Geoheritage Community Outreach and Education in Ireland – Grant-Supported Community Initiatives.

Geological Survey Ireland supports the development and sustainability of Ireland’s geoheritage through community-driven initiatives supporting geoscience outreach and education. This grant-aided support includes projects on geotourism to promote community engagement and development of geoheritage awareness and cultural identity. Our ongoing support is particularly relevant in the context of the increase of tourism interest in geoheritage both from home and overseas as seen in our UNESCO Global Geoparks and initiatives such as geotourism, geoheritage and outreach projects. A grant scheme which began 10 years ago to support UNESCO Global Geoparks in Ireland develop and promote geoheritage awareness initiatives was extended, in 2019, to include all community groups with relevant geoheritage interests. The social and cultural links between communities are extended through this scheme to include geodiversity and geoheritage. Illustrated case studies showcase the successful development of geoheritage promotion and protection through local awareness, resulting directly from the funded projects. The success of these projects in linking geoheritage to social and community activities is demonstrated by the follow-on activities and benefits to the community and local culture. Geodiversity, being the foundation for many aspects of our cultural expression and identity in the landscape as well as the basis for much of our biodiversity can provide communities with a ‘sense of place’, and communities through these projects promote geological heritage for current and future generations.