A Geologists Association Regional Conference
Entitled ‘The Geology of the Marches’- Murchison to the Modern Era’, this weekend event aims to blend a series of keynote talks with an identification workshop/guided tour on the Friday afternoon using the vast fossil collection of the Ludlow Museum Resource Centre, a series of interactive workshops on the Saturday, and a choice of five minibus field trips on the Sunday.
The Welsh Borders or the Marches are in many ways the key area where the first principles of geology were tried and tested and both William Smith, the recognised ‘Father of Geology’, and Sir Roderick Murchison will both feature on the Saturday and throughout the field trip to key sites in the Mortimer Forest, Croft Castle and Aymestrey on the Sunday.
New research on the Precambrian in the Church Stretton area will also feature as a keynote talk and will be supported on the Sunday by a choice of two field trips either to Caer Caradoc led by Paul Olver or to the Wrekin with Andrew Jenkinson.
The Silurian system was defined in the Marches by Murchison and no visit to the area would be complete without a talk on the latest fossil finds by Prof. David Siveter and by a field trip to the classic Wren’s Nest site in Dudley, West Midlands on the Sunday.
Finally, with building stones high on the current agenda, an interactive workshop is planned for the Saturday hosted by the Earth Heritage Trust and a follow-up field trip to four South Shropshire churches is planned for the Sunday taken by Prof. John Potter from the University of Reading.
Geoparks, now found across Europe, are a tangible sign of earth scientists joining forces with their local communities and geological societies. The Geovillages Workshop on the Saturday, hosted by our colleagues from Germany, France and Poland, will introduce us to a superb range of geology and how group visits, the development of geology trails in different languages, and other geology-based activities can benefit all society members whether professional or amateur.
If you would like to know more including a booking form, please look at the Symposium website.
