Experts in the conservation of important geological sites will be descending on Leicestershire next year, after Charnwood Forest Geopark was announced as host of the next meeting of the International Association for the Conservation of Geological Heritage.
The conference, to be hosted in Loughborough Town Hall from the 9-11 October 2023, will also include field trips to sites around Charnwood Forest. It is expected that more than 100 delegates will visit from around the world, bringing welcome business to the area’s hospitality & tourism industry.
Charnwood Forest Geopark, who are organising the meeting, formed in 2021 to celebrate the internationally important geology of the area, connect people to Charnwood Forest’s story, and secure it a sustainable future. The region is home to a number of very rare fossils that represent some of the oldest evidence of animal life in the world. It is hoped that hosting the Conference will help to further cement Charnwood Forest’s global geological significance, and assist in any future bid to become a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Jack Matthews, Geopark Geoheritage Officer, and Chair of the Organising Group said: “We are really excited to be welcoming the world to Charnwood Forest and Loughborough for this international conference. As well as bringing new customers to the area’s businesses, this meeting is a great opportunity to promote the fabulous geological sites we have within the Geopark. We have a great story to tell here in Charnwood Forest – one as old as animal life itself – and we want to share it with the world!”
Previous hosts of the conference have included Rome, Kyiv, Dublin, and Reykjavik. You can discover more about the meeting at progeo2023.com.