ProGeo 2009 - Geoheritage NL

Objectives

Geoheritage NL aims to promote and enhance:

• interest in geological heritage and geoconservation and its relationships with biodiversity, cultural heritage and the landscape;
• geodiversity and sustainable spatial planning and land development, water and nature management;
• the standard of the earth-science profession with respect to these issues.

Structure

Geoheritage NL includes the Platform Aardkundige Waarden (PAW - Dutch Platform for Earth heritage & Geodiversity) and several Working groups Aardkundige Waarden (WAWs). They prepare discussions, organise events and produce handouts, books and other promotional material.

Geoheritage NL works in close collaboration with the professional earth-science societies KNGMG (geology), KTFG (physical geography, geomorphology), NBV (soil science), KNAG, (geography) and other non-governmental organisations that are active in landscape and nature conservation. The earth science faculties of the Dutch universities and two government-sponsored knowledge institutes are part of the PAW network, and participate in PAW meetings and working groups when necessary. Contacts with consultancies could be better.

International cooperation

In 2004, PAW and WAW established contacts with European and international organisations that are active in the fields of geoheritage and geodiversity and changed its name to Geoheritage NL, in order to emphasize international efforts and cooperation. It was decided to officially link Geoheritage NL to the European Federation of Geologists (EFG), the International Geographical Union (IGU) and the International Association of Geomorphology (IAG). Later in 2004, Geoheritage NL became the national representative of ProGEO, the association for the conservation of the geological heritage, and member of its Northern Europe working group WG3. Connections with European soil science societies ECCS and ECSSS have been established. In 2005, Geoheritage NL was invited to participate in Scape, the scientific network advising in drafting the EU Soil Strategy.

Geoheritage NL participates in the meetings of the Unesco European Geopark Network. It has established a working group to promote Unesco European Geoparks in the Netherlands and to start off a national geopark and geosites network according to the principles of this European network.

Geoheritage NL - Platform Aardkundige Waarden

The PAW meets two or three times a year to discuss developments in geoheritage and geodiversity. More than 40 organisations participate in the PAW: professional and amateur earth-science organisations, nature and landscape organisations, estate managers, land owners, museums, universities, educational organisations and various regional groups. Ministries, the IPO network of the provincial governments and government-sponsored research institutes participate in the meetings. Attendance of these organisations depends on the theme of the meeting. On average, twenty members are present at the meetings during which invited speakers give presentations and viewpoints are discussed and developed.

Geoheritage NL - Working Groups Aardkundige Waarden

Meetings, symposiums, excursions, exhibitions, and products are prepared in special working groups. The number of persons and organisations that participate varies. A working group exists for a limited period of time. At the moment three working groups are active to produce a Canon of the landscape history of the Dutch landscape for educational purposes, a working group to promote certification of the profession to improve the spatial planning quality, and a working group to promote the development of a geopark network.

Key results

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