Progress and future challenges for geoconservation in protected and conserved areas

Abstract

This paper introduces the set of essays in this issue of Parks Stewardship Forum charting the development of thinking and action on geodiversity and geoheritage conservation. It spells out progress to date on a number of fronts, including defining terms and advancing the geoconservation agenda in IUCN, leading to the conclusion that geoconservation is now well established in geoscience dialogue and practice. Future challenges are set out in some detail in the hope that geoconservation will become an increasingly relevant and integral component of nature conservation and human society agendas. Three areas of challenges are highlighted: making sure that geoconservation specialists have clear and consistent approaches to the classification and assessment of geoheritage assets and their conservation; mainstreaming geoconservation in biodiversity and nature conservation dialogues; and relating geoconservation to all aspects of human society and the emerging people-based agendas.