Nannup WA Geopark

Billions of Years in the Making

Nannup is striving to become a UNESCO Global Geopark

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Special attributes to Nannup WA Geopark

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In Development

Geopark Static Display

Coming soon from Nannup WA Geopark

Proposed Display Site

A site has had conditional development approval from the Shire of Nannup for the construction of the proposed Static Display by the Nannup WA Geopark. This display is intended as the focal point for visitors to the Geopark.Currently, all that is to be seen at this stop is the location for this exciting development. While street parking here is not suitable, you can park your vehicle nearby, either at the Nannup Recreation and Community Centre (entry via Centenary Drive 60 metres to the south of this stop) or at the Marinko Tomas Memorial (entry 160 metres to the north of this stop) where there are public toilets, picnic facilities and a playground.The following images are the initial concepts of Stage 1 prepared for Nannup WA Geopark by Paul Meschiati and Associates.

Stage 1 - Abiotic Display

Stage 1 of the display will concentrate on the Geopark’s Abiotic (geological) features and will include:

Future Development

Once Stage 1 is complete, planning will commence for two future stages highlighting Biotic (flora and fauna) and Cultural features of the Geopark.

Affordable + Educational

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Nannup WA Geopark

Our Goals + Objectives

What we aim to achieve with Nannup WA Geopark

The Guidelines

The Nannup WA Geopark team developed Goals and Objectives in alignment with the goals and objectives of UNESCO Global Geoparks. This policy will enable a smooth transition from an aspiring Geopark to an accredited UNESCO Global Geopark.The Nannup WA Geopark team fully understand that we hold no legal tenure over the area of our perceptual boundary which is the Nannup Shire Boundary. We cannot allow access or deny access. UNESCO Global Geoparks are not like National Parks which are protected by legislation within the country they are designated.

The Nannup WA Geopark is not a lobby group or can it be used as a lobby group but rather a group of volunteers sharing there broad knowledge of the area to the public.Our Goals and Objectives to guide the Nannup WA Geopark team to deliver high quality information and develop interactive educational material along with citizen science programs. These are listed below.

Join our Research team

Become a Citizen Scientist

The Nannup WA Geopark is an exciting initiative that combines geological and ecological awareness and education and research, focusing on the understanding of local environments and historical significance

Research Activity: Sequestered Carbon Evaluation Activity (SCEA)

The Carbon project is the first of the Nannup WA Geopark research projects.

Cation name Location 1 bush: Marri and Jarrah ready to be measured

Everything You Need To Do SCEA

Congratulations! You are now ready to become a scientist and become part of history.

Carbon Sequestration Background Info

Carbon - Its Genesis

Carbon is an essential element for organic life on Earth, and it came into existence long before the Earth formed, and continues to be created throughout the Universe. Carbon is only formed under the extreme pressure and temperature present within aging stars nearing the end of their existence.The element forming process, termed stella nucleosynthesis, commences when the amount of hydrogen (H) within a star falls to a critically low level. At this stage, carbon nuclei are formed, with each carbon nucleus formed by the fusion of three (3) helium (He) nuclei, termed the triple-alpha process.

Once formed, carbon and the other newly formed elements (mainly heavy elements), begin their dispersal throughout the cosmos as the dying star collapses then explodes, termed a supernova, at the end of its life. The dispersed elements mix with interstellar dust and gases, eventually aggregating, over millions of years, to form new stars and planets. Recycling at a mega-scale. The Joni Mitchell song, “Woodstock”, is right in saying “We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year-old carbon”.Our planet, Earth, is now about 4.54 billion years old, approximately half-way through its natural existence, with the first microbial life appearing 3.7 to 3.5 billion years ago, possibly earlier. Earth will cease to exist in about 4.5 billion years. However, complex life on Earth, in whatever form it exists then, will have ceased, or migrated to another planet, many millions of years earlier due to the immense, overwhelming heat from the Sun, it having become a raging red giant.

Carbon - The Element

Carbon is a non-metal, number 6 on the Periodic Table in the second row, together with other reactive non-metals such as oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N). See Periodic Table below.

