Over the years the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust has become accepted as the primary point of contact in the two counties for geology and geoconservation. It is an essential part of the extensive national and local network supporting conservation and public awareness in the natural sciences.
As guardians of our Earth Heritage, the trust must engage in diverse core activities, that include maintaining our body of local geological knowledge, discovering and looking after important sites, liaison with local groups and sharing our knowledge through educational activities that engage with the public. Constant vigilance and action are also needed to ensure that our Earth Heritage is protected by National laws, and that the law is upheld by local policy-making and planning. The trust is active at both national and local levels to ensure that the easily overlooked interests of geoconservation are upheld.
An important role of the Trust is to identify and survey geological and geomorphological sites in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Site visits are essential to monitor the status of existing sites and assess the value of newly discovered ones from a scientific, educational and aesthetic perspective.
Geological trails of various lengths, including the Geopark Way are maintained and supported with trail guides, which are available through our shop and can be found using this link.
We publish a variety of informative leaflets and trail guides covering numerous locations throughout the two counties. The majority are walking trails that will occupy a few hours, but they vary in length from just a few hundred metres around a cathedral, to longer walking routes that will take most of a day and a few even longer trails that are best explored by car.
Some leaflets describe what can be found at a single site, while the longest trail of all is the nationally recognised long-distance footpath The Geopark Way. Our Explore trail guides take readers on a short, self-guided walk (or drive) explaining the geology along the way and can take anything from one to five hours to complete. Some trails are located in towns and explore the diverse uses of local rocks as building stones. Other trails take you out in the countryside and explore how and where the local rocks were formed and how they influence the nature of the landscape seen along the trail. With more than 26 trails throughout the two counties, there’s plenty of choice for everyone.
Communication through our website and a series of news bulletins provides support to the public and to members of affiliated groups. We also provide occasional training courses to members of affiliated groups on specific topics of interest.
For further information about the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust, please visit our website.
