Barron, H. F., Browne, M. A. E. and Finlayson, A. 2005. West Lothian Geodiversity. British Geological Survey Commissioned Report, CR/06/008N. 190pp.
West Lothian geodiversity
Volumes 1–3
Geology and Landscape North Programme Commissioned Report CR/06/008N
Geology and Landscape North Programme Volume 1 — Report by H F Barron, M A E Browne and A Finlayson
Contributors S L B Arkley, S M Clarke, A Matthewson, A Pickering , K I G Lawrie and E K Hyslop
Editor D J D Lawrence
Download full PDF report from NORA (NERC Open Research Archive)
Bibliographical reference Barron, H F, Browne, M A E, And Finlayson, A. 2005. West Lothian Geodiversity. British Geological Survey Commissioned Report, CR/06/008N. 190pp.
Copyright in materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is owned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and/or the authority that commissioned the work. You may not copy or adapt this publication without first obtaining permission. Contact the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Section, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, e-mail ipr@bgs.ac.uk. You may quote extracts of a reasonable length without prior permission, provided a full acknowledgement is given of the source of the extract.
Maps and diagrams in this book use topography based on Ordnance Survey mapping.
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Keywords Geodiversity; West Lothian.
© NERC 2006. All rights reserved
Keyworth, Nottingham British Geological Survey 2006
Foreword
Increasing pressure on land and the environment demands a greater awareness and understanding of the dynamics of our natural world in order to deliver a sustainable environment for the future. Biodiversity and the need for the Government to recognise, audit and plan for habitat and ecology is widely accepted and enshrined in UK legislation. However the importance of the complementary concept of Geodiversity is only now gaining recognition, despite providing the foundations for habitats and species.
Geodiversity has a vital role in all aspects of the natural heritage and impacts on many sectors in economic development and historical and cultural heritage. For example, in the development of sustainable eco or geo-tourism (North West Highlands and other UK UNESCO Global Geoparks), Strategic Environmental Assessment, local authority structure and mineral plans, building stone resources, education and art.
Nationally important geological sites have been assessed and are protected by statutory measures, but there is little systematic inventory and evaluation of local sites or development of management measures for these sites.
A first step in addressing these issues is to conduct geodiversity audits. This report documents the first geodiversity audit of a local authority area conducted in Scotland and provides a foundation for developing a West Lothian Geodiversity Action Plan (WLGAP).
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to express their thanks to John Sheldon of West Lothian Council, John Gordon and Rachel Wignall of Scottish Natural Heritage and David McAdam of Lothian and Borders RIGS Group for support and advice throughout the project.
Particular thanks are offered to the Scottish Executive Sustainable Development Directorate for funding most of the project with a grant from the Aggregates Levy Fund. Martin Smith is thanked for co-funding the project from the BGS Geology and Landscape North Programme.
Sarah Arkley and Stu Clarke are thanked for their contribution to field work, Alastair Matthewson for data compilation, Ken Lawrie for database design, Amelia Pickering for supporting the GIS work, Ewan Hyslop for information on the built heritage and Dave Lawrence for advice on geodiversity, report editing and general encouragement.
The field work could not have taken place without the co-operation of a large number of farmers and landowners; their permission is gratefully acknowledged.