A carbon atom has a nucleus of six (6) protons and six (6) neutrons, with six (6) electrons orbiting the nucleus; two (2) electrons in the inner shell and four (4) in the outer shell.With this atomic structure, carbon has the unique ability to form four (4) very strong covalent bonds with other carbon atoms and many other elements. It is this atomic structure which makes carbon (C) such a critically important and versatile element, able to form the basis of life on Earth.Carbon forms nucleic acid, the fundamental compound for building all life as we know it. Nucleic acid has two (2) forms, namely, ß-Ribose, found in RNA (ribonucleic acid) and ß-2 Deoxyribose found in DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). See atomic diagrams below.

Carbon Atomic Structure

Earth's Carbon Cycles

As with other elements and compounds comprising Earth, carbon (C) moves in various cycles, moving at various rates between reservoirs and with various residence periods within reservoirs. Whilst complicated in detail, carbon cycles can be generalised into short (< 1 minute – 24 hours), medium (1 day to 1,000 years) and long term (1,000 years to millions of years) cycles.In the short cycle, carbon moves quickly from the atmosphere into plants, soil and organisms. For example, carbon, as carbon dioxide (CO₂), is absorbed by plants through the process of photosynthesis within leaves and then converted into sugar, O₂ and then into various tissues. This process occurs in leaves and is illustrated in the diagram below.

Carbon Earth Cycles (Credit: ByJu’s – The Learning App)

The process of fixing carbon as plant tissue, mainly as cellulose created from sugar, is termed sequestration. Some carbon is transferred into soil via root enzymes and fungi, and to animals via herbivory. Additional information on the sequestration of carbon by plants is provided in Section 4.In the medium cycle, an example particularly applicable to the SCEA field activity, is the gradual growth, accumulation of carbon in woody tissue (sequestration), aging and death of a large tree, then the wood decaying releasing carbon into the atmosphere, soil and to those organisms consuming the wood, the process taking place over 100 to 400 years; to +1,000 years in some cases. The diagram below illustrates the CO₂ (mauve arrows) and O₂ (blue arrows) pathways between the atmosphere, plants and soil.

Canopy Carbon Project

In the long cycle, an example is the rapid burial of trees and other vegetation forms by soil and/or sediments (sedimentation over geological time) eventually to form coal over millions of years of deep burial. Coal is an energy-rich material because of the high carbon content, which when burnt, releases large amounts of heat (used to make steam to power engines) and large amounts of ‘waste’ carbon in the form of charcoal, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) gases; the gases rejoin the atmospheric reservoir. The CO₂ then becomes available again for absorption by plants, millions of years after its previous absorption by plants.Importantly, Earth’s oceans, lakes and rivers also play very important roles in the carbon cycling process at all scales.The diagram below and its associated data illustrates the global or long, also known as the slow, carbon (C) pathways between the atmosphere, industrial operations, plants, soil and very long-term geological burial. Also provided are some facts about the carbon cycle. Mt means Million tonnes; M years means Million years. Data is sourced from NASA Earth Observatory, May 2023.

Some Carbon Cycle Facts

Importance of Carbon Sequestration by Plants

Carbon in the form of carbon dioxide (CO₂) is absorbed from the atmosphere by plants and then converted into energy (sugars) and tissue (mainly cellulose) for growth - this process is called photosynthesis. Excess oxygen (O₂) resulting from the disassociation (break-up) of CO₂ not required by plants is released into the atmosphere – this is the oxygen that we breath; without this oxygen, almost all organisms on Earth would not be able to survive without major, fundamental change to their metabolic processes.The oxygen retained by plants is eventually combined with carbon and hydrogen (from water) to synthesise sugars then into cellulose (C₆H₁₀O₀), which comprises 40 – 50% by weight of wood, to form the roots, trunk and branches, is how most of the carbon is stored and is then called sequestered carbon.Carbon sequestration plays a crucial role in keeping Earth habitable. This is because it helps regulate the planet’s carbon cycle and limits the buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide, a major driver of global warming.At its core, carbon sequestration is the long term capture and storage of carbon in plants, soils, oceans and geological formations. By stabilizing carbon in these reservoirs rather than allowing accumulation in the atmosphere, sequestration reduces the greenhouse effect and slows climate change.This process is profoundly important for life on Earth. Rising CO₂ levels intensify heat retention by the atmosphere and oceans, in turn disrupting weather patterns, and threatening ecosystems on which humans and most other species depend. Natural sequestration by forests, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and oceans act as buffers, absorbing a significant portion of human-generated emissions, thus helping to maintain climate stability. Maintaining, or enhancing these natural systems if degraded, mitigate the impacts of human industrial activity and protect biodiversity.As climate change intensifies, reducing emissions alone is no longer sufficient. Thus, removing excess carbon from the atmosphere is essential for safeguarding global health. Carbon sequestration is a critical, primary natural process that supports the long term resilience of life on Earth.

