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59-742: Fforest Fawr Geopark is a Geopark in the Brecon Beacons National Park , south Wales . It is the first designated Geopark in Wales having gained membership of both the European Geoparks Network and the UNESCO -assisted Global Network of National Geoparks in October 2005. The Geopark aims to promote and support sustainable tourism and other opportunities to improve the economy of the area whilst safeguarding

118-574: A "national network for geoparks." If it exists in a member nation all geoparks of the regional network in that nation as well as the global network must also belong to it. Some of the networks from which UNESCO national geoparks might be chosen are World Heritage Sites , Agenda 21 , Man and the Biosphere Programme . UNESCO also provides a list of recommended geosite types, such as "minerals and mineral resources," "fossils," etc. The national networks (one for each nation) are intended as

177-417: A candidate geopark. It has not yet been certified as belonging to a regional or the global UNESCO geopark network. It has been "already inscribed" as a member of some other network; that is, "national geopark" is a sort of floating candidacy that can be attached to any other parkland of interest, after which attachment the parkland qualifies for the designation of geopark. The candidates so designated are termed

236-598: A circuit of the neighbouring peaks of Waun Lefrith and Fan Foel. The high level route of the Beacons Way from Llangadog to Abergavenny runs over Picws Du whilst the low level route runs up to Llyn y Fan Fach and beside the Afon Sychlwch at the foot of its northern escarpment. The higher route follows the edge of the escarpment from near Fan Hir , where the path climbs the escarpment from Llyn y Fan Fawr. Stone pavements have been added at especially wet parts of

295-627: A floruit of international exploration, scientific research, and park-building in the later 19th century, the world wars represent a sharp decline of conservation and tourism, as the goals of war are opposite those of peace. Even the League of Nations , predecessor of the United Nations , did not unite. The last world war saw the irrecoverable destruction of national heritages and the terrible misuse of science. The United Nations and its and educational, scientific, and cultural branch, UNESCO , heir to

354-604: A geopark, and is removed from connection with or concern by UNESCO. To reapply, it must start the application over. Recertified geoparks do not have to keep the same borders; only a portion may be recertified. Picws Du Picws Du is the second highest peak of the Carmarthen Fans ( Welsh : Bannau Sir Gâr or Bannau Sir Gaer ) in the Carmarthenshire section of the Black Mountain in

413-476: A member of an independent network of geoparks that has agreed with UNESCO to provide candidates for the global network. All members of the regional network are a priori members of a national geopark network. They are also members of the global network if they are certified for it. A regional geopark would not be a global geopark if it has not yet been certified as such or its certification has lapsed and it has applied for recertification (Yellow Card status). A region

472-525: A potentially international type of site (a possible geosite) existed within the candidate park's country, the park must belong to it before it can apply to the regional network. This type was dubbed an NGN. Its sites could then be included under the geopark umbrella by being candidates for the international network. In 2014 the creation of other regions besides the EGN was allowed and encouraged, permitting geoparks to fulfill their declared global nature. Ge- or geo-

531-470: A region. The United States and Israel resigned from UNESCO in 2018 because they believed that UNESCO is anti-Israel, though the US re-joined in 2023. Canadian geoparks according to the rules must belong to a regional network before they can apply for global status, but there is none, and may not be any in the foreseeable future. UNESCO therefore treating Canada as a special case allows the national geoparks network,

590-400: A single application, which is submitted by both to the regional and global networks. Both member nations must endorse the park. The management bodies in each nation must collaborate to establish a single set of activities and strategies for the entire park. They can appoint either two collaborating managements or one management. The certified transnational geoparks are: A regional geopark is

649-401: A smattering of "Earth" words ever since. Geo-logia is a relative newcomer, in mediaeval Latin "the study of earthly things" (such as law) in contrast to divine things. It was preempted to refer to the 18th century topics of fossils and rock stratification. Most geo-compounds come from the 19th and early 20th century. Geo- means "Earth" rather than "geological," which would be redundant. After

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708-402: A transnational geopark. A certification is good for four years, after which it must be certified again. In the language of certification, a recertified global geopark is termed a "green-card geopark." If a geopark fails recertification it is given two years to pass, in which it is a "yellow-card geopark." After two years if it is still unrecertified it is a "red-card geopark;" that is, no longer

