The geological domain is an integral part of this system but (typical of geologists, some would say) has not made things any easier. So over time and geography, it has added its own layer of designations: Local Geological Sites, Local Sites, County Geological Sites, Regional Geological and Geomorphological Sites, Geodiversity Sites and Geoheritage Sites. And just for completeness and so the eagle-eyed amongst you don’t need to write in, I know I should have mentioned that SAMs and UNESCO-WHS have an influence on rocks too.

I can’t speak to the wildlife component but the geological element looks, and is, messy. Of course that was never the initial objective. Every one of these designations was set up by well-intentioned, often expert, and always enthusiastic, people, who wished to conserve and manage special parts of our landscape. But somewhere in the process (a process which has geographic, expertise, organisational and personnel variables and stakeholders), with time, things have gone awry, and in Northumberland at least, sites of geological importance and the data that describes them are in need of some TLC. That’s Tender Loving Care, not Type Locality Conservation.

Why, I hear you ask, do we need to protect rocks? It’s hard to grasp I know, but while rocks may be ubiquitous, the places where you can access, view and inspect key features that make up our landscape are rare. And to labour a point from earlier blogs, geology is a part of our natural landscape - it is literally the bedrock which underpins our biodiversity. If we wish to protect wildlife then we must also understand and protect our geodiversity. So we need to look after these special rocks and landscapes.

So you get a flavour here are a few geological designations in Northumberland: SSSI - Harthope Burn river cliffs, granite contacts; Limestone Corner, Whin Sill excavated in the Vallum; Beltingham shingles - rich in minerals and calaminarian plants; SNCI - Prudhamstone Quarries, sedimentary rock sequence; Redesdale Ironstone Quarry, fossiliferous sedimentary rocks.

I’m hoping I’ve also answered your second question; what’s all this got to do with Northumberland Wildlife Trust? Looking after and promoting geological features is a legal object within NWT’s articles. And, as far as this geologist is concerned, that’s great. Why, because while there are many small and large, formal and less formal, organisations in the region and nationally, who have a stake in this, it’s NWT who have the awareness of the significance of these sites and more importantly the continuity to conserve them. Yes, it will have to be tensioned against other NWT priorities and yes it will need to source funds to do the conservation, databasing and outreach, but we recognise that there is a job that needs doing and that someone needs to take responsibility for it. As I’m closing this blog there’s a germ of another one emerging about special geological places, and I’m guessing you may be surprised where - the Toon! There are some rocks and landscapes within the boundary of Newcastle-upon-Tyne that have some amazing stories to tell. But that’s for next time.