Geotourism in an Industrial Setting: the South Wales Coalfield Geoheritage Network

Abstract

The South Wales Coalfield (UK) has a continuous sequence of well-exposed Westphalian-age (late Bashkirian–Moscovian) coal-bearing strata. In recent years, however, there has been a significant decline in quality and accessibility to the sites. In response, considerable sustainable improvements have been made to this important geoheritage resource. Through funding from various sources, access to the sites has been improved and a range of interpretation tools (pamphlets, boards, web site, iPhone app) have been developed to meet the needs of varying audiences. Community engagement has been a key part of the project development, ensuring the resulting geotouristic and educational resources will have a long-lasting legacy.