767-656: Is a fortnight long Geopark Festival which takes place at the end of May/start of June coinciding with similar events in Geoparks across Europe. A major display on the geology , history and culture in the Geopark area was opened at the Waterfalls Centre in Pontneddfechan in summer 2008, remaining until the centre's closure in 2016. Other exhibitions on aspects of the Geopark were in place until 2016 at

826-615: Is a word-formative prefix derived from the ancient Greek word for "Earth." Due to the use of ancient Greek and Latin words to form international scientific vocabulary , geo- might appear in any modern language of any type by the process of compounding . Since geo- is well known in most modern languages it is especially amenable to word production, the impromptu manufacture of words of self-evident meaning. Geopark and all its associated new geo- words began as produced neologisms but are fast becoming legitimate scientific compounds. Produced words are often open to interpretation: they mean whatever

885-456: Is an apron of talus which has been deeply gullied through the action of debris flows , the site being reckoned as affording the best examples of such flows in Britain. The summit hosts a very large Bronze Age round barrow which is in a degraded state and remains unexcavated. It is likely to originate from the same period as burial cairns at the summits of Pen y Fan and Fan Foel , when

944-620: Is more than one country. A current list of accepted regions is: Canada has some geoparks. The most logical regional classification for these might have been the "North American Regional Geopark Network," following a proposed continental tradition for geopark regions. However, the United States does not have any geoparks, and Mexico is covered under Latin America. There are no other nations in North America that can be combined into

1003-418: Is no longer open to the process of innovation through word production. It has been defined by various organizations in the field of earth science . An essential element of the definition is that a geopark must be branded as part of an international geopark network. A national park is not necessarily a geopark. For example, the United States has a system of national parks, but none of them are geoparks. Canada, on

1062-477: Is not possible to discover what individuals first innovated the words. Authors such as Farsani can only state the groups among which they were thought to be first current. The term “geopark” was apparently first used to describe a newly instituted park in the west Vulkaneifel district of the Eifel Mountains of Rhineland-Palatinate , Germany. The region had tended to be economically depressed due to

1121-412: Is sought and which includes tourism, conservation, education and research concerning not just geology but other relevant sciences. In 2005, a European Geopark was defined as being: "a territory with a particular geological heritage and with a sustainable territorial development....the ultimate aim of a European Geopark is to bring enhanced employment opportunities for the people who live there." Today

1180-525: The Afon Twrch and the slopes to the east so into the River Tawe . The glacial lake of Llyn y Fan Fach is situated below the summit to the west, and is only slightly smaller than its companion Llyn y Fan Fawr about 2 miles to the east. There are several large linear moraines below the cliffs, similar to that below Fan Hir , some of which retain small pools. Beneath the cliffs of the north face

1239-636: The Bristol Channel can just be seen on the horizon to the south, across the gently falling dip slope . Pen y Fan and Corn Du are distinctive landmarks seen directly to the east across Fforest Fawr . Picws Du is formed from the sandstones and mudstones of the Brownstones Formation of the Lower Old Red Sandstone laid down during the early Devonian period . Its summit and southern slopes are formed from

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1298-461: The Chilterns and Northamptonshire . The kestrel and buzzard are widely distributed, but the raven is mainly restricted to the higher mountains. There is a wide distribution of mammals such as field voles , rabbits , foxes , weasels and badgers as well as many songbirds . The skylark is plentiful due to the extensive rough pasture present below the main peaks which allows ground nesting of

1357-569: The UK . Bronze Age standing stones , round barrows and stone circles , Iron Age , hillforts and mediaeval castles all feature with Maen Llia , Carn Goch and Carreg Cennen Castle being outstanding examples of each to be found in the Geopark. The industrial archaeology of the Geopark is outstanding as the Industrial Revolution shifted into gear in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries making South Wales one of

1416-512: The climate was much warmer than today, and the now deserted sub-arctic and tree-less landscape supported a larger human population than at present. There are several legends associated with the glacial lake below the summit, Llyn y Fan Fach, one of which is the story of the Lady of the Lake . The entire mountain is open country and so freely accessible to walkers. The most popular approach includes

