Stonehammer becomes first UNESCO-supported geopark in North America
11/01/2010
The Stonehammer Geopark in southern New Brunswick has become the first North American member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)-supported Global Geoparks Network. Wellness, Culture and Sport Minister Trevor Holder announced the designation.
I am pleased to congratulate the Stonehammer Working Committee on such a great success on being designated a geopark by the network, said Holder. It will not only give the members of the committee satisfaction for a work well done, it will also put New Brunswick and this specific area on the map.
I am proud of its continuous efforts and their hard work. The team did tremendous work, and we are lucky, at the department and in our province, to have such dedicated people who believe in what they do.
The announcement follows more than three years of preparation by the committee, including work by the curator of Geology and Paleontology at the New Brunswick Museum, Randall Miller, and other museum staff. Miller has been investigating the geological heritage and the history in the Greater Saint John area for many years and brought the idea of a geopark to the community.
The Stonehammer Geopark incorporates more than 60 significant geological and fossil locales, including more than 10 publicly accessible sites. It is a community-supported organization comprised of site owners, tourism operators, members of the community and other stakeholders. The park encompasses 2,500 square kilometres and extends from Lepreau Falls to Norton and from the Fundy Trail to the Kingston Peninsula.
A geopark is an area recognized by the network as having exceptional geological heritage. This means that the area has a natural landscape that is educational, has a significant scientific value, is particularly rare or it is simply beautiful. Geoparks also include sites with interesting archeology, wildlife and habitats, history, folklore and culture, all of which are linked with geology.
The name Stonehammer comes from the first geologists who explored the area. A group of young men in Saint John formed the Steinhammer Club in 1857 to explore the geology near their home. Geologists have since been visiting the area ever since and continue to make new discoveries.
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