Contents
Volume 1
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Contents
Summary
1 Introduction
1.1 Project Aims
1.2 Project background
1.3 Legislative and policy context
1.3.1 Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004
1.3.2 Modernising the planning system
1.3.3 Strategic environmental assessment
1.3.4 West Lothian Local Plan
1.3.5 West Lothian Biodiversity Action Plan
1.3.6 West Lothian Soil Sustainability Report
1.3.7 EU Soil Directive
1.3.8 Guidance note on geodiversity to biodiversity groups
1.3.9 Guidance on Local Nature conservation site systems in Scotland
2 Geodiversity and its importance
2.1 Geodiversity — why is it important?
2.2 Geodiversity — linking with biodiversity.
2.3 Scotland's geodiversity
3 The geodiversity of West Lothian
3.1 Geological background.
3.1.1 Geological history
3.2 Use of geological resources
3.2.1 Mineral resources and extraction
3.2.2 Built heritage
3.3 Evaluating the geodiversity of West Lothian
3.3.1 Site desk study
3.3.2 Field audit
3.3.3 Project database (GeoDiversitY)
3.3.4 Project GIS
3.4 The geodiversity resource
3.4.1 Geodiversity site review
3.4.2 Inverclyde Group rocks
3.4.3 Strathclyde Group rocks
3.4.4 Bathgate Group rocks
3.4.5 Clackmannan Group rocks
3.4.6 Coal Measures (Scotland) Group rocks
3.4.7 Volcanic vent rocks
3.4.8 Alkali-dolerite sills
3.4.9 Quartz-dolerite sills and dykes
3.4.10 Quaternary deposits, landscapes and soils
4 West Lothian Geodiversity Action Plan (WLGAP)
4.1 Introduction.
4.2 Aims
5 Bibliography
5 Glossary
6 Acronyms and abbreviations
West Lothian Geodiversity Volume 2 — Figures
Volume 3 Appendices
Appendix 1 Natural heritage designations in West Lothian
Appendix 2 Geodiversity guidance for LBAPS
Appendix 3 Detailed geology of West Lothian
Appendix 4 Potential sites from desk study
Appendix 5 GeoDiversitY Database
Appendix 6 GIS data layers supplied to West Lothian Council and SNH
Tables
Summary
For its size, Scotland has the most varied geology, natural landscapes and landforms of any country on the planet. This variety, or geodiversity, has resulted in the dramatically different landscapes we see in Scotland today. Although not as striking as some of the iconic landscapes in other parts of Scotland, West Lothian's Carboniferous bedrock and cover of glacial deposits nevertheless exhibit a large variety of rock types, structures, fossils, processes, soils and landforms set within a varied landscape.
This report describes a geodiversity audit of West Lothian — the first to be conducted in Scotland. It was undertaken as a means of informing the framing of recommendations and action points designed to guide the sustainable management, planning, conservation and interpretation of all aspects of the Earth heritage of West Lothian. The audit was not intended to be comprehensive survey of all potential geodiversity sites in West Lothian, but rather an evaluation of a representative selection of sites and features of geological and landscape importance. The audit was conducted by the British Geological Survey (BGS) in partnership with West Lothian Council (WLC), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Lothian and Borders RIGS Group (LaBRIGS).
A database of 204 potential geodiversity sites for the West Lothian area was compiled from the geological literature, BGS staff expertise and information from LaBRIGS Group. This database was used to target sites for geodiversity field auditing, which took place between August and December 2005.
Information on soils was obtained from the Macaulay 1:25,000 digital soil data and the joint WLC and SNH document on Soil sustainability in West Lothian. Data on designated sites was obtained from SNH, JNCC and Lothian Wildlife Information Centre; habitats and landscape data from WLC; archaeology from Historic Scotland and West of Scotland Archaeology Service.
During the field work, 86 sites were visited and information recorded on site ownership, access, fragility, geological merit, potential use and relevance to other interests, at local, regional, national and international level. This information was then entered in the BGS GeoDiversitY database, designed specifically for geodiversity auditing. Details of a further 36 sites which were not visited, but are potentially significant, were also added, giving a total of 122 sites and features of potential geological and landscape importance in West Lothian.
From this list of 122 sites, 51 were selected as being representative of particular geodiversity features in the context of West Lothian and are classed as West Lothian Geodiversity Sites (WLGSs). Of these 51 sites, four are currently protected nationally as SSSIs and six protected locally as RIGS. The new WLGSs expand this list of important sites to provide much better geodiversity coverage at the local level.
A draft West Lothian Geodiversity Action Plan (WLGAP) is presented. The main objectives of this plan are: to 'embed' geodiversity into future planning, management and interpretation policies; to recommend strategies for continued monitoring of WLGSs; and to increase overall awareness, understanding and appreciation of West Lothian's geodiversity.