Appendix 1 Major sources of information consulted

Significant geological exposures in the Tyne to Tees area (Henderson and Lelliot, 1978). Between 1977 and 1978, the Durham County Conservation Trust undertook one of the first comprehensive surveys of geological sites to be undertaken by a County Trust. This identified and listed sites at which significant, or representative, exposures of named geological units or formations known within the county could be seen. The project aimed to provide the information necessary to further the effective conservation of geological sites, to facilitate monitoring of those sites and, where appropriate, to recommend sites for notification as SSSIs. For each of the sites identified, details including geological features exposed and condition of the site at the time of the field visit were recorded. In addition, each site was assigned a rating to reflect such factors as its geological merits, accessibility, and vulnerability.

The Magnesian Limestone of Durham County (Edited by T C Dunn, 1980) Published by Durham County Conservation Trust this informative book provides probably the most comprehensive introduction to the Limestone Landscape available to the non specialist, although there have been considerable advances in understanding of the rocks and revision of the names applied to them since its publication. It includes an appendix of active and disused quarries in the Magnesian Limestone compiled by W Evans.

County Durham Geological Conservation Strategy 1994. Adopted by the Environment Committee this was devised to be a natural sequel to the Durham County Conservation Strategy. This involved a major review of the most significant sites representative of the county's geology and geomorphology. The work was undertaken with the advice and assistance of local geological experts who identified a network of candidate Durham County Geological Sites (DCGS). It may be seen as building upon, and updating, the principles that lay behind the 1978 report. The first County Geological Sites were approved by the Environmental Committee of the County Council in April 1993. Although these are non-statutory designations, the sites are recognised by the local planning authorities who consult the Wildlife Trust over proposals which may affect them. The County Durham Geological Conservation Strategy includes the following three non development plan policies:

The Geological Conservation Review (GCR) The Geological Conservation Review (GCR) was initiated by the Nature Conservancy Council in 1977 to identify, assess, document and eventually publish accounts of the most important parts of Great Britain's rich and varied geological heritage. GCR sites are those of national or international importance which have either been notified as SSSIs or are being considered for such notification. Publication of descriptions of GCR sites is being undertaken in a series of 42 thematic volumes. Since 1991, publication of descriptions of GCR sites has been undertaken by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on behalf of the three country agencies, English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage, and the Countryside Council for Wales.

GCR volumes relevant to the area (these include extensive bibliographies):

No. 8 Marine Permian of England Smith, D.B. (1995)

No 9 Palaeozoic Palaeobotany of Great Britain, Cleal, C.J. & Thomas, B.A., (1995),

No. 10 Fossil Fishes of Great Britain Dineley, D. & Metcalf, S., (1999)

No. 11 British Upper Carboniferous Stratigraphy, Cleal, C.J. & Thomas, B.A., (1996) No. 16 Fossil Reptiles of Great Britain, Benton, M.J. & Spencer, P.S., (1995)

No. 25 Quaternary of Northern England, Huddart, D. and Glasser, N.F. (2007)

No. 28 Coastal Geomorphology of Great Britain, May, V.J. and Hansom, J.D. (2003)

SSSI site descriptions (mainly prepared in the early 1990's) (provided by Mike Sutcliffe, Natural

England) and current web information.

Published and unpublished guides to geological excursions, including Smith, 1995a and Bridgland et al. 1999. The latter, The Quaternary of North-East England Field Guide contains a wealth of useful and up-to-date information, including illustrations of key sections and a comprehensive introduction to modern understanding of the Quaternary of the area.

Durham County Council landscape study and strategy The geodiversity of County Durham (Lawrence et al. 2003)

Part 1 defines and explains the relevance of geodiversity. The principal aim is given as reviewing the components of the county's geodiversity, and their relevance to other interests, including informing sustainable management, planning, conservation, and all aspects of Earth heritage. The influence of geology in County Durham is explained along with its link to biodiversity. A section on 'Conserving Earth science', as well as providing details of the areas with designated status (North Pennines AONB and Geopark, National Nature Reserves, SSSIs and RIGS / Durham County Geology Sites), reports that the word 'geology' can trace its origins back to the county.

Part 2 in three sections, is a detailed evaluation of the geodiversity under the headings 'The geological resource', 'The use of the resource', and 'Understanding the resource'.

Geodiversity of South Tyneside (B Young, 2008) The Magic Meadows booklet Zechstein Reef fossils and their palaeoecology (Hollingworth and Pettigrew, 1988).

The book contains a description of the reef in the Sunderland area and a 16 page field guide for the identification of common fossils found in the reef using photographs, line drawings and life mode reconstructions. Eight key localities are described.

JOHNSON, G.A.L. 1995. (editor). Robson's Geology of North East England. Transactions of the Natural History Society of Northumbria, Vol. 56, Part 5.

The Geological Survey memoirs for Sunderland and the district between Durham and West Hartlepool (Smith, 1994; Smith and Francis, 1967)

References