From July 24 to 28, 2024, at the hottest major heat solar term, Danxiashan UNESCO Global Geopark received the fourth revalidation since joining GGN in 2004.
Two evaluators, Henning Zellmer and Rasanubari from Germany and Malaysia, braved the scorching heat to conduct a comprehensive assessment of Danxiashan. They highly praised the work of Danxiashan UNESCO Global Geopark since 2020 and praised Danxiashan as an excellent Global Geopark. Wu Xiaomou, Deputy Director of Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province, Ou Wenxia, Deputy Director of Nature Reserve Management Department, Jiang Wenhong, Deputy Mayor of Shaoguan Municipal Government, Xie Qingwei and Chen Fang, Deputy Directors of Danxiashan Administrative Committee, and Dr. Young Ng, scientific advisor of Danxiashan, accompanied the revalidation and attended the work report and feedback meetings. Professor Chen Liuqin, Associate Professor Fan Qiang, Professor Liu Jun, Professor Li Hongwei, Professor Xu Hongxia and other experts accompanied the revalidation.
Welcome ceremony at the geopark entrance
Dr. Henning, a German expert, participated in the first International Symposium of danxia landscape held in Danxiashan in 2009, performed more than 20 evaluation tasks, and is a senior evaluator of Geopark; Ms. Rasa of Malaysia has just finished the aspiring Global Geopark evaluation, both of them know the construction of Geopark in China well. In recent years, on the 7 recommendations for last revalidation and the UNESCO Global Geopark Operation Guide and other Geopark construction requirements, Danxiashan UGGp carried out a lot of rectification and promotion work, the ecological environment and geological relics protection, infrastructure and service facilities, museum and interpretation system improvement, scientific research and sustainable tourism, intangible and geological integration, geopark network activities and promoting women management status, and the sustainable development of local economy, etc., praised by two evaluators.
Evaluators visited the protection of geological relics in Danxiashan
On the first day of revalidation, two evaluators listened to the progress report of Danxiashan UGGp from 2020 to 2024, inspected the intelligent Danxia management system, biodiversity monitoring system, geological relics database, geological disaster monitoring system, cultural heritage monitoring system, air quality monitoring system, etc. In the following three days, they visited the NO.1-NO.8 routes, natural education trail and Yuedan Highway, and planted friendship trees in Danxiashan Friendship Tree Garden. During the revalidation, the two experts talked with the head of provincial, city, county and park management institution, Danxiashan popular science volunteers, local community representatives, leaders of cooperative enterprises, religious people, front line staff, tutor and visitors, feeling Danxiashan UGGp's enthusiasm and charm, satisfied with the management and service of the park.
The evaluators planted friendship trees
During the revalidation period, the park insisted on English report and communication by managers, such as work report, museum interpretation and Geopark inspection. Dr. Young Ng, Professor Chen Liuqin, Professor Liu Jun, Professor Li Hongwei and Associate Professor Fan Qiang interpreted the park from a professional perspective. Park managers show the effectiveness of park protection and management from protection, planning and utilization, scientific research and science popularization, and community development. The magnificent danxia landscape, excellent ecological environment, rich biodiversity and cultural accumulation, as well as the high-quality management and service team, have impressed the two experts. During this period, Dr. Henning kept recalling the visit of Danxiashan in 2009 compared with the construction effect of the park today, and praised the overall environment of the park and the overall improvement of the original residents' villages. At the same time, they also praised the park's intelligent management system, remote sensing and uav technology in geological disasters and ecological resources investigation and conservation.
Visit the Danxiashan Museum
Dr. Henning wrote: It's a perfect combination of rocks, natural and cultural heritage. Everyone can learn a lot. We all must learn to save our common nature and culture.--Dr. Henning Zellmer; Ms. Rasa wrote: Great landscape of Danxiashan. The best nature school in China.--Ms.Rasanubari.
Science popularization volunteers and evaluators
At the feedback meeting, the evaluators praised the local government and the park management team, said that the 7 recommendations of last revalidation were fully rectified. At the same time, in order to better promote the sustainable development of Danxiashan in the next four years, 6 new recommendations were also put forward: first, strengthen the international exchanges and cooperation in the scientific research of danxia landscape; Second, continue to strengthen biodiversity research; Third, further strengthen the cooperation with the local communities, promote the sustainable development of community economy; Fourth, continue to promote the science popularization and digitalization; Fifth, further improve barrier-free facilities, provide more convenient services for special groups; Sixth, strengthen the brand application of Danxiashan brand, enabling community partners, improving the brand influence of the park.
Inspect the "Danxia Wonderland" popular science education trail
The evaluators highly commended the work of Danxiashan UGGp in the management and protection of geological relics, ecological environment and cultural heritage, infrastructure construction, popular science education, ecological tourism, sustainable community development and network cooperation of the Geopark.
Inspect intangible cultural heritage
The evaluators also said that Danxiashan as one of the world's first Global Geopark, after 20 years of development, now it has a very mature management team and advanced construction experience, they are very honored to have the opportunity to evaluate Danxiashan, an excellent Global Geopark, feel the charm of Danxiashan UGGp, and, in the revalidation, they learned a lot of experience of Danxiashan management, protection, popular science, scientific research and development, they will share with their park management team and regional network.
