Context and history of geological conservation in Warwickshire, central England

Abstract

AbstractThe geology of Warwickshire, central England, is diverse but generally poorly exposed. Geological conservation initiatives can be traced back to the mid to late nineteenth century when the Warwickshire Natural History and Archaeological Society amassed locally collected geological specimens and documented local geological sites. The society declined during the late nineteenth century. Following the Second World War, local geological conservation activity was invigorated by national initiatives, leading to establishment of geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest within the county and a site recording programme at the Warwickshire Museum. The Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group was established in 1990. Subsequently, a partnership between that group and the Warwickshire Museum, with support from the Nature Conservancy Council, resulted in establishment of a Regionally Important Geological/geomorphological Sites network. These sites are presently the focus of funded conservation and interpretation projects.