1475-530: The Canadian Geoparks Network, to give global and green card certification. A regionalization based strictly on continents did not turn out to be practical for other regions also. A global geopark is one that has been certified to the fullest extent, and is therefore a member of UNESCO's global network of geoparks. It is per se also a member of a regional geopark network and also a member of a national geopark network, if its nation has one, or

1534-412: The Geopark and include some of Britain's most extensive cave networks including its deepest ( Ogof Ffynnon Ddu at 293.5 m (963 ft) and large numbers of shakeholes , the most impressive of which occur where a relatively thin cover of the younger Twrch Sandstone overlies the limestone. The limestone has been extensively worked in the past and numerous abandoned small quarries are scattered across

1593-567: The Geopark. The oldest (of late Ordovician age) occur in the northwest whilst the youngest (of late Carboniferous age) occur along its southern margins. Many of the Ordovician and Silurian age sandstones and mudstones were faulted and tightly folded during the Caledonian Orogeny . The overlying Devonian and Carboniferous age sandstones (e.g. Twrch Sandstone ), mudstones and limestones have generally been tilted gently to

1652-510: The League's International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation , both founded in 1945 to do a better job at peace-keeping and cooperation, were at first hindered by the Cold War . As it manifestly drew to an end in the 1970's, and the countries of east Europe would be open once more, UNESCO began to be more effective, formulating organizations to respond to a growing demand for the protection of

1711-681: The National Park Visitor Centre ( Mountain Centre ) near Libanus south-west of Brecon and at the Heritage and Information Centre in Llandovery . Various leaflets have been published, interpretive panels erected and a website established to promote the Geopark and inform visitors about it. Geopark A geopark is a protected area with internationally significant geology within which sustainable development

1770-585: The United Nations . Membership in the UN does not automatically imply membership of UNESCO, even though UNESCO is part of the UN. Both lists have about 193 member nations, but not exactly the same 193. The UN list covers most of the geopolitical world, but the UNESCO list lacks Israel, for example, which resigned in 2018 because they believed UNESCO is anti-Israel. The UNESCO Global Geoparks Network co-ordinates

1829-620: The activities of the many UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp's) around the world. It is divided into regional networks, such as the European Geoparks Network . The EGN historically preceded the UGGN, being founded in 2000 with the first four geoparks. It joined with UNESCO in 2001 and in 2005 agreed in the Madonie Declaration to be a regional network of the UGGps, which had been created by UNESCO in 2004. The Madonie Declaration of 2004, which

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1888-477: The area together with the cultural heritage relating to 7000 years of recorded human occupation of the area since the last ice age. Each of these aspects of the area are closely related to one another. The Old Red Sandstone (ORS) forms the principal summits which have attracted walkers to the area for decades. Walks on Pen y Fan and Corn Du and over the Carmarthen Fans / Brecon Beacons are amongst

1947-524: The area, and they include the red kite , common buzzard , kestrel , carrion crow , common raven and skylark to name a few of the most obvious residents. The red kite was previously restricted to this and adjoining areas in South Wales such as Mynydd Mallaen , owing to persecution from farmers and gamekeepers who thought (wrongly) that the bird attacked game birds . The red kite has since been re-introduced widely in many parts of Britain, such as

2006-438: The bottom level of the bottom-up system. They support national conservation, education, cultural development, research, as well as economic sustainability. There is some effort to control conflict of mandate; for example, Fossils are not allowed to be sold, which practice would favor sustainability, but work against conservation. For some geoparks, such as Sitia geopark (east Crete), the conflict between geotourist development and

2065-426: The conservation of archaeological sites is a severe one, reaching the law courts. As with the other levels of geopark, the parks are subject to review for recertification every four years. A transnational geopark crosses a national border to extend continuously in two member nations. The park must belong to two national geoparks, one in each nation, and one regional geopark. Both national geoparks collaborate to prepare

2124-468: The credibility of the international organizations certifying the park as a geopark, without which certification they cannot be scientific geoparks. The overall qualification, therefore, is that they must be certified as geoparks by the accepted international organizations. No certification, no geopark. The innovation of geo-compounds is neither new or recent, the most ancient perhaps being the geo-metria, "earth measurement," of ancient Greece. There have been

