About our Geopark
Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark is a UNESCO-designated landscape in south-east Northern Ireland, recognised in May 2023. Shaped by volcanic activity, ice and deep geological time, it is a dramatic yet lived-in landscape where people, nature and culture continue to shape everyday life.
Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark
Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark is a UNESCO-designated landscape in south-east Northern Ireland, recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark in May 2023. It brings together geology, nature, culture and living communities across a diverse area of mountains, lowlands, coast and sea.
As part of the UNESCO Global Geoparks programme, the Geopark recognises internationally important geology while supporting education, conservation and sustainable development at a local level. It is a place to explore landscapes shaped by deep geological time, to learn how people have lived with and shaped these places, and to enjoy the area responsibly for the benefit of present and future generations.
The Geopark is locally led and partnership-based, working with communities, land managers, educators and organisations to care for this special place and to help people understand why it matters.
Key facts
- UNESCO programme: UNESCO Global Geoparks
- Designation: UNESCO Global Geopark, May 2023
- Location: South-east Northern Ireland
- Area: 1,931.62 km²
- Land: 1,637 km²
- Marine: 294.12 km²
- Population: 182,074 people (2021 Census)
- Landscapes included: the Mourne Mountains, the Ring of Gullion, Strangford Lough, Lecale, surrounding lowlands, coast and marine areas
- Regional context: within around 40 minutes of Belfast and one hour of Dublin
- Focus: education, conservation and sustainable development
- Approach: locally led, partnership-based stewardship
Why this Geopark matters
The landscapes of Mourne Gullion and Strangford Geopark tell stories that span hundreds of millions of years. Rocks, landforms and coastlines reveal how continents moved, mountains formed, ice shaped the land and seas changed over time. These natural processes have influenced where people settled, how they made a living and how communities developed.
As a UNESCO Global Geopark, this area uses its geology as a foundation for learning and care. The Geopark supports education at all ages, encourages understanding of nature and climate, and promotes responsible enjoyment of the landscape. By linking geological heritage with biodiversity, culture and community life, the Geopark helps people see the landscape as a living system rather than a collection of isolated sites.
What makes this Geopark distinctive
A landscape shaped by deep time
The Geopark brings together some of the most striking geological features in Ireland or the UK, from ancient rocks and dramatic mountain forms to coastlines and marine environments shaped by long-term natural processes.
A rare land–sea connection
Mourne Gullion Strangford Geopark includes both land and marine environments. This allows the story of geology, nature and people to be told across mountains, lowlands, coast and sea, showing how these systems are connected.
Living landscapes and communities
The Geopark is not a museum. It is a lived-in landscape where farming, fishing, towns and villages continue alongside conservation and learning. Communities play an active role in shaping how the Geopark works and how it is shared.
Opportunities for learning and participation
From schools and youth programmes to volunteering and community projects, the Geopark provides opportunities for people to build skills, knowledge and connections with place.
How the Geopark is cared for
The Geopark is managed through a partnership approach that brings together local authorities, organisations, communities and specialists. This shared model ensures that decisions are made locally while meeting the standards of the UNESCO Global Geoparks programme.
Management focuses on long-term care of landscapes, education and engagement, and supporting sustainable livelihoods. The work of the Geopark is guided by agreed plans and regularly reviewed to ensure it continues to meet UNESCO criteria.
- Geopark Governance: Geopark Management Group
- Strategic Framework: Strategy, Management Plan, Action Plan
UNESCO Global Geopark status
UNESCO Global Geopark designation recognises places with geological heritage of international importance that are managed with a commitment to education, conservation and sustainable development.
Designation does not create new planning controls or restrictions. Instead, it supports partnership working, learning and good stewardship. UNESCO Global Geoparks are regularly revalidated to ensure they continue to meet international standards and deliver real benefits for people and place.
Explore the Geopark
Our Geological Story
Our geological story The Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark is unique as it tells the tale of two oceans through just over 400 million years of geological history. It…
Our People and Culture
Our People and Culture People have inhabited the Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark (UGG) since just after the end of the last Ice Age; their lives have been shaped…
Our Archeology and Built Heritage
Our Archeology and Built Heritage The archaeology in the Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark is world renowned. The Geopark contains the remains of 30 or so large stone tombs….
Our Biodiversity
Our Biodiversity The Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark features a diversity of landscapes taking in mountains, craggy uplands, rolling green hills, coastal plains and hard and soft seashores. The…
Geopark Geosites
Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark Geosites In 2013, an exhaustive survey of the geological sites across the region was conducted, and subsequently reviewed in 2018 and further updated in…
Mourne Gullion Strangford – Interpretation Plan
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