Characterisation Terms For Tree Sequestered Carbon

In the science of tree sequestered carbon, there are a number of terms used with specific meanings; these are described below.Carbon stock (tC or tCO₂ equiv.): this is the amount of carbon (in units of tonnes carbon or carbon dioxide equivalent), called ‘green carbon’, stored in land plants or in the case of offshore seagrass meadows, called ‘blue carbon’. The stock calculation may or may not include plant roots but does need to be stipulated. The calculations for SCEA do include the tree roots.Partitioning of carbon stocks above- and below-ground: when measuring the amount of carbon by plants, whether grasses, shrubs or trees, it is good practice to distinguish carbon held above-ground level in the stems or trunks and branches, as distinct from the carbon held below-ground in the root system. The reason for the distinction or partitioning is that it is much more difficult to measure root-hosted carbon accurately compared to the above-ground portions of a plant.
For the SCEA field activity, the term “estimation” rather than “measurement” is used so as to not imply a high degree of accuracy when root-hosted carbon is included in the calculation. SCEA uses a root carbon ratio of 0.3 of the above-ground carbon held by the trunk and branches.The illustration below shows the below-ground root system and the above-ground trunk of a tree.

Carbon density (tC/Ha or tCO₂ equiv./Ha): this is the amount of carbon stored in plants in a hectare (an area 100m x 100m or circle radius of 56m) of land or offshore in a seagrass meadow. At the SCEA designated forest sites, the estimation area is one (1) hectare, thus the resultant calculation of the amount of above- and below-ground carbon (C) is the carbon density at that site.Spatial and temporal variability of carbon density: Adding to the difficulty of measuring carbon stocks in vegetation, whether on land or offshore, is the variation between measurement sites even within the same vegetation type. This spatial variation is caused by natural (intrinsic) variations in factors such as soil, position on landforms (e.g. hill tops to valleys), aspect (e.g. north-facing slopes compared with south-facing slopes) and the amount of rock outcrop.In addition to natural variation, there is usually variation caused by human activity and land use such as farming, logging/thinning and clearing for tracks and infrastructure such as dams, power transmission lines and water pipelines.Temporal variation is the variation, both natural and human-induced, through time at short-, medium-and long-timescales. Climate change, both natural and human-induced has a significant effect on the type and density of vegetation in an area, and thus on the amount of carbon sequestered.

Why Is Measuring Sequestered Carbon Important?

The quantity of carbon comprising the woody tissue of trees is estimated in the field by the Sequestered Carbon Estimation Activity (SCEA). It is anticipated that over many years and many SCEA measurements being undertaken by keen Citizen Scientists that a comprehensive database of sequestered carbon estimates will provide an excellent spatial and temporal record of forest-sequestered carbon throughout the Nannup WA Geopark. It is a valuable and informative component of monitoring the health of the forests.In essence, “What is not measured, cannot be managed.” Thus, your interest and participation in this activity is very much valued and appreciated.Other supporting measures of forest health such as tree canopy cover, ratio of juvenile to mature trees, ground storey plant density and species composition, and fauna surveys are not part of the SCEA.

Worldwide and Australia's Carbon Emissions

World-wide, humanity has added a huge amount of greenhouse gas to Earth’s atmosphere, equivalent to approximately 2.44 trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide.Australia’s cumulative emissions of greenhouse gas by 2005 amounted to approximately 610 Mt CO₂ equivalent, with cumulative emissions to 2025 reduced to approximately 440 Mt CO₂ equivalent, and projected to continue to reduce as mitigation activities and technology continue to impact through to 2035 and beyond (source report: Australia’s emissions projects 2025. Australian Government, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, November 2025).

