Feasibility Study Into A New Facility Dedicated To The World Heritage Site And Its Exceptional Fossil Record.

The Jurassic Coast Trust move forward plans to investigate the feasibility of new facility dedicated to the World Heritage Site and its exceptional fossil record.

You may remember back in the summer of 2021, JCT publicised our commitment to achieving long-term security of important fossil collections from the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site; we were subsequently successful in securing funding from the John Ellerman Foundation and a produced a road map which considered multiple routes to achieving this ambition.

A year on, since publicising our plan, the Jurassic Coast Trust team are pleased to present a short update regarding this work.

Long-term physical security of fossils from the WHS remains an ongoing concern and one which we are committed to addressing. The Jurassic Coast Trust recognise the need to secure important fossils from the Site, in perpetuity, within sustainable public collections.

This need is driven by the Site itself and the responsibilities and opportunities presented by World Heritage status. Fossils are recovered from the eroding coastline by responsible private collectors as an ongoing contribution to site management. However, this comes with the unavoidable risk that privately owned specimens, specifically those not covered by the protections afforded by the Fossil Collecting Codes of Conduct, are sold and subsequently, key pieces of our heritage are lost.

JCT recognise that a responsibility exists to explore all options to secure these specimens in public collections and will deliver this work as part of the 2020-2025 Partnership Plan.

We believe that there are significant public benefits which include the ability to conduct and publish new joint scientific research and the exceptional opportunity to improve access, inclusivity and the engagement of local, national and international audiences with the story of the WHS.

The Jurassic Coast Collection (JCC), a core element of the JCT work programme, has helped us to establish overarching aspirations for the future of palaeontology on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. Moreover, it enabled us to form partnerships, talk with local and global networks and develop our understanding of how this essential piece of work will develop in the future.

What comes next will be an exciting journey that grows and strengthens these partnerships, from joint research opportunities with universities (the first of which is currently in development) to exploring fossils in previously inaccessible ways and applications for academic funding for ongoing research, study and partnership working.

Exploring the options for a new, purpose-built facility

The desire for a purpose-built centre dedicated to the story of the WHS and its exceptional fossil record is very strong within the JCC stakeholder community; this is an aspiration among our stakeholders and was subsequently acknowledged in the Jurassic Coast Partnership Plan following widespread public consultation. We, at the Jurassic Coast Trust, have committed to delivering a feasibility study that looks at the need for a new development and the role it could play in celebrating World Heritage Site status, acquiring and displaying fossils, and supporting existing museums. This work will critically assess the business case for a new centre, its sustainability and public impact.

Furthermore, we are committed to facilitating delivery of the recommendations made by the feasibility study in partnership with the JCC stakeholders.

This initial work will require commissioning independent consultants who can provide a fair and accurate assessment of this work going forward. The Jurassic Coast Trust have been considering ways to fund this element of the feasibility study and will be launching a fundraising campaign in the coming weeks.

The Jurassic Coast Collection Working Group, made up of stakeholders intended to represent the collective views of key organisations and stakeholders relevant to the palaeontology of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, will also collaborate in the drafting of the feasibility study and continue to share and promote the work among the partnership.

At the end of this process we, together with our project partners, will have a full understanding of the scope of the solution, how to deliver it and the ways in which it addresses the needs of the Site, supports stakeholders and benefits the local community. Crucially, there should be shared investment in the idea and commitment to its delivery.

This piece of work addresses the long-standing question about the delivery, sustainability and operations of such a centre dedicated to World Heritage on the Jurassic Coast and the future of its collective community heritage and important fossils.

Lucy Culkin, CEO of the Trust commented: "This is a complex and sensitive project, but one we have committed to undertake, which will explore and identify options for the long-term security of our heritage and important specimens of the Site. Our work over the last year has focused on building strong relationships with leading academics and institutions, in addition to fossil collectors who now advocate and endorse our approach to this work; we have been steadfast in ensuring our decisions are based on evidence of need to pursue this line of enquiry and I believe we are now able to credibly move the feasibility study forward within the timeframes we committed to. €

Professor Mike Benton, University of Bristol and Jurassic Coast Collection Working Group Chair advises: "The Jurassic coast of Dorset represents one of the world 's most famous fossil sites, with a rich history going back over 200 million years to the origins of geology and palaeontology as sciences. The fossils illustrate so many key steps in the history of life and exceptional new specimens keep coming to light. With the benefit of modern technologies including 3D scanning, professional palaeontologists use the specimens old and new to discover remarkable new facts about the life of the past. The site is of international importance, known to academics worldwide, and yet there is no single focal point for research and teaching around these extraordinary materials. The cross-overs between research, training and teaching are many, and new generations of enthusiastic young palaeontologists would flock to such an establishment to receive their training. 

The mandate for this work is founded on the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value for the World Heritage Site, which was agreed by UNESCO, and states that 'The main management issues with the property include: ... the management of ongoing fossil collection, research, acquisition and conservation '. It is also drawn from the Jurassic Coast Partnership Plan (2020 - 2025) policies and key objectives, particularly those on page 51, which were agreed after stakeholder and public consultation. For more details go to jurassiccoast.org/partnershipplan  


For more information about the Jurassic Coast Collection project, and to read the Year 1 Report, visit jurassiccoast.org/jurassiccoastcollection.

If you wish to discuss this work further, please contact Chris Reedman - Palaeontological Lead, Jurassic Coast Trust: chris.reedman@jurassiccoast.org