Cliffs of Fundy Geopark hosts UNESCO evaluation team in Cumberland and Colchester
Dr. Artur Sa is a first-time visitor to Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark in Cumberland and Colchester counties, but he plans to come back to experience the international park again.
Sa, a native of Portugal, and Iceland’s Dr. Sigurdur Sigursveinsson spent several days in both counties recently doing an evaluation of the Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark’s status as a UNESCO attraction.
| Dr. Artur Sa of Portugal (left) and Dr. Sigurdur Sigursveinsson of Iceland photograph Parrsboro Harbour on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. The UNESCO evaluators were in Parrsboro as part of their validation of the Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark. Darrell Cole – Municipality of Cumberland |
“We’ve already experienced many other geoparks around the world and this is really beautiful. It’s my first time here and the Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark has been a wonderful experience,” said Dr. Sa during a stopover at First Beach on Parrsboro Harbour on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. “I put myself in the shoes of a tourist who came from Canada or abroad and I know they would really enjoy this natural beauty.”
The Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark stretches from Lower Truro in Colchester County and extends along the Fundy shoreline to Apple River in Cumberland County. The area was awarded its official status as a UNESCO global geopark in 2020.
Part of the process includes periodic validations or evaluations that either approves of the park’s progress or suggests ways to improve and maintain its status as part of a growing network of global geoparks.
UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.
| UNESCO Global Geopark evaluators Dr. Sigurdur Sigursveinsson of Iceland (left) and Dr. Artur Sa of Portugal (right) and members of the Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark organization listen to Gerald Gloade speak about the significance of Partridge Island – Wa’so’q to the Mi’kmaw people. |
Their bottom-up approach of combining conservation with sustainable development while involving local communities is becoming increasingly popular. At present, there are 229 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 50 countries. Dr. Sa said people have a responsibility to play in understanding the park’s importance and the role they have to play in the protection and promotion of these special areas.
A global geopark uses its geological heritage, in connection with all other aspects of the area’s natural and cultural heritage, to enhance awareness and understanding of key issues facing society, such as using the Earth’s resources sustainably, mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing natural hazard-related risks.
“I want to emphasize the cultural aspect of the park,” Sa said. “People not only respect but see the Indigenous culture related to the Mi’kmaw. It is very important and represents something that brings unicity to this territory.”
The geopark, he said, is a sustainable regional development project that empowers local communities and gives them the opportunity to develop cohesive partnerships with the common goal of promoting the area’s significant geological processes, features, periods of time, historical themes linked to geology, or outstanding geological beauty.
Municipality of Cumberland Mayor Rod Gilroy says the geopark is a great driver of economic development in the county through tourism.
“We recognize the geopark as a great opportunity and asset. The park has become a major driver of economic development along the southern part of Cumberland County,” the mayor said. “I was in the Eatonville area recently and met numerous vehicles with kayaks on their roofs. More and more people are discovering the Cumberland Region and the global geopark is one of those things that’s going to attract more and more people as they learn about it and we promote it.”
Municipality of Colchester Mayor Christine Blair said the revalidation visit by the UNESCO evaluators was very successful with some positive suggestions and recommendations on how to improve the park.
“The evaluators appeared to be very pleased with the Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark. They made some recommendations to us that are very helpful and will help us proceed in a positive way,” Blair said. “They want us to succeed. We hold the name UNESCO Global Geopark, so they want us to be successful in what we do.
The geopark as an organization is community-based and one that recognizes the assets in both Cumberland and Colchester counties.
“It’s huge for us. What you will see as it becomes more better known, we get more signage out and we’re getting more people interested we’re becoming recognized internationally, nationally and provincially,” she said.
Some of the things that have been done since the last evaluation in 2023 include increased wayfinding signage and interpretive panels in three languages. They are also working to educate young people and raise awareness about the park through brochures and other methods.
The two municipalities sponsor the geopark and collaborate on promoting the area in both counties.
Devin Trefry, the interim executive director of the global geopark, said the UNESCO representatives’ visit to the geopark included tours of significant sites within the park as well as presentations on the cultural and heritage aspects of the areas, including the Mi’kmaw peoples connection, as well as on the region’s geological history and its part of the breakup of the Pangean continental millions of years ago that shaped the rugged coastline.
“They’ll write a report that goes to the international conference and a council that will review how they felt we fared. Our hope is that it will be a positive response,” Trefry said. “I feel pretty confident that it has gone well. Things couldn’t have gone better in my opinion. It was really organized, our team did an exceptional job and everyone in the community pulled together and addressed the recommendations that we had previously.”