Tree Guide for SCEA Sites

Selected Trees Found at or in the Vicinity of SCEA Sites

See the SCEA Results

Data recorded and submitted for SCEA will be shown below. Complete map coming soon.

Representation

The Australian Geoparks Network

The formation of Geoparks Australia and Geoparks WA

Overview

The Australian Geoparks Network (AGN) has been in existence in various forms since 2008. Almost a decade later some of the leaders of the AGN established Geoparks Western Australia (Geoparks WA), in our largest state. In so doing this their aim was to also formalise the AGN. This was the focus of Geoparks WA and over the period 2019-20 and which has now occurred when it was incorporated in Western Australia in 2021.

The organisation has an Australian wide Board made up of members with expertise in geoparks, geotourism and geotrails with others having expertise in geology, tourism and / or education. One is the former Director of Australia’s first global geopark, Kanawinka which operated from 2008-2012. Another helped establish the Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark in Japan.The Australian Board is supported by an International Advisory Board comprising geopark specialists from around the world. They include world leaders of the Geoparks Movement; three country geopark network chairs; and other major contributors to the development of global geoparks.

What's Next for Geoparks WA?

Since incorporation, several workshops have been held as both public and team events. Geoparks WA has showcased the business of geoparks, and cultural and environment aspects. Public workshops have included interstate and international geopark specialists and have been well received. Team events have focused on discussing development of geoparks locally with active teams and to share information between the teams.There is a growing level of interest in geoparks in Western Australia and membership, which remain free to date, continues to increase. The board of Geoparks WA maintains positive links with both government agencies and elected representatives, and private businesses across the State.Geoparks WA board members worked initially with the Murchison GeoRegion and Geopark along with the Forum Advocating Ecotourism and Culture and following that success, has since worked with Wanneroo / Joondalup, Binjareb / Peel and Nannup WA Geopark as they move forward with their geopark projects.

Geoparks WA is also active in attracting grants and other funding in its promotion of geoparks. This has included a Regional Arts Australia grant to establish a Genestream project at Kellerberrin linking Aboriginal Culture to Earth and Biota of the Wheatbelt Region, a Regional Development Commission grant to design and establish a geodrive in the Mandurah, Murray, and Waroona shires and to provide a consultancy to both Mid West and Peel Development Commissions.The board of Geoparks WA continues to lobby at State and National levels. Geoparks WA liaises with State members of Parliament and directors of government agencies and is represented on the Geological Survey Western Australia geotourism workshops.Geoparks WA also engages with federal politicians and agencies to promote geoparks. Representation is also made on the Working Groups for the Australian Geoscience Council National Geotourism Strategy. Several board members are members of the geological Society of Australia and work with the State branch, GSA WA.

The Future of Geoparks Australia

While the AGN is active in promoting geoparks in Australia, it remains aware that a future role will be to the Australian Board will be changed to model the UNESCO Global Geoparks National Committee framework. That is, it will comprise representatives of each of the following government departments or equivalent not-for-profit organisations:

At the time of establishment of the UNESCO National Committee as the substantive AGN Board, the members of the existing Board will transition to being members of an Advisory Committee to the AGN. The International Advisory Board will remain in place throughoutThe Chair of the AGN has regularly met with senior Federal and State Parliamentarians, Departmental Heads of Agencies, and community organisations. A newsletter is regularly published outlining Global Geopark events and promoting conferences, the status of UNESCO Global Geoparks on a global basis and the progress of Australian geoparks.

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Nannup WA Geopark Membership

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Membership Benefits

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Members Only Area

Welcome to the Nannup WA Geopark Members Area

This exclusive area of our website serves as an information hub for Nannup WA Geopark Members. Here we will be introducing the ability to access Geopark Trail data as well being able to submit your own findings.Our Member newsletter as well as notifications of field trips and information sessions will also be published below. We will notify you via your supplied contact details (email or phone) when we publish information. Thanks for your patience.

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