Vulkaneifel, Germany and

•  Maestrazgo Cultural Park - Spain

At present, the Network comprises of 25 Geoparks from 10 European Countries.

The main objective of the cooperation between Geoparks is the protection of geological heritage and the promotion of sustainable development of their territories in Europe .
The above listed Geoparks signed a convention on Lesvos Island , Greece in June 2000 declaring the creation of the European Geoparks Network. The purpose of this general designation was to share information and expertises, as well as definition of common tools. 

The Network owns the "European Geopark" trademark registered within all countries in the European Community.

In April 2001 the Network signed with UNESCO (Division of Earth Sciences) an official agreement of collaboration placing the Network under the auspices of the organization.

In October 2005 the Network in the frame of the existing agreement of collaboration  with UNESCO (Division of Earth Sciences) signed an official declaration (Madonie declaration) according to which the EGN is recognized as the official branch of the UNESCO - Global Geoparks Network in Europe. With this declaration UNESCO recognize that the European geoparks Network is a reference to follow for the creation of  similar Continental Networks of Geoparks worldwide.

The main targets of E.G.N. is to promote sustainable territorial development based on protected sites, areas and landscapes of geological heritage and to construct a strong European structure able to support individual members in their activities, encourage the creation of new Geoparks in Europe. In this way geotourism on a European scale is developed.

How can I benefit from my membership in the Network?

Members can use the "European Geopark" label as a quality label. Members can benefit from the common promotional tools (website, brochure...) and have a forum to find new partners for international cooperation and for funding on European programs. Exchange experiences and techniques.

The work of the network is financed mainly by E.U. Initiatives (LEADER, INTERREG) and other E.U. programmes as well as by Members contribution (partly).  

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Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage.

What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage , adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

UNESCO's World Heritage mission is to:

•  encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage;

•  encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List;

•  encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites;

•  help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training;

•  provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger;

•  support States Parties' public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation;

•  encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage;

•  encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world's cultural and natural heritage.

Nomination process
Only countries that have signed the World Heritage Convention, pledging to protect their natural and cultural heritage, can submit nomination proposals for properties on their territory to be considered for inclusion in UNESCO's World Heritage List.

1 - Tentative List
The first step a country must take is to make an ‘inventory' of its important natural and cultural heritage sites located within its boundaries. This ‘inventory' is known as the Tentative List, and provides a forecast of the properties that a State Party may decide to submit for inscription in the next five to ten years and which may be updated at any time. It is an important step since the World Heritage Committee cannot consider a nomination for inscription on the World Heritage List unless the property has already been included on the State Party's Tentative List.

2 - The Nomination File
By preparing a Tentative List and selecting sites from it, a State Party can plan when to present a nomination file. The World Heritage Centre offers advice and assistance to the State Party in preparing this file, which needs to be as exhaustive as possible, making sure the necessary documentation and maps are included. The nomination is submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review and to check it is complete. Once a nomination file is complete the World Heritage Centre sends it to the appropriate Advisory Bodies for evaluation.

3 - The Advisory Bodies
A nominated property is independently evaluated by two Advisory Bodies mandated by the World Heritage Convention: the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN), which respectively provide the World Heritage Committee with evaluations of the cultural and natural sites nominated. The third Advisory Body is the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), an intergovernmental organization which provides the Committee with expert advice on conservation of cultural sites, as well as on training activities.

4 - The World Heritage Committee
Once a site has been nominated and evaluated, it is up to the intergovernmental World Heritage Committee to make the final decision on its inscription. Once a year, the Committee meets to decide which sites will be inscribed on the World Heritage List. It can also defer its decision and request further information on sites from the States Parties.

5 - The Criteria for Selection
To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. These criteria are explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention which, besides the text of the Convention, is the main working tool on World Heritage. The criteria are regularly revised by the Committee to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself.

