The Black Country UNESCO Global Geopark is a celebration of landscape and people, past, present and future. It is a mechanism to recognise and connect the unique and important heritage across the four Black Country boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, and the basis for programmes to educate and inspire future change in the region.

The judges said commented on how it is an “excellent example of providing access to the landscape”, and were “impressed at how it creates curiosity” about the history, heritage and environment of the places people visit. It was also noted that this is an excellent example of how in the Black Country, different authorities and organisations have come together to work on a long term, joined up vision.