Geotope of the year chosen in Adorf

The winner has been announced! In 2024, a special rock formation in the GrenzWelten National Geopark once again had the opportunity to be named "Geotope of the Year". Numerous suggestions were received, from which the Geopark jury decided in favour of an outcrop of the Adorf Bänderschiefer in the middle of the village of Diemelsee. This means that GrenzWelten now has its eighth title holder since the first award in 2017.

The aim of the campaign is to bring extraordinary geological objects to the public's attention, increase their regional awareness and emphasise the value and worthiness of protection of the geotopes. Due to its location in the centre of Adorf, the Adorf Bänderschiefer outcrop is easy to reach by car, bicycle or on foot. It is located on the Diemelsteig quality hiking trail and can also be explored via a short detour from the Adorf nature and culture trail.

The geotope of the year 2024 is not a weathered wall, as a first glance might suggest. Rather, the unusual banding of the rock was formed in a relatively shallow sea during the Upper Devonian period around 380 million years ago. Its unusual rhythmic striation clearly shows how depositional conditions change due to global climate fluctuations. Dark stripes indicate warm marine areas that are poorly oxygenated by algal blooms and free of limestone, while light-coloured stripes indicate a colder phase. These layers are very fine-grained and calcareous.

The outcrop will be presented to the public on 15 September, this year's Geotope Day, as part of a guided tour. There are also plans to set up a new geo-station at the outcrop, an information board that will explain the complex relationships and background that led to the formation of this special rock.

Keywords:

Environment and Climate Protection Department Geopark GrenzWelten