Until the end of 2004, World Heritage sites were selected on the basis of six cultural and four natural criteria. With the adoption of the revised Operational Guidelines , only one set of ten criteria exists.

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The need for a designation

The demand for more information and greater interest in this particular field is demonstrated by the number of enquiries, school and university visits generated by the Isle of Wight Coastal Visitors' Centre in relation to coastal environment-related topics. For example, the IWCCE’s website ‘coastalwight’ has seen an increase of 300% in two years to its current level of 44,000 visits per annum. School groups, numerous professionals, universities and researchers continue to visit the Isle of Wight coast, in increasing numbers particularly taking account of the displays and information made available through the Coastal Visitors' Centre as well as through the excellent resources provided by the Dinosaur Museum. The aim of this project will be to encourage much greater geological and environmental tourism around the Island’s coast assisting increased occupation of hotels, guesthouses, bed and breakfast and self-catering businesses within the designated area. The aim will be to encourage balanced and sustainable environment tourism which can be enjoyed equally well in the shoulder and winter months.

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How the study complements Isle of Wight Council objectives
The proposal of designating part of the Island’s coastline for the quality of its geology and geomorphology accords with a wide range of Council strategic objectives and policies. Most widely in terms of coastal management the Council’s objective is to preserve and enhance the quality of the coastal environment in its widest sense for the enjoyment of present and future generations in line with the principles of sustainable development. This philosophy is implemented through a number of aspects of the Council’s works including:

• Tourism: Much of the Island’s appeal lies in its coastline and coastal scenery and its wider rural unspoilt environment, which makes a lasting impression on visitors and is much loved by local residents. 50% of the Island is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and there are 43.5km of Heritage Coast. There is also an extensive network of bridleways, footpaths and green lanes which allow exploration of the coastal zone. The encouragement of rural and coastal tourism is something which the Island continues to develop and which is an essential component of the Council’s Unitary Development Plan and the new ‘Island Plan’. The development of this project will assist in fulfilling a number of key objectives of the Council’s Tourism Strategy including promotion of rural tourism and the extension of the tourism season whilst minimising any detrimental or adverse impacts.

• Economic Regeneration: This study is in line with the recommendations of the Island Futures Executive which has recently approved the Outcomes Framework for the Local Area Agreement (LAA).
Specifically this proposes:
- To promote the development of diverse, inclusive, sustainable and active Island communities where everyone is empowered, valued and respected, and
- To protect and enhance the natural environment and the enjoyment of it by residents and visitors alike.
This will be achieved by strengthening these commendable objectives in practice through the education, consultation and dissemination processes in parallel with the direct economic benefits (as already demonstrated in Devon-Dorset in Section 9 – Need, above).

• Nature Conservation: There are forty three sites of Special Scientific Interest as well as six Local Nature Reserves and one National Nature Reserve. There are more than three hundred Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation, many of which are located in the coastal zones and a number of Regionally Important Sites for Geological or Geomorphological Interest. The Island Plan recognises that the Island’s coastal countryside is one of its most important assets. The varied geology and other factors have created a rich tapestry of landscape which is valued and appreciated by both residents and visitors. In line with PPS9 (Biodiversity and geological conservation) sustainable development is the cornerstone of both the government’s rural policies and its planning policies. It means managing the countryside in ways that meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

• Landscape and Character: Over 50% of the Island is nationally designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, whilst nearly half of the Island’s 110km of coastline is designated as Heritage Coast. These sites are substantially located in the West Wight study area for this proposal. In 1992 an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty project’ was established by the former County and Borough Councils together with the Countryside Commission. The increasing recognition of the importance of the coastal landscape encouraged further initiatives including the preparation of an AONB Management Plan which integrated physical, social and economic pressures and issues relating to the landscape. A landscape assessment has been prepared by the AONB team which sets out the importance of the designated areas of AONB and Heritage Coast. Now an independent AONB partnership, supported financially by the IW Council and the Countryside Agency , the AONB Team is charged with the formulation and delivery of a statutory AONB Plan adopted by the Council; the Plan influences the work of key stakeholders and public bodies.

