Five associations from all parts of the country and language regions founded the umbrella organization “geoparks.ch” today, Monday, in Bern. The association members aim to support one another so that geoparks meeting UNESCO’s criteria can be established in Switzerland in the foreseeable future. These parks seek to preserve and promote their geodiversity and geohistory, and to use them primarily for education and geotourism.
There are currently 218 UNESCO-recognized geoparks in 48 countries around the world—and new ones are added every year. These parks serve as a bridge between people, the landscape, and Earth’s history, and aim to strengthen regions in a sustainable way. Although the UNESCO Geoparks Program has been in existence for twenty years, there is not a single geopark in Switzerland to date. Yet our country boasts a high level of geodiversity with numerous geological features of international significance. However, this geotourism potential remains largely untapped.