About Us: The Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group

WGCG runs popular winter evening geology talks (by Zoom, for now), local evening or daytime summer field visits and residential weekend visits. The Group monitors and completes condition surveys and reports on Warwickshire LGS and SSSI sites with some onsite clearance for Geoconservation. WGCG built the Brandon Marsh Geological Time Wall. It runs The Holloway Awards and produces leaflet guides and Interpretation panels and, every six months, a WGCG Group Newsletter

Visitors, guests and new members are always welcome. Please see: Join Us

The Activities of the group include:

  • Talks
    During the winter months we enjoy a wide-ranging series of talks from both members and visiting speakers. Some evenings are dedicated to members’ displays of photos, or rocks collected on field trips or holidays. See Events
  • Field trips
    In the summer we concentrate on field excursions – both evening trips as well as longer day and weekend visits.  We also visit towns and villages to explore the uses of different local and imported building stones. See Events
  • Conservation activities
    These include the identification, surveying and reporting on a network of over 80 Local Geological Sites and around 20 SSSI sites. Conservation by volunteers includes the occasional clearance of a few overgrown sites.
  • Interpretation panels, Guides & Leaflets
    WGCG has designed and erected Interpretation Panels to describe local geology in an accessible way. Sites include Ryton Pools, Wolston village, Brandon Marsh, Purley Quarry and Burton Dassett Hills.  WGCG Leaflets and walking guides are free to download and great for geo walks.

The group has three major aims:

  • To inform
    Learn about our rocks, minerals and fossils and how the geology has shaped our landscape.
  • To conserve
    Help to conserve Warwickshire’s natural heritage by
    surveying, recording and reporting on condition of our valuable sites and joining an occasional work party to improve conditions
  • To encourage
    Above all, we hope you will want to share in the passion of learning all about our fascinating geology and caring for it in a practical way.

Awards

WGCG became Trustees of the Holloway Award from a generous bequest in 2010 by Rob Holloway, a long standing member. Rob’s wishes were that some should be used to encourage young people to develop an interest in geology and to support geology students early in their career. Bursaries and bequests have been made annually since 2012. See more.

History

Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group (WGCG) is a registered charity, number: 1144717.
WGCG was established in 1990 by a few enthusiasts who wanted to raise awareness of and conserve the many rock exposures dotted around the county. It was the first geological society to have the word Conservation in its name. The membership has since grown and includes many enthusiastic amateurs, students and teachers as well as some professional geologists.
See more in “WGCG: The Early Years” by Martin Bradley in the Spring 2016 Newsletter

Volunteers

Member volunteers do almost everything at WGCG. 

Contact & Information

Members are kept informed of the Group’s activities through frequent e-mails with news of WGCG talks and events as well as those of other geological groups and societies and through the publication of a bi-annual Newsletter with further information being made available at talks and field trips.

Last Updated on 28 Apr 2021