The proposal is also consistent with the landscape strategy that has been commissioned by the West Wight Landscape Partnership. This strategy will inform the work of the Island Futures local strategic partnership in developing their vision for a sustainable environment, and the Isle of Wight Council in preparing the local development framework. Landscape strategies informed by the West Wight Landscape character assessment and covers the rural areas of the West Wight including areas considered as being of national and international importance for their geology and geomorphology.

An objective of this study also accord with the ‘Vision for the West Wight in ten years time’ as set out in the strategy and as well as fitting with the broad programmes and themes of work recommended within the Action Plan, including landscape conservation enhancement, improved access for all, understanding the landscape and cultural heritage and celebrating the landscape of the West Wight.

There is a long term commitment through both national and local policies to protect the coastal landscape beauty and character of the Island for its own sake, the protection being provided through the designations described above. For example PPS9 highlights that the priority now is to find new ways of enriching the quality of the whole of the countryside, whilst accommodating appropriate development, in order to complement the protection which designations offer. The Countryside Agency and English Nature have analysed the distinctive features of the Isle of Wight’s coastline and countryside in both landscape and nature conservation terms, identifying areas or zones of cohesive character, which can be described in terms of their landscape character, sense of place, local distinctiveness, characteristic wildlife and natural features and nature of change.

Against this policy framework an aim highlighted in the Unitary Development Plan and being promoted in the Island Plan involves the low key improvement of an area used for informal leisure and recreation and only to allow development in the countryside that is essential to a viable rural economy. The objectives of the AONB Plan are primarily protection of the quality of the environment but to support good practice in terms of management of features such as the Island’s spectacular coastline.

In summary, therefore, this proposal embraces the policy objectives of a range of Council departments including coastal management, strategic planning, countryside (including nature conservation) and tourism. The interests of the following Council sections will be represented on the Steering Committee: Planning Policy, Countryside, Geology, Tourism, Coastal Management, as well as those of the AONB Partnership, National Trust and English Nature.
• Arts and the Environment: This study and a possible designation in the future would provide considerable opportunities for enhancement of artistic and aesthetic interest within the designated frontage. In other locations landscape painting and sculpture have proved two very successful examples where a greater interest and awareness in the geology and geomorphology has encouraged development of painting, ceramics and sculpture often making use of natural materials. This proposal is supported by the Arts Unit and Rural Arts Officer within the Isle of Wight Council who benefited from Leader+ funding for the ‘What if…?’ art and design project.
• Geology: The Isle of Wight County Museum Service has been developing a Local Geodiversity Action Plan (LGAP) for the Isle of Wight. The overall project was co-ordinated by the Curator of Geology. The Isle of Wight Centre for the Coastal Environment was commissioned to write part of this report.
The primary function of the Isle of Wight Local Geodiversity Action Plan is to formulate a strategy to promote the Isle of Wight through the conservation and sustainable development of its earth heritage. The plan sets objectives, targets and determines indicators that will focus resources to conserve and enhance the heritage. The LGAP is intended to link into other existing initiatives such as the Isle of Wight AONB, Local Biodiversity Action Plan, Historic Landscape Assessments and the Isle of Wight Council’s corporate objective of ‘Protecting the Island’s physical environment’. The action plan has a thematic approach and the seven themes provide a direct link in support of the aims and objectives of this application:
- The role of the Isle of Wight in the history of the Earth Sciences
- Dinosaurs
- The role of geology in the development of the Isle of Wight tourism industry
- Coastal mass movement phenomena
- The Isle of Wight’s Geological Record
- Fossils and fossil collecting
- Geology and landscape
These objectives support the proposed study and full account has been taken of this valuable research in identifying the cost of undertaking this Leader+ proposal.

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