Germany’s UNESCO Global Geoparks and National GeoParks: Experiences from a Two-Tier System

Initiatives in Germany were among the pioneers of the international geopark movement. The Vulkaneifel Geopark was involved in the development of the first international geopark initiative at the end of the 1990s, establishing the European Geoparks Network in 2000. In addition, the national geoscientific community opted early, since the year 2000, for an additional national label, with the idea of establishing more geoparks than then possible if they had relied solely on the international certificate. Currently, eight geoparks in Germany are both National GeoParks and UNESCO Global Geoparks. A further ten geoparks are recognized as National GeoParks. After more than two decades, the two-tier system in Germany appears to be a successful approach. Opportunities as well as challenges of such a two-tier geopark system, are addressed in the article.