2183-410: The earliest industrialised societies in the world. Limekilns dot the hillsides wherever limestone puts in an appearance and tramways for conveying both raw materials and finished products are plentiful. The ambitious Brecon Forest Tramroad scheme was one of the earliest and longest tramway systems in the world. Tramways also served the silica rock mines and quarries, notably around Dinas Rock and

2242-466: The foot of the spectacular north face of the Black Mountain (range), especially Llyn y Fan Fach and Llyn y Fan Fawr below the summits of Picws Du and Fan Foel . Numerous landslips have occurred in the post-glacial period in both bedrock and superficial deposits, though these are no longer active. Karstic landforms are characteristic of the belt of limestone which runs east-west through

2301-413: The geopark is virtually synonymous with the UNESCO geopark, which is defined and managed under the voluntary authority of UNESCO's International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP). UNESCO provides a standard for geoparks and a certification service to territories that apply for it. The service is available to member states of UNESCO . The list of members is not the same as the member states of

2360-459: The gorge of the Nedd Fechan at Pontneddfechan . Many of these sites are interpreted for the visitor, others are left for the enthusiast to discover. Since its designation, Fforest Fawr Geopark has organised events for the public including walks and talks with National Park wardens, volunteer walk leaders and experts from the various partner organisations contributing their expertise. There

2419-591: The hard-wearing sandstones of the overlying Pen y Fan Formation (formerly the Plateau Beds) which are of upper/late Devonian age. The northwestern and northeast faces of Picws Du were home to small glaciers during the ice ages which gouged out the cirques of Pwll yr Henllyn and Pant y Bwlch respectively. These cwms drain via the Afon Sawdde into the River Towy to the west. The southern slopes drain into

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2478-457: The heritage that was left. The current round of innovation to which geo-park belongs dates to the last decades of the 20th century and the first of the 21st, although it may not be over yet. They began as marketing terms in the vending of what Farsani calls "sustainable tourism," characterizing it as "a new niche market," the key words being, in addition to geopark, geotourism , geoheritage , geosite , geoconservation , and geodiversity . It

2537-538: The most popular. Carboniferous Limestone forms an east-west belt of country to the south of the ORS which sports some of the country’s longest and deepest cave networks such as Ogof Ffynnon Ddu and the impressive Porth yr Ogof into which the Afon Mellte flows. Further south again is a Millstone Grit landscape, the most visited part of which is Waterfall Country which boasts the finest collection of waterfalls in

2596-606: The natural environment. Its aims largely coincide with the statutory duties and purpose of the National Park within which it sits. An initial application to the European Geoparks Network (EGN) made for a more geographically restricted Geopark based on the upper Swansea Valley was turned down in 2003 but the present area which extends to 300 square miles (777 km) was accepted by the EGN at their meeting in October 2005. A Geopark Development Officer

2655-421: The other hand, has several. A geopark network requires the branding of an international scientific association. They only brand protected areas that meet certain standards, as presented above. The branding has no effect on the previous status of an area. It might already have been other types of park, such as a national park. If the geopark branding is removed, it is still those other types of park. No matter what

2714-570: The outcrops of the Old Red Sandstone which has been worked for building and roofing stone. Quarries in the Twrch Sandstone yielded a very pure silica which when crushed, was specially suitable for the manufacture of firebricks . Sub-tropically weathered occurrences of this rock appear as soft sand deposits ('silica sand') which were worked for a similar purpose. The Geopark celebrates the geological and wider natural heritage of

2773-403: The path, where the path crosses peat bogs . There is a well built stone staircase climbing the escarpment where the Beacons Way rises from Llyn y Fan Fawr to Fan Brycheiniog . Access to the mountain is also possible from the car park at the foot of the road leading to the small dam on Llyn y Fan Fach. The road gives an easy but steep route to the lake. The footpath rises from the dam wall up

2832-467: The preference of buyers and sellers for markets in nearby France. They did have a noted geological asset: a now dormant forested volcanic range. The land shows evidence of ancient volcanos, including crater lakes, mineral springs, and pipe formations. The place also abounds in fossils. Although of interest to scientists and hikers, the terrain was generally regarded as a liability, some 19th-century plans even having been made to fill lakes. The word geopark

