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Dorset and East Devon Coast

Dorset and East Devon Coast

The cliff exposures along the Dorset and East Devon coast provide an almost continuous sequence of rock formations spanning the Mesozoic Era, or some 185 million years of the earth's history. The area's important fossil sites and classic coastal geomorphologic features have contributed to the study of earth sciences for over 300 years.

Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

Littoral du Dorset et de l'est du Devon

Les falaises côtières du Littoral du Dorset et de l'est du Devon présentent une séquence pratiquement ininterrompue de formations rocheuses s'étendant sur tout le Mésozoïque, soit environ 185 millions d'années d'histoire de la Terre. Les importants sites fossilifères de la région ainsi que ses caractéristiques géomorphologiques côtières classiques contribuent à l'étude des sciences de la Terre depuis plus de 300 ans.

Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

ساحل دورست وشرق ديفون

تتألف الشواطئ الصخرية لساحل دورست  وشرق ديفون من سلسلة غير منقطعة من التشكلات الصخرية الممتدة على طول الدهر الوسيط أي على نحو 185 مليون سنة من تاريخ الأرض. وتساهم المواقع الهامة ذات الأحافير (التي تحوي بقايا متحجرة) ومميزاتها الجيومورفولوجية الساحلية في دراسة علوم الأرض منذ أكثر من 300 سنة.

source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

多塞特和东德文海岸

多塞特和东德文海岸沿岸的悬崖,展示了约1.85亿年间的地球发展历程,其岩层序列几乎毫无间断地记录了中生代的地质史。该地区是重要的化石采集基地,具有典型的海岸地形特征,300多年来对地球科学研究做出了贡献。

source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

Побережье Дорсетшира и Восточного Девоншира

Выходы пород, обнаруженные вдоль обрывистых берегов юга Англии (графство Дорсетшир и восток графства Девоншир), отражают практически весь мезозойский период в истории развития Земли, т.е. охватывают промежуток времени примерно в 185 млн лет. Найденные здесь окаменелости, равно как и рельеф береговой зоны, на протяжении более чем 300 лет служат объектами изучения.

source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

Litoral de Dorset y del este de Devon

Los acantilados del litoral del condado de Dorset y del este del condado de Devon presentan una secuencia prácticamente ininterrumpida de formaciones rocosas que abarca la totalidad del Periodo Mesozoico, o sea unos 185 millones de años de historia de la Tierra. Los importantes sitios fosilíferos de esta región, así como las características geomorfológicas clásicas de la costa, vienen prestando desde hace más de tres siglos una importante contribución a las ciencias de la Tierra.

source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

ドーセット及び東デヴォン海岸
ドーセットと東デボン海岸に沿う崖は、中生代において1億8500万年間も続いた地球の形成過程を今に伝えている。この地域における重要な化石、そして古代の海岸地形は、過去300年にわたって地球科学の研究に大きく寄与している。

source: NFUAJ

Dorset en de kust van Oost-Devon

De kliffen aan de kust van Dorset en Oost-Devon zorgen voor een bijna onafgebroken reeks van Trias, Jura en Krijt-rotsformaties die het Mesozoïcum omspannen en ongeveer 185 miljoen jaar van de geschiedenis van de aarde documenteren. Het gebied kent een scala van belangrijke fossielenvindplaatsen. Zowel fossielen van gewervelde en ongewervelde, mariene als terrestrische zijn er te vinden. Ze vormen goed bewaard gebleven bewijs van leven tijdens het Mesozoïcum. Daarnaast bevat het terrein schoolboekvoorbeelden van geomorfologische kustkenmerken, landvormen en processen. De kust wordt door geologen en geomorfologen als een van de belangrijkste onderwijs- en onderzoeksplaatsen ter wereld gezien.

Source: unesco.nl

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis

The Dorset and East Devon Coast has an outstanding combination of globally significant geological and geomorphological features. The property comprises eight sections along 155km of largely undeveloped coast. The property's geology displays approximately 185 million years of the Earth's history, including a number of internationally important fossil localities. The property also contains a range of outstanding examples of coastal geomorphological features, landforms and processes, and is renowned for its contribution to earth science investigations for over 300 years, helping to foster major contributions to many aspects of geology, palaeontology and geomorphology. This coast is considered by geologists and geomorphologists to be one of the most significant teaching and research sites in the world.

Criterion (viii): The coastal exposures along the Dorset and East Devon coast provide an almost continuous sequence of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous rock formations spanning the Mesozoic Era and document approximately 185 million years of Earth's history. The property includes a range of globally significant fossil localities - both vertebrate and invertebrate, marine and terrestrial - which have produced well preserved and diverse evidence of life during Mesozoic times. It also contains textbook exemplars of coastal geomorphological features, landforms and processes. Renowned for its contribution to Earth science investigations for over 300 years, the Dorset and East Devon coast has helped foster major contributions to many aspects of geology, palaeontology and geomorphology and has continuing significance as a high quality teaching, training and research resource for the Earth sciences.

Integrity

The property contains all the key, interdependent elements of geological succession exposed on the coastline. It includes a series of coastal landforms whose processes and evolutionary conditions are little impacted by human activity, and the high rate of erosion and mass movement in the area creates a very dynamic coastline which maintains both rock exposures and geomorphological features, and also the productivity of the coastline for fossil discoveries. The property comprises eight sections in a near-continuous 155km of coastline with its boundaries defined by natural phenomena: on the seaward side the property extends to the mean low water mark and on the landward side to the cliff top or back of the beach. This is also in general consistent with the boundaries of the nationally and internationally designated areas that protect the property and much of its setting. Due to the high rate of erosion and mass movement, it is important to periodically monitor the boundaries of the properties to ensure that significant changes to the shoreline are registered.   

Protection and management requirements

The property has strong legal protection, a clear management framework and the strong involvement of all stakeholders with responsibilities for the property and its setting. A single management plan has been prepared and is coordinated by the Dorset and Devon County Councils. There is no defined buffer zone as the wider setting of the property is well protected through the existing designations and national and local planning policies. In addition to its geological, paleontological and geomorphological significance, the property includes areas of European importance for their habitats and species which are an additional priority for protection and management. The main management issues with respect to the property include: coastal protection schemes and inappropriate management of visitors to an area that has a long history of tourism; and the management of ongoing fossil collection research, acquisition and conservation. The key requirement for the management of this property lies in continued strong and adequately resourced coordination and partnership arrangements focused on the World Heritage property.

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