Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark (TRUGG) Master Plan
The town of Tumbler Ridge lost their major employers Quintette Coal and Bullmoose Mines resulting in the community faced with no jobs and no prospects. There was opportunity through tourism for promoting Dinosaurs, Geological Formations, Mountains and Waterfalls.
All these amazing features that United Nations qualified the potential to be a global geopark. At the time the one and only geopark in North America was Stonehammer in St John, New Brunswick.
Community Futures Peace Liard researched and wrote the Tumbler Ridge Geopark Master Plan that provided a marketing plan, business plan, operations plan and management plan based on the work that had been done by the Tumbler Ridge Aspiring Geopark Society, Tumbler Ridge Museum Society and the Wolverine Nordic Mountain Society.
The Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark was designated as the 111th Geopark Park in the world in 2014.
UNESCO Global Geoparks are established through a bottom-up process involving all relevant local and regional stakeholders and authorities in the area of land owners, community groups, tourism providers, indigenous people, and local organizations. The other goal is to create economic development; business development and job creation, as well as increase visitor spending in the community.
Tumbler Ridge is recognized now throughout the world. There has been an increase in international visitors as well as visitors from the United States and Canada. This has helped with new business start- ups catering to tourism as well as assisting existing businesses. Both full time and seasonal jobs have been created due to the increase in demand to explore the back country of Tumbler Ridge. The geopark has given this small community new hope for the future.