Jurassic Coast Trust

Jurassic Coast Trust
Name	Jurassic Coast Trust
Formation	2009
Type	Charity
Headquarters	Dorset
Region served	Dorset and East Devon

Jurassic Coast Trust is a charitable organisation dedicated to the conservation, interpretation, and sustainable enjoyment of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site on the coast of Dorset and East Devon. The Trust works with local authorities, statutory bodies, landowners, and community groups to manage coastal sites, promote geodiversity, and facilitate scientific research and public engagement. Its activities encompass site management, educational programmes, volunteer coordination, and advocacy linked to national and international heritage frameworks.

History

The Trust was established in 2009 following designation of the Jurassic Coast as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 and the subsequent development of local partnerships involving Dorset County Council, East Devon District Council, and national bodies such as Historic England and Natural England. Early initiatives drew on conservation models used by organisations like the National Trust and English Heritage and responded to management challenges raised by coastal erosion at landmarks including Durdle Door, Old Harry Rocks, and West Bay, Dorset. The formation built on community campaigns and riverine landscape projects in Lyme Regis and Charmouth, linking to museum networks such as the Marine Museum, Lyme Regis and collaborations with academic institutions including the University of Portsmouth and the University of Bristol.

Organization and Governance

The Trust operates as an independent charity governed by a board of trustees drawn from conservation, geology, heritage, and community sectors, with oversight comparable to governance practices at organisations like the Environment Agency and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Executive staff coordinate regional teams based in hubs near Swanage, Seaton and Weymouth, working alongside partner agencies such as Dorset Wildlife Trust and Devon Wildlife Trust. Funding streams include grants from heritage funders such as Heritage Lottery Fund, project income from local authorities, donations, corporate sponsorships (with businesses like South West Coast Path Association partners), and income from educational services delivered in collaboration with institutions such as the Natural History Museum and the British Geological Survey.

Conservation and Management Activities

The Trust undertakes coastal habitat restoration, cliff stability monitoring, and fossil protection measures at designated sites including Golden Cap, Kimmeridge Bay, and Sutton Poyntz; these activities align with statutory frameworks managed by Natural England and coastal policy instruments like the Coastal Change Pathfinder projects. It coordinates volunteer-led beach cleans and invasive species control in areas overlapping with Dawlish Warren and supports shoreline management plans developed with the Dorset AONB and East Devon AONB. The Trust also implements fossil stewardship protocols informed by practices at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and conservation techniques promoted by the Geological Society of London to mitigate illegal collecting and to protect paleontological context at key exposures such as Black Ven and Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.

Education and Outreach

Educational programmes target schools, families, and adult learners through field visits, classroom resources, and public talks delivered in partnership with venues like the Lyme Regis Museum, The Etches Collection, and local museums in Bridport and Beer. The Trust produces interpretive materials for trails including the South West Coast Path and organises community events such as fossil festivals in Lyme Regis and guided geology walks at Lulworth Cove. Collaborative projects with higher education partners such as the University of Exeter and outreach initiatives modelled on programmes from the Royal Geographical Society extend access for underrepresented groups and support curriculum aims in regional schools administered by authorities including Dorset Council.

Research and Monitoring

The Trust facilitates and commissions geological and ecological research in cooperation with academic partners including the University of Plymouth, the Open University, and the British Antarctic Survey for comparative coastal studies. It supports long-term monitoring of erosion rates, sediment transport, and fossil occurrences, feeding data into national repositories maintained by the British Geological Survey and contributing to assessments for international instruments including the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Citizen science schemes coordinate volunteers trained by staff and by specialists from institutions such as Ammonite Museum-related researchers and regional Naturalists’ societies to document faunal and floral records and to monitor coastal change events.

Visitor Access and Facilities

The Trust works to improve visitor infrastructure at focal points such as Lyme Regis Fossil Festival sites, interpretation centres in Charmouth and Lulworth, car parks managed with local authorities, and accessible trails linked to the South West Coast Path Association. Partnerships with transport bodies like Stagecoach South and parking authorities aim to manage visitor pressure at fragile sites such as Stair Hole and Pinhay Bay. Facilities development balances conservation priorities with tourism strategies employed by regional tourism boards such as Visit Dorset and Visit Devon, while guided access policies mirror best practice from English Heritage and Natural England to protect both geological features and visitor safety.

Category:Charities based in Dorset Category:Geology of Dorset Category:World Heritage Sites in England