How to involve local communities in the construction of a Geopark

Paya Hauch Fenger (*)
(*) The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation, Philip de Langes Allé 10, 1435 Copenhagen K, Denmark. E-mail: pfen@kadk.dk

The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss how local communities and citizens may engage in the construction of a geopark through the use of creative methods within the methodology of co-design. The paper argues that geoparks will not be realised simply by placing signposts, establishing bike routes, displaying information about the geopark, and by serving the public with other material means only. Rather, this article holds that the construction of the geopark is realised by means of people‘s own performative actions where the interpretation and the sense-making of the wild is taking place. The hypothesis is that if the local authorities have the courage to engage in co-creation and other bottom-up strategies, the local communities and citizens will develop a stronger commitment in the creation of geoparks.

Co-design, creativity, events, involvement, geopark, location, narrative, performance, space