UNESCO Designation: World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserves and Geoparks
Background
UNESCO exists to promote collaboration among nations through education, science and culture. Within Scotland, there are three UNESCO mechanisms to designate areas for management towards this end - World Heritage Site (WHS), Biosphere Reserve (BR) and Geopark.
World Heritage Sites
World Heritage Sites - arising from the 1984 World Heritage Convention - are generally considered to be the ultimate accolade. Sites are listed by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO to provide recognition that a site is of "outstanding universal value" and also that the national Government has provided it with an especially high level of assured protection. There are both natural and cultural categories of site. St Kilda is the only "natural" World Heritage Site in Scotland at present. (It's one of only two-dozen global locations to be awarded World Heritage Site Status for both natural and cultural significance.) The islands are owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland. SNH advises Government on natural sites, and Historic Scotland on cultural sites.
Biosphere reserves
UNESCO has also established a network of Biosphere Reserves as representatives of natural habitats characteristic of the world's natural regions. They are intended to reconcile conservation of wildlife with its sustainable use. There are currently eight designated Biosphere Reserves in the UK covering an area of 43,505 hectares. There are four in Scotland (all National Nature Reserves), (Galloway, Loch Druidibeg, Taynish and Beinn Eighe), three in England and one in Wales. Policy responsibility for the four Scottish biosphere reserves is devolved. A periodic review of all UK biosphere reserves, as required by UNESCO, is underway. It is being led by Defra.
Geoparks
The European Geopark Network (EGN) was established in June 2000 to protect geodiversity, promote geological heritage to the general public and support sustainable economic development primarily through the development of geological tourism. It now consists of 32 members in ten member states of the European Union. In February 2004 the EGN was formally integrated into the UNESCO-endorsed Global Geoparks Network.
The key functions of a Geopark are to protect the geological heritage, promote geology to the public, and to use geology and other aspects of the natural and cultural heritage to promote sustainable economic development, normally through tourism. This potentially links in well with the people and nature and sustainable places themes of the Government's Greener Scotland strategic objective.
Scottish Geoparks
Geopark status was awarded to the North West Highlands in October 2004 because of the area's special, diverse geology and landscapes. It has an area of 2000km2, which covers much of Wester Ross and NW Sutherland and includes some of Europe's most outstanding geological features. Lochaber was also awarded Geopark status in 2007 and Shetland in 2009.