Exposed! The Public Life of Carboniferous Fossils in the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, Ireland

Authors

• Eamon Doyle * ¹

• Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, Clare County Council, Ennistymon, County Clare, Ireland

Abstract

Carboniferous fossils from the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, County Clare, Ireland are rated by their promotional potential in the form of celebrity A, B or C-listings. Trace fossils, crinoids, brachiopods, corals and vertebrates are the most exposed to public view at a number of high-profile visitor locations and the relative risk to the fossils to increased public exposure is assessed. The least abundant fossils, the vertebrates, have the highest promotional potential, while locally well-known trace fossils are also considered high potential. The invertebrates are of lower promotional value; however, that is changing with increasing public education. Currently, fossils get limited exposure on Geopark websites and social media platforms. The use of fossils to provide content to social media and other geotourism promotional material should be encouraged but requires a balance between the needs of geoconservation, scientific study and geotourism exploitation that requires selective use of fossils and careful promotional writing.

Keywords

• Promotion
• Geotourism. Geoconservation
• Carboniferous fossils
• Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark
• Social media

Main Subjects

• Geoconservation
• Geoparks
• Paleontology

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