by Carol Malin
Spring of this year represented the first anniversary of Oxfordshire RIGS Group (Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites), and on Saturday 16th June, I attended a seminar and field meeting, the first of its kind in Oxfordshire.
The meeting was a chance to find out more
about the work of Oxfordshire RIGS Group, their achievements over the past
year, and their plans for the future. Having arrived at Oxford Brookes
University, Gipsy Lane, at 10.30am, I was warmly welcomed by members of Oxford
RIGS Group and the exhibitors. I met Prof. N. J. Snelling, a Faringdon resident like myself, and he had brought along some fossils from the Fernham Road Site. This area is to be developed for housing and is at present awaiting toxicology reports, but more on that later.
I found the exhibition quite interesting and was shown how geology works in well with nature conservation. So this combines interest to a wide variety of people. Mr Mike Windle, chairman of Oxfordshire RIGS Group talked about how he hopes the group will become fully independent and is already two thirds of the way to catching up with other county based RIGS Groups, who have been running a lot longer. There are about 30 members at present.
This local group looks for unsurveyed, threatened sites and has 43 possible sites to designate. But currently there are only 3 RIGS in Oxfordshire. Mike also pointed out how important it is to work together with other organisations like English Nature and local conservation groups. And if you want to protect something , own it. Heather Whetter from English Nature also highlighted English Nature support for RIGS and wished the group well.
Mr Mathew Brown, an Oxfordshire geology teacher, stressed the need for RIGS, for education and how it is becoming increasingly difficult to carry out fieldwork. At present there are only 6 students in Oxford studying ‘A’ level Geology, which is classed as a low status subject, so little time, if any, is spent on geology. Teachers need to be handed all information on sites on a plate, or they will not take their students there. This can be easily done through Web Site information. Children need to be shown geology at about age 7-10 to get them interested in the subject by the time they are 16. From there they should be informed of the careers development and what’s on offer.
Mr Graham Worton of Dudley Museum, pointed out that geology is more than just 'much older history'. There is little interest shown by the young, stories need to be told. Educate people by showing them what is around their local area i.e. Museums, Geology trails around buildings, fossil fairs, Geo-tourism.
Mr Mike King of Gloucester RIGS Group talked about SSSI (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) enhancement works and costs. And Dr Peter Oliver of Hereford and Worcester RIGS Group showed where to apply for funding for various works.
The Field Trip
We were informed that Woodeaton Quarry was considered unsafe to visit, that it is a brilliant geology site but at present is not a managed site. It is from this site that the dinosaur foot print trail outside the University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford, is reproduced.
We left by coach to visit the two other sites. First
was Greenhill Farm Quarries, which is a new RIGS managed by Oxford RIGS Group
with co-operation with the land owner. We were shown how the area is hopefully
to be landscaped to show the geology of the area, but also to incorporate the
Motocross activities that go on there. 
Next was Kirtlington Quarry which is a flagship site
and has long been registered by English Nature as a Site of Special Scientific
Interest (SSSI). A 25 year lease agreement was signed between the quarry's
owners Blue Circle Cement and Cherwell District Council's Recreation Committee
in 1997. This resulted in the area, which incorporates the quarry and woodlands
near to the Oxford Canal, being designated as a Local Nature Reserve.
The quarry has exposures of Middle Jurassic limestone with some beds containing marine shells, corals, shrimp burrows, and land animals. Bones of large dinosaurs have been found. Fences, steps and pathways have been built to make the quarry safer, and to allow access to the beds. Notice boards are placed in appropriate areas to explain the history and geology. As a designated Local Nature Reserve the site is protected by law from unwanted disturbance. Oxford University Museum of Natural History holds an extensive collection of fossils, including dinosaur bones from this site.
I found the day very interesting and informative, and I wish Oxford RIGS Group well for the future.
Fernham Road SSSI, Faringdon This site is overgrown, dangerous and its future is at present unknown. A lot of work is needed to clean up the site for the planned house building to go ahead. The site contains some very important sponge fossils for which Faringdon is well known all over the world. With the co-operation of the present owner the quarry walls can be made safe and accessible to geologists, students, schools and the general public. But most of all the site should be protected for Faringdon, education and the future.
Faringdon
Fernham Rd. Site