The geology of Sunnhordland has been of interest to many from stone age till oil age, and the bibliography from this area since late 1800 is impressive. The archipelago and geology along the coast have influenced our culture for 11 000 years, either it was tools, food, communication, tradition and business.

Greenstone and rhyolite from Bømlo was utilized by Mesolithic and neolithic cultures during 6000 years, the medieval churches of Bergen is built of our soapstone, most of medieval baking plates along the Norwegian coast comes from chlorite schist from Ølve, our marble adorns the bridges and castles in Copenhagen and the former Danish-Norwegian island of St.Croix (colony during the Triangle Trade) in the Caribbean, our pyrite laid the foundation for big industry during 100 years, and the biggest gold mine in Norway built dreams and industry on the barren coast against the North Sea from 1880-1910. The city of Bergen is «built of Sunnhordland rock», says the geologists Øystein J. Jansen and Tom Heldal in their book Steinbyen Bergen (“Bergen, the city of stone”). In modern times, the construction and move of many of the biggest oilrigs in the world was possible because the fjord depths in the Hardanger fjord, e.g. to the Utsira Height in the North Sea where international surveys of erosion in the granite of Bømlo led to the detection of hydrocarbons. In granite!

With our three main visitor centre Moster Amfi, The Museum of Sunnhordland and Folgefonnsenteret, our Geopark is well equipped with interpreting facilities presenting our geo-heritage of international interest.

Based these visitor centers our Geopark shall interpret geology- and landscapes to schools and entrepreneurs in tourism. It shall contribute to knowledge and identity for the inhabitants, and to creating values for tourism. Interpreting will be on geosites, websites, printed maps, and brochures, guiding, via teachers and staff at partner hotels in Sunnhordland. 

The UNESCO-status will give Sunnhordland international credibility as a sustainable destination of special interest.