Eight new Global Geopark have been approved as members of the UNESCO Global Geopark Network, bringing the total number of UNESCO-recognized geopark to 169 in 44 countries.
Bovbjerg cliffs in the Vestjylland UNESCO Global Geopark (Photo: UNESCO) Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries that did not apply for new geopark recognition, the UNESCO Global Geopark Council decided to consider this year’s candidates from Old application form (period 2017-2019). In fact, evaluations of these geopark have been carried out since before the start of the pandemic. The management boards of these parks have also submitted additional information reports as requested by the Council. The new UNESCO Global Geopark is: 1. Vestjylland Global Geopark, Denmark About a third of the Geopark’s surface area is on the mainland, with the rest comprising marine areas in the Limfjord and the North Sea. The terrestrial part of the Geopark’s icy landscape are flat plains, lagoons and lakes formed by successive ice ages, especially the most recent ice age, Main Advance, took place 23,000 to 21,000 years ago. Wind and water are continuing to affect the landscape in very conspicuous ways. Geopark includes 13 areas Naruta 2000, 5 nature reserves and wildlife and more than 90 natural geological sites. Natura 2000 is the European Union’s ecological network, which includes important bird habitats and protected habitats that are important to other wildlife species of interest to the European Union. 2. Global Geopark Saimaa, Finland Geopark takes its name from Lake Saimaa, the largest lake in Finland and the 4th largest lake in Europe. Located in southeastern Finland, south of the Vuoksi water system, the Geopark stretches about 20 to 180 meters above sea level. One-third of the park’s 6,063 km² of surface area is water, dotted with thousands of islands, and a coastline of more than 8,000 km. The rocks of Saimaa point to the area’s as far back as 1,900 million years ago when it was part of the seabed. The rocky bedrock is formed over time when the sea water recedes, mountain folds take place, the rocks crystallize into gneisses and granite. The ancient foundation was further affected by the ice age, and land accretion continues to this day. The land of this area was formed in the past 20,000 years due to erosion of ice sheets. Since then, several unique and endangered species, including seal Saimaa and salmon, have been “isolated” in the area. Impressive stone paintings on the shores of the lake show human presence from the Stone Age. The location and features of the Geopark allow visitors to observe the patterns of ice lobe formation in Finland’s Lake District. Saimaa seal ring (Photo: Arto Hamalainen / UNESCO) (Photo: Arto Hamalainen / UNESCO) (Photo: Arto Hamalainen / UNESCO) (Photo: Arto Hamalainen / UNESCO) 3. Thuringia Inselsberg Global Geopark – Drei Gleichen, Germany Located in Thuringia, central Germany, the Geopark covers an area of about 988 km² at an altitude of 250 to 900 meters above sea level. The park’s geology records more than 150 million years of Earth’s history, from the merger of the Pangea supercontinent to the dissolution of the continent during the Late Triassic. Geopark’s distinctive fossil profile has been a subject of study for over 300 years, leading to the accumulation of great geological expertise. The fossilized reef here, among the first recognized in the 19th century, is a remnant of the formation of a small island surrounded by coral reefs in the Zechstein Sea. You can explore three of the Geopark’s hundreds of natural caves. The park’s Geo & Pleasure geo-tourism trail highlights the link between soil and local geology and traditional indigenous cuisine in the low mountains and loess regions. (Photo: Stephan Brauner Kerstin Fohlert / UNESCO) (Photo: Stephan Brauner Kerstin Fohlert / UNESCO) 4. Grevena Global Geopark – Kozani, Greece In the North of Greece, in the Western Macedonia region (within 40-70 km of the border of Albania and North Macedonia), this geopark covers an area of 2,486 km², with an altitude of 380 to 3,800 meters above water level. sea. Greece’s longest river, Aliakamon, flows through Grevana – Kozani. The park’s geology includes rock formations dating back to about a billion years ago, to date records a number of tectonic plate events, including the birth of the Tethyan Ocean and the emergence of Europe. as a separate continental block. Orliakas Mountain, a reef in the midst of an ancient African-European contiguous area, inside the Geopark. Studies of these geological features have significantly contributed