Michael Benton - School of Earth Sciences, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS۸ ۱TF, UK
Alexander Brasier - ۲ School of Geosciences, Meston Building, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB۲۴ ۳UE, UK.
Peter Harrison - North West Highlands Geopark, The Rock Stop, Unapool, Kylesku, Sutherland, Scotland IV۲۷ ۴HW
Laura Hamlet - North West Highlands Geopark, The Rock Stop, Unapool, Kylesku, Sutherland, Scotland IV۲۷ ۴HW

The North West Highlands Geopark is probably one of the largest geoparks anywhere, comprising ۲۰۰۰ km۲ of remote, mountainous and coastal terrain. It was the first European Geopark to be recognised in Scotland in ۲۰۰۴ and was designated by UNESCO as a Global Geopark in ۲۰۱۵. Since then, it has been very successful in delivering projects to support sustainable community and economic development based on the region’s Geoheritage and giving informative introductions to the geology, wildlife, landscapes, and human heritage of the region. The geological importance resides in the incredible age of the Lewisian rocks, which are some of the most ancient in Europe, and the organic-walled microfossils of the Torridonian rocks, amongst the oldest evidence of life in the continent of Europe, and possibly the oldest evidence of complex (eukaryotic) non-marine life in the world.

Geopark, Geoconservation, Geotourism, Torridonian, Torridon Group, Stoer Head Group, Precambrian life