Stonehammer Geopark is no longer the only geopark in North America and no one is more pleased about this than the team at Stonehammer, well, maybe the team from Tumbler Ridge! We were thrilled when Tumbler Ridge received the designation at the 6th International UNESCO Conference on Global Geoparks hosted in our geopark in September 2014. The possibilities are endless for our geoparks to work together to foster an appreciation of our amazing geology and the stories of our explorers and people.
We have already started sharing ideas for collaboration in the education field and public programming. We are exchanging casts for display in our respective exhibits, Stonehammer is sending a cast of a trilobite and Tumbler Ridge and is sending a cast of a dinosaur. This is a stepping stone to future partnerships and we look forward to working with the team at Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark.
A geopark is about connecting people with the earth in a way that is meaningful to them and for some that could be kayaking; for others hiking and for others it might mean taking an in-depth tour with a geologist. It’s a way to have fun and learn a bit about how the earth shapes and impacts our lives.
Stonehammer Geopark is a 2,500-square-kilometre playground for you to explore in southern New Brunswick. The first UNESCO-supported Global Geopark in North America, Stonehammer Geopark was selected as the 77th member of the Global Geopark Network in 2010 because of its extensive geological history as well as its vibrant human and cultural heritage.
Incorporating more than 60 significant geological and fossil locales, including more than 10 sites that are accessible to the public, the range of geological and paleontological stories within the Stonehammer Geopark – a billion years worth – is internationally unique. With a landscape created by the collision of continents, the closing and opening of oceans, volcanoes, earth quakes, ice ages and climate change, the Stonehammer Geopark includes geological stories from late Precambrian time a billion years ago to the most recent Ice Age, and almost everything in between.
The result is a region where you can paddle an Ice Age river, zip over the world famous Reversing Rapids, touch marble more than 850 million years old, find the remains of 13,000-year-old marine creatures, explore river floodplains, walk in sea caves and on the ocean floor, hike volcanic rocks, discover Canada’s oldest fossil forest, see a 19th century lime-kiln quarry and even dine from a Stonehammer Geopark-themed menu.
For the independent traveler who likes to do it themselves, there are a number of self-guided tours available. Visitors can download maps, walking tours and fact sheets off the Stonehammer Geopark website in the download centre. And for those looking to get inside for a few hours a visit to the New Brunswick Museum’s ‘Our Changing Earth’ exhibit is a great way to learn about the province’s fossil stories.
It’s easy to see whether you are looking for a one-hour tour, a half-day experience or adventures that last a week or more, you really can find it all in Stonehammer Geopark. To discover more about the Stonehammer Geopark visit www.stonehammergeopark.com or find us on Facebook.
We look forward to telling you more about the east coast and Stonehammer Geopark as we learn about the west coast and Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark from you.
