Geopark opinion

Sir, I am contacting you as a geography student at York St John University currently conducting dissertation research into the effects of the new geopark status on the Isle of Arran.

Geoparks were created to promote areas with geological diversity as well as raise awareness of local geology and increase economic development. These things form the basis of my research.

In order to gather data for my research, I am looking to collect information from businesses on the island about their opinions of the geopark and about any effects they may have noticed. This will be carried out in the form of online surveys. Having visited the island previously on several occasions, I am interested to see what has changed since I last visited. In order to make this beneficial to you, I am willing to keep in contact and share the results of my study with you should you wish to use it for your own benefit.

This will most likely come in the form of a short summary of my findings.

Should you wish to participate, email abigail.brook-pett@yorksj. ac.uk and I can provide a link to the survey which can be found at https:// forms.gle/ji6FKkT6eDBwHMgS8

I ask that you provide an email address as instructed in order for me to identify your data should you wish to withdraw. All data will be kept anonymous in the final dissertation. You may withdraw from the study at any time up until September 30, 2019, and any information provided up until that point will not be used in the research.

If you have any questions about anything I have mentioned please feel free to email me. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and I hope to hear a response soon.

Yours,

Abigail Brook-Petty, York St John University.