Discovery Geopark, situated on the northern section of the Bonavista Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, has successfully maintained its Global Geopark designation endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The park initially obtained international recognition in 2020 due to its remarkable rock formations and fossil discoveries. However, in June, there was a potential risk of losing this prestigious status as UNESCO recommended certain improvements.
Independent evaluators visit UNESCO Global Geoparks every four years for an on-site assessment lasting four to five days to determine the park’s eligibility to retain its status. Following the evaluation, the park receives either a green, yellow, or red card signifying its current standing.
A green card indicates the renewal of the park’s status, while a yellow card implies that necessary changes must be made within two years to avoid receiving a red card, which would lead to the loss of its designation. Discovery Geopark faced the possibility of losing its green card after UNESCO advised implementing measures such as securing stable funding, ensuring full-time staffing, creating a staff succession plan, expanding inland geo sites with signage, updating logos, improving access and visitor safety, and aligning tourism promotion efforts with partners.
Certified in 2020 for its Ediacaran fossils, some of which are accessible from the Port Union boardwalk, estimated to be around 560 million years old and representing some of the earliest multicellular organisms on Earth, the park complied with the recommendations. Consequently, the green card status was reinstated during a recent event in Chile.
Among the 229 geoparks worldwide, Discovery Geopark is one of the five geoparks located in Canada.