to the development of popular theories about the origin of tectonic plates. The geopark also houses some of the world’s most important tornado fossils, The Land of Elephants and Mammoths with the longest known tusks in the world (over 5 m). (Photo: Geowonders Greece / UNESCO) (Photo: Geowonders Greece / UNESCO) (Photo: Geowonders Greece / UNESCO) 5. Global Geopark Belitong, Indonesia Belitong Geopark is located about 400 km north of Jakarta, including Belitung Island and more than 200 small islands in 13,000 km² of waters. The marine area accounts for about 2/3 of the total surface area of this park. Belitong is known for its spectacular Tor granite landscape, and large rock outcrops, created by weathering and erosion. The park also features a rare meteorite tektite called Satam or Billitonite, along with unique mineral deposits such as the Nam Salu primary tin mine, the richest single tin mine in the region. Southeast Asia. Located on historic maritime trade and migration routes, Belitong is home to more than 288,000 people from diverse cultures, including the Sawang Tribes. The main sources of income are agriculture, fishing and mining. (Photo: Belitong Geopark / UNESCO) 6. Aspromonte Global Geopark, Italy Located in Calabria, southern Italy, with an altitude of nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, Aspromonte Geopark is home to more than 273,000 people. The site’s exceptional geology is the result of the evolution of geodynamics and seismics that began more than 500 million years ago and are still ongoing. This geopark is located on a peninsula along the Apennine Mountains, corresponding to a piece of the Alpine range separating Spain, northwest Italy, Sardinia and Corsica. A complex of mountains, ridges and plateaus interspersed with deep valleys created by unique natural water currents, has “sculpted” the hard rocks of the foundation, leading to metamorphism to crystallize over time. and create spectacular waterfalls. The Geopark’s unique geomorphology gives visitors a stunning 360-degree view of the Strait of Messina, Mount Etna, the Aeolian Islands, Calabrian Greek territory, Locri territory and Gioia Tauro Plains. (Photo: UNESCO) (Photo: UNESCO) (Photo: UNESCO) 7. Majella Global Geopark, Italy Located in the Center of Apennines, the Geopark has a surface area of 740 km² with an altitude of 130 to 2,800 meters above sea level, along with more than 60 peaks in the Majella Mountains, half of which are over 2,000 meters high, like Mount Amaro. The geopark is made up of a series of gorges, many rivers and a number of perennial lakes that are essential to wildlife. This area is made up mainly of fossilized limestone. With ruins associated with the human presence some 600,000 years ago, the Geopark has 95 geological sites, including one of the oldest archaeological sites in Europe. Most have considerable educational and tourism value. Thanks to the special landscape of high-altitude reliefs near the sea and the heterogeneity of geomorphology, the Geopark is characterized by a variety of microclimate, ecosystems and ecological niches, which has increased the level of special and valuable biodiversity. (Photo: MNP Archive – Maurizio Anselmi / UNESCO) (Photo: Enigma Casare lacovone / UNESCO) (Photo: Luca de Monaco / UNESCO) (Photo: Upix Fotografia Ipogea / UNESCO) 8. Public mountain geology Holy Cross, Poland Located in the southeastern part of Poland, the western part of the Świętokrzyskie mountain range, the Holy Cross Mountain Geopark is 200 to 400 meters above sea level, and is home to more than 252,000 people. The Geopark located in the Trans-European Garment Region (TESZ), a major tectonic boundary between the Variscan Western Foundation, the Pre-Cambrian Eastern Foundation and the reproductive belt of Alpine structures, is the key to Learn the geological structure of Europe. More importantly, this is the only site in the TESZ where sedimentary rocks representing the sequence of all geological periods from the Cambrian to the Quaternary are raised on the surface. The geology of the park, combined with human intervention over the centuries has resulted in a rich diversity of landscapes, flora and fauna. Traces of human activity in the Geopark date back 60,000 years, including Neanderthal camps and a beautiful cave system. Many ancient quarries are testament to the importance of mineral deposits, metal ores, limestone and other natural resources to local people over time. (Photo: Szymon Pawlak / UNESCO) (Photo: Szymon Pawlak / UNESCO) Quynh Hoa According to UNESCO
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