Geodiversity

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Annex 2: Glossary, published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) in 2012, defines geodiversity as: ‘The range of rocks, minerals, fossils, soils and landforms.’

This definition was repeated in the revised NPPF in 2024.

The London Plan, Published by the Mayor of London in March 2016, suggests that geodiversity refers to: ‘The variety of rocks, fossils, minerals, landforms, soils and natural processes, such as weathering, erosion and sedimentation, that underlie and determine the character of our natural landscape and environment.’

Glasgow City Development Plan, Published by Glasgow City Council in 2016, defines geodiversity as: ‘The variety of rocks, minerals, fossils, landforms, sediments and soils, together with the natural processes which form and alter them.’

North Ayrshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan, 2019-2031, published by North Ayrshire Council, defines geodiversity as: ‘The variety of the geological and physical elements of nature, such as minerals, rocks, soils, fossils and landforms, and the natural processes which form and alter them. Together with biodiversity, geodiversity constitutes the natural diversity of planet Earth. Conservation management of geodiversity, our non-living natural world, is crucial to sustaining living species and habitats and environmental quality.’

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