Niagara Geopark is a registered charity dedicated to education, stewardship, and community connection across Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula.
We bring together communities, Indigenous partners, educators, researchers, municipalities, conservation organizations, businesses, and residents to help people understand, value, and care for Niagara’s remarkable geological and cultural story.
Our Mission
Niagara Geopark exists to connect people to the land beneath their feet and the stories it holds. Through education, public programming, partnerships, interpretation, and place-based learning, we help residents and visitors experience Niagara beyond the surface.
Our charitable work is focused on making learning accessible. This includes school programs, classroom presentations, GeoClub for Kids, public speaker events, digital learning through the Niagara Geopark Learning Hub, interpretive signage, GeoHikes, community storytelling, and resources that connect geology with culture, ecology, agriculture, history, sustainability, and everyday life in Niagara.
What is a Geopark?
A UNESCO Global Geopark is a unified geographical area where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed through a holistic approach to protection, education, and sustainable development.
Around the world, there are currently 241 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 51 countries. Canada is home to five UNESCO Global Geoparks: Stonehammer in New Brunswick, Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia, Percé in Québec, Discovery in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Cliffs of Fundy in Nova Scotia.
Niagara Geopark is currently an Aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark working within this framework by promoting geoheritage, supporting sustainable tourism, strengthening pride of place, and building partnerships that connect land, people, and future.
Our Path to UNESCO
Niagara Geopark is currently an Aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark. Following the 2024 UNESCO evaluation, we have worked closely with partners across the region to respond to recommendations, strengthen visibility, expand education, improve interpretation, deepen partnerships, and demonstrate strong community and municipal support.
We have now submitted our documentation for final approval and expect a decision in 2027. If successful, Niagara would join the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, connecting our region to an international community committed to protecting geological heritage, supporting education, and advancing sustainable development.
Click here to learn more about our Path to UNESCO.
Our Work
Our work is rooted in more than 450 million years of Earth history and guided by a commitment to education, stewardship, reconciliation, conservation, and sustainable tourism.
By connecting science, storytelling, and community action, Niagara Geopark helps people see Niagara as more than a destination. It is a living landscape shaped by time, culture, water, rock, and the choices we make today.