2891-636: The principal ones being Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Cardiff University and the British Geological Survey . A Partnership Board meets annually whilst a Management Group meets quarterly to consider strategy and project work. Both the Board and the Group derive their membership from a wide cross-section of interests with a stake in the success of the Geopark. These interests include but are not restricted to: The Geopark comprises

2950-502: The ridge to the east until it reaches the cliff above the lake. It then follows the cliff edge across Waun Lefrith to the summit, passing several rock outcrops and gullies dropping to the lake below. The views are extensive to the south with Swansea visible as well as the Bristol Channel . Views to the north include Mynydd Epynt and Brecon, with Llandeilo and the Tywi valley to the west. There are numerous different species of bird in

3009-579: The south and southwest towards the main South Wales Coalfield basin. The area was subject to repeated glaciation during the Quaternary period . Glacial till covers large parts of the landscape whilst recessional moraines occur within the major valleys of the Geopark and late-glacial moraines form striking features beneath the main north and north-east facing scarps of the mountains. Both moraines and glacial lakes are visible at

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3068-443: The type, management, the exercise of authority over the area, is always national; the scientific organizations have no sovereignty; they are simply advisory and certifying agencies guided by decisions made at international conventions. A "national geopark" is a post de facto designation by UNESCO of a "geographical area" or a transnational geographical area already known to be "of international, regional, and/or national importance" as

3127-490: The west of the Brecon Beacons National Park in south Wales . The highest peak is Fan Foel immediately next along the ridge and it is a subsidiary summit of Fan Brycheiniog . Picws Du falls within Fforest Fawr Geopark and its prominent summit is marked by a large Bronze Age round barrow at a height of 2457 feet above sea level. Waun Lefrith is the other, lower summit of the Carmarthen Fans situated to

3186-467: The west. The peak overlooks the glacial lake of Llyn y Fan Fach in the cwm below. As the peak sits on the edge of the escarpment on a ridge which juts out into the valley below, the views from the summit are panoramic and extensive. The views to the north are especially impressive when the weather is clear, looking towards the Cambrian Mountains , Mynydd Epynt and Brecon . Swansea and

3245-601: The western half the Brecon Beacons National Park in southern Wales . At its heart are the mountain massifs of Fforest Fawr , the Black Mountain (Welsh: 'Y Mynydd Du') and the central Brecon Beacons . The designated area includes the surrounding lowlands; principally parts of the Usk , Towy , Tawe and Taf valleys. Rocks from the Ordovician Period through to the Carboniferous outcrop in various parts of

3304-455: The writer intended them to mean or whatever the reader interpreted them to mean. Eventually the word receives a common understanding that can be dictionary-defined. "Geopark" is right at that point. Henriques and Brilha, after listing four interpretations not to be allowed now, cite features that must be present in the application of "geopark:" a development plan, a geoheritage, conservation, and sustainability. These are features that must receive

3363-745: Was appointed in January 2007 whilst the National Park Authority also employs an education officer part of whose time is dedicated to the Geopark and the Geopark’s Waterfalls Centre was staffed by two information assistants from summer 2007 until June 2016. The Geopark hosted a meeting of the European Geoparks Network in Brecon in spring 2011. Together with the United Kingdom 's six other geoparks, Fforest Fawr Georpark

3422-459: Was formally recognised by UNESCO in December 2015. In common with other European Geoparks, Fforest Fawr is reassessed on a four yearly (previously three yearly) cycle. A successful revalidation took place in 2008 after an initial three-year period of membership of the EGN with another in 2012. It was reassessed again in 2016. Fforest Fawr Geopark is run by a partnership of several organisations,

3481-553: Was signed by Nikolas Zouros for the EGN and Wolfgang Eder for UNESCO, established what was later called a "bottom up" system of precedence. An applicant geopark must first be a member of the EGN before applying to the UGGN. Furthermore, another level was created, the National Geoparks Network, which at first glance seems a contradiction in terms. Geoparks are international. What the Declaration meant was, if

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