Regionally Important Geological Site
Encyclopedia
Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites (RIGS) are locally designated sites of local, national and regional importance for geodiversity
(geology
and geomorphology
) in the United Kingdom
. RIGS may be designated for their value to Earth Science
, and to Earth heritage in general, and may include cultural, educational, historical and aesthetic resources. The concept was introduced by the Nature Conservancy Council's
publication Earth Science Conservation in Great Britain – A Strategy (1990). They are conserved and protected from development as a material consideration through the planning system by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. They do not have the statutory management protection enjoyed by Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
Local Geological Sites including RIGS are locally designated. In many areas the selection and designation process relies on significant amounts of volunteer effort. Once designated through notification to the Local Planning Authority, they are conserved and protected as a material consideration through local and national planning policies. There are currently 56 RIGS groups in the United Kingdom.
RIGS are treated by the UK government's 'Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation' ( ODPM 2005) (known as PPS9) under the category of Regional and Local Sites. For more information about locally designated nature conservation sites in England see 'Local Sites - Guidance on the Identification, Selection and Management' (DEFRA, 2006). In England Local Authorities reported on the management of RIGS through the Local Sites National Indicator NI197 reporting to DEFRA until 31 March 2011, when this was changed to 160-01 reporting to DEFRA as part of the single data list.
Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites may be abbreviated to Regionally Important Geological Sites, and also Regionally Important Geodiversity Sites in Wales. Depending on the decisions of the members of the Local Sites partnership, in some local areas locally designated sites including RIGS with substantive geological interest may now be called Local Geological Sites (LGS).
Geodiversity
Geodiversity is the variety of earth materials, forms and processes that constitute and shape the Earth, either the whole or a specific part of it. Relevant materials include minerals, rocks, sediments, fossils, soils and water. Forms may comprise folds, faults, landforms and other expressions of...
(geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and geomorphology
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
) in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. RIGS may be designated for their value to Earth Science
Earth science
Earth science is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, the Earth being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth sciences...
, and to Earth heritage in general, and may include cultural, educational, historical and aesthetic resources. The concept was introduced by the Nature Conservancy Council's
Nature Conservancy Council
The Nature Conservancy Council was a United Kingdom government agency responsible for designating and managing National Nature Reserves and other nature conservation areas in Great Britain between 1973 and 1991 ....
publication Earth Science Conservation in Great Britain – A Strategy (1990). They are conserved and protected from development as a material consideration through the planning system by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. They do not have the statutory management protection enjoyed by Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
Local Geological Sites including RIGS are locally designated. In many areas the selection and designation process relies on significant amounts of volunteer effort. Once designated through notification to the Local Planning Authority, they are conserved and protected as a material consideration through local and national planning policies. There are currently 56 RIGS groups in the United Kingdom.
RIGS are treated by the UK government's 'Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation' ( ODPM 2005) (known as PPS9) under the category of Regional and Local Sites. For more information about locally designated nature conservation sites in England see 'Local Sites - Guidance on the Identification, Selection and Management' (DEFRA, 2006). In England Local Authorities reported on the management of RIGS through the Local Sites National Indicator NI197 reporting to DEFRA until 31 March 2011, when this was changed to 160-01 reporting to DEFRA as part of the single data list.
Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites may be abbreviated to Regionally Important Geological Sites, and also Regionally Important Geodiversity Sites in Wales. Depending on the decisions of the members of the Local Sites partnership, in some local areas locally designated sites including RIGS with substantive geological interest may now be called Local Geological Sites (LGS).