The Jurassic Coast marks a special birthday with great news for the future

A special anniversary will be celebrated by Dorset and Devon's Jurassic Coast this week - alongside major announcements for exciting times ahead. 

This year's Jurassic Coast annual seminar, held tomorrow (Friday, 15 December) at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis, will mark five years since the area was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. 

And, as well as celebrating many important achievements during that period, the day will herald two more landmark developments. Local schools are joining an international educational network which will yield a host of unique learning opportunities, while the Natural History Museum has signed a new collaboration agreement with the World Heritage Site Steering Group for joint working along the coast.

A total of six schools - including five from Devon and St Mary's Primary School in Bridport - have been inaugurated into the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPNet).

The move recognises the way in which the schools have incorporated Jurassic Coast work into their curriculum, and will enable them to develop links with schools at other World Heritage sites across the globe. Each school will also receive an award of £300 from the Jurassic Coast Trust to help raise awareness of the coast and World Heritage among children and young people. 

Les Stratton, UK Co-ordinator for the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network, said:

"The education work carried out by the Jurassic Coast has linked the local with the global. Pupils not only learn to appreciate their own environment but also that of other countries. Understanding your environment is important not only in enriching the local community but in helping to build a sustainable planet. This work has made a significant contribution to the UNESCO Associated Schools Network in the UK." 

The day will also see the official launch of the new agreement between the Natural History Museum and the Jurassic Coast Steering Group - download the following Adobe Acrobat file  terms_of_understanding_natural_history_museum_(new_window) (896.31 Kb).

The partnership will cement long-standing links with the prestigious national museum, which has already been heavily involved with events like the popular Lyme Regis Fossil Festival.

Andrew Price, Chairman of the Steering Group, said:

"We are delighted to have such a world-renowned organisation as the Natural History Museum as a partner, and it reflects the growing national significance of the Jurassic Coast. The coast  offers tremendous outreach opportunities for the museum, and in turn, its greater involvement will have significant benefits for local communities through successful events like the Fossil Festival."

Professor Andy Fleet, keeper of Mineralogy at the Museum, said:

"The Jurassic Coast is a natural partner for the Museum providing opportunities for us together to generate new knowledge about natural diversity and develop ways to enthuse people of all ages about nature. All in an area which has done so much for science's understanding of the Earth's history"

The seminar will also feature a number of workshops and speeches from guests such as Sue Davies (from the UK National Commission for UNESCO) and Professor Denys Brunsden, looking back on a host of achievements over the past five years. 

Since 2001, local projects have benefited from over £750,000 of support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and are now part of a coast-wide funding framework agreement for £7.1m over five years with the South West Regional Development Agency. The Jurassic Coast is also the only natural World Heritage Site to have developed an arts strategy to improve interpretation, and increase public participation and involvement. The site has also been recognised as a leading sustainable tourism destination through winning the 2005 Destination Category of the global ‘Tourism for Tomorrow' awards. 

Hilary Cox, Dorset County Council cabinet member for the environment, said:

"The Jurassic Coast has come a long way since obtaining World Heritage Site status five years ago, and there is a lot we can look back on with pride.  The agreement with the Natural History Museum and the involvement of local schools with UNESCO ASPNet shows that there is a great deal more to look forward to." 

Cllr Margaret Rogers, Devon County Council's Executive Member for Environment, said:

"Being designated as a World Heritage Site five years ago was a huge achievement and was just the beginning   A great deal of valuable work has been undertaken since then, and this recognition by the Natural History Museum is an excellent example of the progress made.  Congratulations also to the six schools, five in Devon and one in Dorset, that have been made part of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network in recognition of the excellent  work in which they have participated.  There is enormous potential for many more exciting developments."