The South Wales RIGS Region
Regionally Important Geodiversity Sites

Welcome to the website for the South Wales RIGS Group

This site is presently in the process of being created for the newly formed regional group of UK RIGS. Please check back for updates over the coming months.

Regionally Important Geodiversity Sites (RIGS) are specially chosen sites of local and regional geological importance. This website aims to describe a little of what this group does and to show our progress throughout the duration of three year project to identify RIGS in the S Wales Region. The project is funded by the Aggregate Levy and the Welsh Assembly Government. As sites are identified, information will be posted on this site.

The aim of the project are to carry out an audit of sites, considered of geological interest across South Wales and to identify those sutable to raise to RIGS status. The sites will be recorded and their details lodged with Planning Authorites and Records Centres. Information will also be available through this website. The results of the survey will serve to inform local communities and educational groups of sites, important for development as geotourism sites.

Geodiversity means the natural range of geological, landform and soil features, assemblages and processes. Geodiversity includes evidence of past life, ecosystems and environments in the history of earthas well as a range of atmospheric, hydrological and biological processes currently acting on rocks, landforms and soils.

Please see our pages on project partners to see the various groups that are getting involved with researching and visiting the sites. Anyone is welcome to join us to evaluate sites and we would welcome suggestions for sites to visit. Please see our contacts page to get in touch or make a posting on our discussion board.