Fforest Fawr Geopark is a member of the European Geoparks Network or ‘EGN’ – a family of 81 designated areas in 25 countries spread across the continent. The EGN originated in discussions between two geologists from France and Greece who met at an international geological congress in 1997.
They found that they had a common interest in conserving and protecting the geological heritage of the areas in which they worked. Not only that but they were keen to improve the public’s understanding of earth science. They figured that developing attractions based upon the geology of an area would help visitors to appreciate and ultimately care for those special qualities.
They looked across Europe for other partners who shared these ideals and soon found them in Haute Provence (France), Maestrazgo / Terruel (Spain), the island of Lesvos (Greece) and Vulkaneifel (Germany). This group of four won funding from the European Community to achieve their aims and so the European Geoparks Network was born.
Since that time 77 other areas across Europe have joined the network as the map above shows. Go to the European Geoparks Network website.
In 2004 UNESCO decided to assist with the establishment of a Global Network of Geoparks into which came the existing 17 European Geoparks along with 8 new Chinese Geoparks. There are now Geoparks in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Iran, Japan, Indonesia, Morocco, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Peru, Russian Federation, South Korea, Tanzania, Thailand, Uruguay and Vietnam too. In November 2015 this wider network became the first new UNESCO programme for 40 years, being formally established as the UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp)Network.
Austria
- Carnic Alps UGGp
- Erz der Alpen (Ore of the Alps) UGGp
- Karavanke/Karawanken UGGp (also Slovenia)
- Styrian Eisenwurzen UGGp
Belgium
- Geoparque de Famenne-Ardenne UGGp – NEW in 2018
Croatia
- Papuk UGGp
- Vis Archipelago UGGp – NEW in 2019
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
- Lauhanvuori-Haemeenkangas UGGp – NEW in 2020
- Rokua UGGp
France
- Geopark de Massif des Bauges UGGp
- Geoparc de Beaujolais UGGp
- Causses du Quercy UGGp
- Chablais UGGp
- Reserve Naturelle Geologique de Haute Provence UGGp
- Parc Naturel Regional de Luberon UGGp
- Monts d’Ardeche UGGp
Germany
- Geo-Naturpark Bergstrasse – Odenwald UGGp
- Harz – Braunschweiger Land – Ostfalen UGGp
- Muskau Arch UGGp (also Poland)
- Swabian Alb UGGp
- Terra.Vita UGGp
- Vulkaneifel UGGp
Greece
Hungary
- Bakony-Balaton UGGp
- Novohrad – Nograd UGGp (also Slovakia)
Iceland
Italy
- Beigua UGGp
- Adamello-Brenta UGGp
- Apuan Alps UGGp
- Parco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallo di Diano UGGp (Campania)
- Geological Mining Park of Sardinia UGGp
- Madonie UGGp (Sicily)
- Pollino UGGp
- Rocca di Cerere UGGp (Sicily)
- Sesia – Val Grande UGGp
- Tuscan Mining Park UGGp (Toscana)
Netherlands
Norway
- Gea Norvegica UGGp
- Magma UGGp
- Trollfjell UGGp – NEW in 2019
Poland
- Muskau Arch UGGp (also Germany)
Portugal
- Arouca UGGp
- Azores UGGp
- Estrela UGGp – NEW in 2020
- Terras de Cavaleiros (Land of Knights) UGGp
- Naturtejo UGGp
Republic of Ireland
- Burren and Cliffs of Moher UGGp
- Copper Coast UGGp
- Marble Arch Caves UGGp (also N. Ireland, UK)
Romania
Serbia
- Djerdap UGGp – NEW in 2020
Slovakia
- Novohrad – Nograd UGGp (also Hungary)
Slovenia
- Idrija UGGp
- Karavanke/Karawanken UGGp (also Austria)
Spain
- Basque Coast UGGp (Pais Vasco)
- Cabo de Gata-Nijar UGGp (Andalucia)
- Central Catalunya UGGp (Catalonia)
- Conca de Tremp-Montsec UGGp (Catalonia)
- Courel Mountains UGGp – NEW in 2019
- Granada UGGp – NEW in 2020
- El Hierro Global UGGp (Canary Islands)
- Lanzarote & Chinijo Islands UGGp (Canary Islands)
- Las Loras UGGp
- Maestrazgo UGGp – readmitted in 2020
- Molina Alto Tajo UGGp
- Sierra Norte de Seville Natural Park UGGp
- Sierras Subbeticas UGGp (Andalucia)
- Sobrarbe UGGp (Aragon)
- Villuercas Ibores UGGp
Turkey
- Kula Salihli UGGp – ENLARGED from Kula Volcanic UGGp in 2020
United Kingdom
- Black Country UGGp (England) – NEW in 2020
- English Riviera UGGp (England)
- Fforest Fawr UGGp (Wales)
- GeoMon UGGp (Isle of Anglesey) (Wales)
- Marble Arch Caves UGGp (Northern Ireland) (also Republic of Ireland)
- North Pennines UGGp (England)
- North West Highlands UGGp (Scotland)
- Shetland UGGp (Scotland)