Joy as UNESCO renews North West Highlands Geopark's certification; New initiatives now planned including self-guided tours of Smoo Cave and Knockan Crag
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Managers of the North West Highlands Geopark are celebrating after being told that its accreditation has been renewed.
Umbrella body UNESCO has approved the geopark’s revalidation for another five years until 2023, following a stringent assessment last year.
Geopark acting chairman Iain Young said: “We are delighted to receive acknowledgement from UNESCO for our efforts over the past four years.”
In issuing the award, UNESCO recommended that the geopark, a community-led, charitable organisation, tried to make an “even bigger contribution to the area”.
Managers are now to source funds to take forward new initiatives such as self-guided trails at Smoo Cave and Knockan Crag as well as creating packages for businesses to make greater use of the UNESCO Global Geopark brand identity
UNESCO Global Geoparks must undergo a revalidation process every four years to ensure quality and ongoing contribution to sustainable development.
Dr Asier Hilario, scientific director for the Basque Coast Geopark, and Dr Yongmun Jeon of Jeju Island Geopark in Korea, conducted an intensive five-day assessment of the North West Highlands Geopark in July 2019.
The pair travelled extensively across the 2000km geopark which stretches from Durness to Ullapool. They met with representatives of 34 stakeholder groups in the Lochbroom, Coigach, Assynt, Scourie, Kinlochbervie, Durness and Tongue community council areas.
All aspects of the management structure, strategic plans and activities came under scrutiny.
The two assessors took note of the work that was being undertaken to develop Geotours, Pebble route guides and interpretation as well as the exhibition at geopark headquarters the Rock Stop, Unapool.
Mr Young said: “There is a real appetite to work together from the communities across our geopark and this came across strongly to the revalidation team.”
Following the assessors’ visit, the UNESCO Global Geopark Council met and discussed the revalidation mission and agreed that the North West Highlands had met its strict criteria for ‘Green Card’ status.
Geopark coordinator Dr Laura Hamlet said: “Through the revalidation process I felt absolutely humbled by the amount of support given by the community and the depth of their determination when speaking to the revalidation team to show that our region deserves its status as a UNESCO geopark.”
She said the recommendations issued along with the revalidation were “around collaboration and visibility”.
“The team will be seeking new allies with which to cooperate over a range of sustainable economic development issues at the geopark,” she said.
“We will be working hard in the coming months to ensure we build upon this success and become part of a greener recovery after COVID-19”
The award comes in the wake of a report by the UK National Commission to UNESCO into the value of UNESCO sites to the nation.
The report demonstrates how UNESCO sites contribute an estimated £151 million to the UK economy and can help to build a greener, more equal and more peaceful world.
It states: “From our expansive mountain ranges here in the Highlands to densely populated urban areas such as Belfast, Bradford and Manchester, UNESCO certified projects include Global Geoparks, World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserves and Creative Cities.”
A community led organisation, membership of the North West Highlands Geopark is open to anyone aged 16 or over who lives within its boundaries and is on the electoral roll there. A Friends scheme is available to people throughout the UK. For further information, visit www.nwhgeopark.com
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