Governance

The Cross Channel Geopark Transmanche Advisory Board

As a key part of the bottom-up approach of the Cross-Channel Global Geopark we have established a Cross-Channel Advisory Board – this is very widely framed and inclusive with members including the Geopark Ambassadors, Businesses, members from the National Level Structures, Executive and Geoscience Committee, communities, education establishments, businesses, artists, farmers, land managers tourism professionals, other UNESCO designated sites, historians, leaders in intangible heritage, etc.

The Advisory Board comes together once a year at a Partners’ Conference and Festival but otherwise support the Geopark through their advice, support, expertise or in other ways.

Members of the Board receive regular updates on the Geopark, have the opportunity to influence our plans and our work, have a chance to join smaller task and finish groups focusing on specialist subjects from farming to dancing, from nature to geology and from history to architecture.

Within the framework of the Advisory Board Communities of Practice and Special Interest Groups are developing. These are distinct – Communities of Practice being more long term and iterative where Special Interest Groups more likely to be ‘task and finish’ groups.

Examples of Task and Finish activities include the teams setting up and delivering the Geopark Festivals/ Advisory Board meetings.

Community of Practice groups are already emerging including, crosschannel artists, the Anglo/French Geopark Ambassadors, education resources and exchange.

Special Interest Groups are likely to emerge around Farming and Land Management including Viticulture; Geopark branding and Business Partnerships; Green Finance; Tourism; Influencers (digital and political); Geosite management, etc

Both the Communities of Practice and Advisory Board will be supported where appropriate by the Geopark Team where a need has been identified by the Management Plan, Advisory Board, Executive, UNESCO or others.