Lead organisation
Partner organisations
Parc regional natural des Caps et Marais d'Opale
Project description
In celebration of the chalk and the Channel, we are working to secure Cross-Channel UNESCO Global Geopark status for the Kent Downs National Landscape, together with our neighbouring protected landscape in France, the Parc Naturel Régional des Caps et Marais d'Opale. This collaborative Geopark will unite both protected landscapes and the Channel itself, recognising and celebrating the deep geological connections that link us across borders.
Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, our Geodiversity project is inspiring people to explore the incredible natural heritage of the Kent Downs and uncover personal connections to the landscape. Through a dynamic programme of events, activities, and learning opportunities, we are helping people understand how millions of years of geological processes have shaped our landscape and continue to influence our environment and communities today.
The project amplifies local voices and histories, sharing stories of immigration and settlement shaped by the landscape. We are empowering a diverse team of Geopark Ambassadors from local partners, volunteers, and businesses, training them to share the rich geology and geomorphology of the Kent Downs and inspire responsible tourism.
Our Educational Toolkits and activity programmes engage a wide range of audiences, from primary and secondary schools to SEN groups, community organisations, and higher education institutions. The Youth Ambassador Programme introduces young people from diverse backgrounds to career pathways in earth sciences, collaborating with academic and industry partners.
We are expanding access to geological heritage through citizen science initiatives, events at key Geosites, and enhanced interpretation materials, ensuring more people can enjoy, learn from, and help protect the Geopark. Together, we are committed to fostering sustainable connections between people, place, and planet.
Project location
Across the Kent Downs National Landscape, with the additional inclusion of the urban areas of Sevenoaks, Dover and Folkestone.
Contribution to Big Chalk
The GeoDiversity project is committed to deep engagement with local people and visitors through our education and outreach programme; championing sustainable tourism through our ambassador programme and business partnerships; increasing and improving access to the landscape for more people through investment in Geosites; providing volunteering opportunities, and protecting and enhancing the landscape character and historical and cultural heritage of the Kent Downs and Cross Channel Geopark in everything that we do.
Do you have a project that could strengthen the future of southern England’s iconic chalk and limestone landscapes?
The Big Chalk programme brings together a dynamic suite of partner-led projects, each unique in its focus, area, and partnerships but sharing a commitment to our collective vision.
If your project contributes to the Big Chalk mission, we invite you to register it as a Big Chalk Project. Registered projects gain access to networking, shared learning, and best practice—alongside the Big Chalk brand, boosting your profile and connecting you to a powerful, growing network of partners.
Together, these projects form a united effort to secure the future of southern England’s chalk and limestone landscapes, making a lasting impact for nature and communities.