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Paying for geoparks Some concluding remarks
The LGA is funded by SNH, The Highland The area examined in this chapter has the
Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise geotourism advantage that its rocks were important
Lochaber, Leader Plus, The Heritage Lottery in the development of scientific geology and they
Fund and The Robertson Trust; it also works have significant geohistorical significance. However,
with a broad spectrum of local, regional and even geotourism’s early development had negative
national organizations, including the John Muir impacts which have some modern counterparts;
Trust, The Association of Lochaber Community for example, in 1844: ‘On Staffa travelers carved
Councils, the Nevis Partnership, Outdoor their names into the basaltic pillars and fired shots
Capital of the UK, the British Geological inside Fingal’s Cave to hear the echo’ (Rackwitz,
Survey, the Forestry Commission, the National 2007, p219). The former activity is not unknown
Trust for Scotland and Visit Scotland. There have today, although paint aerosols sometimes substitute
been attempts to licence and charge a fee for the for chisels! Fortunately, modern geotourism
right to collect from geosites in Scotland and provision depends upon geoconservation and such
elsewhere; the most notable was on the Isle of 19th-century practices are now actively
Arran (Robinson, 1990) where the landowner, discouraged. However, the issue of responsible
whose land accounted for four-fifths of the collecting of geological material is something that
localities in the island’s main field guide, proposed still needs addressing at some key localities,
to make a per capita weekly charge (initially especially for rocks and minerals since the launch
£10 but subsequently reduced to £4) for of SNH’s Scottish Fossil Code in 2007.
geology parties. Opinions were mixed amongst Overall, the region exemplifies the significance
both the broad geological and the local island’s of opening up safe and reliable access together
hotelier community. Overall, it was an with the popularization of aesthetic landscapes, in
unwelcome if plausible option to generate illustrated accounts, in the development of early
legitimate income propounded in terms of new geotourism by elite travellers; as these improved in
approaches to land and estate resource quality and quantity so it increased its mass appeal.
management; however, a drawback was that it Geoparks such as Lochaber are a natural evolution
implied that the land agent was responsible and from 19th century approaches to landscape
liable for the health and safety of anyone paying promotion and late 20th century approaches to
fees and this might well have led to the environmental interpretation. They encourage
withdrawal of the proposal. Arran was the base cooperation between landowners and agents,
for two-day geotourism courses run by SNH in tourism operators and the geological community
2004 and 2005 (MacFadyen, 2006). This was an to promote geology and landscape to tourists (See
initiative prompted by the island’s hoteliers and Zouros, 2006). Additionally they can link quite
bed and breakfast owners, who approached diverse, in terms of age and geological interest,
SNH. The subsequent initial course (run in primary and secondary geosites through trails and
conjunction with Destination Arran, The associated publications. Geotourism has a clear
National Trust for Scotland and the Royal role in extending the timing and nature of tourism
Society for the Protection of Birds) involved a provision in the Highlands and Islands. Increasingly,
day of sessions on the significance of biodiversity the tourism industry is promoting active,
and geodiversity and how these can be marketed participative outdoor and adventure activities
locally and nationally, with a brief field excursion. involving the individual in a greater knowledge
The second day was a whole-day field excursion and understanding of the host environment.
with lectures and briefings on Arran’s geology. Recreational geology promoted through
Presently, on Arran and elsewhere some income geotourism should find a place in such future
can obviously be generated from charges to visit developments and continue the 200-year
visitor and heritage centres, as well as from the popularity of the region for tourists interested in
sale of publications. landscapes underpinned by volcanic features.

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