INTERNATIONAL COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP EXCHANGE
PORTLAND AND THE JURASSIC COAST, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EXCHANGE

Introduction

The Jurassic Coast of Dorset in southern England is an area of outstanding coastal scenery due to its varied geology. Long a tourism destination, the area also has a significant quarrying industry and until recently major military dockyards on the Isle of Portland. New challenges are emerging with the closure of the dockyard and the need to regenerate the local economy. The team were asked to explore how the spectacular geological landscape and quarrying heritage could be better harnessed to develop sustainable “geo” tourism facilities.

Key Issues

Key Issues Drawn from a “swot” analysis, the team identified four key issues:

· Community issues relating to local involvement in future change including, a precious local identity on Portland threatened by recent change, an impression that much local change was led by outsiders, and an absence of a shared vision for the area’s future.
· Confusion around the real meaning and the implications of geotourism and its communication to visitors. There are important questions relating to its economic viability and local reaction to and acceptance of any proposed facilities.
· The proposed need to develop an agreed Jurassic Coast theme that co-ordinates the interpretation of the areas’ varied heritage. Allied to this is its promotion, without reducing the heritage to a mere amusement attraction.
· With regard to Portland’s unique heritage, the presence of many, sometimes conflicting, local agendas and images of the area is an important issue. This relates also to a need to spread tourism impact and consider the role of the private sector in tourism development.

Observations

The team found that there were many public and private tourism initiatives underway along the Jurassic Coast but at present there is an incomplete understanding of what exists, what problems the current initiatives face in developing and what support would be most useful. Many could expand to present the area’s heritage further but face a variety of funding, staffing, carrying capacity and other problems. There are also potential sites that could be developed for sustainable and sensitive tourism. However, there also appear to be some important and relevant groups who have not yet expressed their views on how local tourism should be developed, especially at local community level.

No agreed vision of the Jurassic Coast exists across a broad local constituency and as yet there is no strategic management plan for tourism incorporating marketing and interpretative elements to aid new initiatives in the most appropriate locations. Valuable groundwork has already been done through the current Jurassic Coast Project, including a draft interpretive strategy.

Some likely potential audiences for geotourism in the area could be more directly encouraged but there is no co-ordinated theme bringing related heritage sites together into one ÔimageÕ for the visiting public.

At Portland the team noted its potential as a good location for a geotourism development, perhaps tapping into nearby tourism honeypots, though there are significant infrastructure implications and access issues involved. There is also a need to archive and celebrate the threatened quarrying heritage of the area. However, the team noted widely differing agendas within tourism development on Portland and the lack of a specific “image” of the island

Recommendations and the Future Strategic Approach

Much good work is already underway through the Jurassic Coast Project and other local organisations. A strategy needs to be developed which:

· strengthens the integration of tourism activities
· identifies, involves and listens to all potential partners
· develops a comprehensive understanding of all resources, opportunities and needs
· creates an overall vision for tourism
· develops a management framework that guides future resource allocation.

A thorough survey of all parties’ aspirations is needed. In part, this could be done through community-based planning exercises at a variety of levels including community council and schools. Resources, shared values and future visions could emerge. A comprehensive audit of existing facilities and resources is needed outlining their problems, constraints, needs and the potential of currently underdeveloped sites. Bringing the above two elements together should help the development of a vision for sustainable earth heritage-based tourism that has a broad constituency behind it.

Management Plan

From the audits a management plan for tourism should be produced, building on existing work. It should incorporate interpretive and marketing elements and identify a series of agreed, implementable projects. It should outline:

· means of managing tourism, recreation and education on the Jurassic Coast
· identify gaps in provision and propose appropriate development
· outline networks of facilities
· co-ordinate existing strategic plans
· draw in volunteer groups.

The interpretive element of the plan should encourage community input, identify likely audiences, themes, sites and delivery mechanisms, possibly through local plans for specific areas along the coast. The marketing element should aim to raise the profile of the Jurassic Coast through a variety of means including a conference aimed at likely market segments, tour operator familiarisation visits which could develop specialist packages, promotion at special events and possible “geo” cruises. It also needs to outline an over-arching theme or “image” for local geotourism linking together relevant sites and include a merchandising plan.

Projects

The plan should identify projects at a variety of scales and, whilst being appropriate to their sites and resources, they should also be important means of bringing partners together and engaging the community. Strategic projects could include:

· grant schemes for accommodation to address a lack of current provision
· service training for local staff in the tourism business
· integrated signage and identity for each part of the Jurassic Coast
· develop a Portland Centre to present and interpret the unique heritage of the area in this appropriate and geographically central location
· promote the Jurassic Coast facilities widely through the local press and a newsletter.

Local projects could include an improved gateway image for Portland, including environmental improvements, and the encouragement of a local guide network Ð a ÔJurassic Ranger ServiceÕ – engaging the local community in presenting its heritage and the restoration of appropriate sections of some of PortlandÕs historic stone quarries. New access routes for walking and cycling, and the developments of local events that celebrate local heritage are other potential projects.

Organisation

The above work should be progressed by a public limited company with charitable status, possibly called ÔJurassic CoastÕ steered by a board representing all stakeholders and working through a development officer and an education co-ordinator.

The Team

· George Bennett, Rural Development Commission (UK)
· Catherine Bowmer, Peak District National Park (UK)
· Cheryl Doble, State University of New York (USA)
· Annie Hillary, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (USA)
· Tom Robinson, Luton University (UK)
· John Uttley, Scottish Natural Heritage (UK)
· Dr Hardolph Wasteneys, Geologist (CAN)

Where to Find Out More: Local Organiser: Richard Edmonds, Jurassic Coast Project, Environmental Services Directorate, Dorset County Council, County Hall, Dorchester DT1 1XJ Tel: 01305 224477 Fax: 01305 224835 E-Mail: dorsetcoast@dorset-cc-gov.uk

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©2002 Glynwood Center