Meeting of the Advisory Board and Working Committee of the UNESCO Swabian Alb Geopark provides an outlook for the anniversary year 2025

On Friday, April 4, 2025, the Advisory Board and Working Committee of the UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb met for their spring meeting at the Geopark's office in Schelklingen. Current developments, projects and prospects for the Geopark were presented and discussed in depth in a constructive atmosphere. Iris Bohnacker reported from the office and gave a comprehensive overview of current activities. A central topic was the preparation of the anniversary “10 years UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb”, which is to be celebrated with a ceremony in 2025. Initial content and organizational considerations were presented and jointly reflected upon.

The stronger presence of the Geopark in the Ostalbkreis district is particularly pleasing: two new signs on the B29 near Aalen-Wasseralfingen and on the L1165 between Wental and Bartholomä draw attention to the geological importance of the region and increase its visibility in public spaces.

In the area of public relations, the production of a new image film is planned for this year. This will capture the geological, cultural and touristic diversity of the Swabian Jura in moving images. The film will be an important tool for further sharpening the profile of the Geopark and conveying its special features emotionally.

It also became clear at the meeting that the Geopark is gaining visibility on a national and international level. This is not least thanks to its involvement in digital projects and strategic collaborations, which promote exchange with other geoparks and make the special features of the Swabian Jura known far beyond the region.

Advisory Board Chairwoman Prof. Heidi Megerle and Ulrich Ruckh from the Executive Board were actively involved in the discussions. The participants' feedback on the meeting was consistently positive - in particular, the open atmosphere, the variety of content and the professional preparation were emphasized. The meeting was therefore a successful start to an eventful year in the UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb.