Caribbean fact-finding mission to the Jurassic Coast - Oct 06

Visitors from the Carribean island of St Lucia have been touring the Dorset and East Devon's Jurassic Coast to learn how best to manage their own World Heritage Site.

A four-strong party from the St Lucian Government and the Pitons Management Area World Heritage Site saw first-hand how our prehistoric landscape is protected and explored the numerous tourism, education and economic regeneration opportunities it offers for the area.

The Pitons, twin volcanic peaks which rise nearly 800m from the sea, were given World Heritage Site status in 2004 so, like the Jurassic Coast, the area is globally recognised for its special geology.  For this reason, and because the management of the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site has been recognised by the UK Government as an exemplar of good practice, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport instigated and funded an exchange programme between the two Sites to help share management information and experience.

The team from St Lucia, including two Government Permanent Secretaries, arrived on Sunday (15 October) and spent the week touring the coast and its ‘gateway towns' in East Devon, West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland and Purbeck, and will meet with tourism, economic development, education and planning experts.

Simon Williams, Planning and Economic Development Manager with Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said:

"The exchange programme offers a great opportunity for the two sites to learn from one another, and continually improve the way they are managed. The team from St Lucia are particularly interested in the policies we have in place to protect the Jurassic Coast, through planning controls and special designations like Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

"They also want to learn more about how we use the coastline to promote the economic regeneration of local communities and provide all kinds of educational and tourism benefits."

The delegation also visited Seaton Primary School, a new UNESCO Associated school that has adopted World Heritage as one of its themes in its curriculum. The school demonstrated to the delegation, a new geography unit of work produced by the Jurassic Coast and Devon Curriculum Services that compares the two World Heritage Sites.  Anjana Khatwa, Education Coordinator for the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, said:

"It is important for children along the Jurassic Coast to know about and appreciate not only their local heritage, but those environments that are valued by other nations.  Encouraging international links particularly through World Heritage allows children to become more responsible and socially aware citizens".

Sam Rose, Team Leader for the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, added:

"World Heritage is all about the conservation of the most important natural and cultural features on Earth, and to ensure they remain in excellent condition for future generations.  We are delighted that the experience of managing the Jurassic Coast might be of use to help another country achieve these aims for their own World Heritage Site, and we look forward tofurther working with the St Lucia team in the future.  It is heartening to know that the work undertaken by the people of Dorset and East Devon has been recognised in this way."