GGN - Geopark Annual Report 2016(Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark)
Visits
1,166

1. GEOPARK IDENTITY

Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark(APGN), was approved as a member of Global Geopark Network in 2004. Last revalidation was passed in 2014.

2016 World Earth Day Activity

2. GEOPARK FIGURES

Number of Geopark staffs: 1354 staffs including 5 geoscientists

Number of Visitors: 1,7096,200 visitors

Number of Geopark events: 16 times

In World Earth Day together with Fengguizhuangyuan, Lushan National Preservation Administrative Bureau, Lushan Botanical Garden, “Happy Study Association”. In 2016, we organize “energy saving and green life” activity, Bird-caring Week, Wild Animal Protection Awareness Month Acitivities, hosted University Students “Cross-strait and Four Places” Science, Technology and Culture Summer Camp, organized spring and autumn sketching activities together with Lushan Calligraphers’ Association and Lushan Artists’ Association, 2016 Intoxicating Autumn and Charming Winter of Lushan National Photography Exhibition, hosted Summer of Lushan art performances with Beijing Jiulong Cultural Co. Ltd.,. cooperated with Lushan West Lake Scenic Region, we hosted Eternal Love Travel and Photograph inter-active experience and Tourism Product Promotion News Release.

Number school classes realize Geopark educational programmes: 40

Number of Geopark press release:10 articles are released in China Global Geopark Net websitemore than 40 articles in Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark website and Wechat platform. More than 200 geopark news are released and published in the main media. Among them Lushan Global Geopark news was released in CCTV 10 times.

3. GEOPARK ACTIVITIES

Major achievements in 2016

1. Geoconservation RMB three millions are used in 7 sites of hidden geo-disaster risk resolution. Finished the application for Geo-heritage preservation funding project to the central government. More than 3 million visitors visited Lushan Geo-museum. Public awareness on geo-sites and cultural resources are enhanced through geo-museum exhibition and large scale of geopark popularization activities.

2. Science researchRe-introduction of rhododendron and conservation base construction, a joint project with England to apply as an international cooperation project to the Ministry of Science and Technology is completed. Monitoring devices for Poyang Lake water evaporation and the water input and distribution are installed. International cooperation agreements or intentions are signed with Russian, American ,British, Belgium, Dutch and Italian botanical research institutions.

3.Lushan was approved as provincial eco-civilization model base of Jiangxi Province.

4.Upgraded to Lushan Municipality, geopark total management is enhanced greatly.

5. Infrastructure is improving: Smart digital park lot is upgraded, parking places are increased from 245 to 1080. 100 new monitoring cameras and 2 new entrance ticket vending machines are installed. The sewage treatment capacity reaches 1,100,000 tons per year.

Contribution towards GGN - Networking and Participation:

1.Participated 2016 China Global Geopark Annual Conference and set up sistership with Zhijindong UNESCO Global Geopark.

2. Participated in the 7th UNESCO Global Geopark Conference.

3. Participated the Second Geopark International Course on UNESCO Global Geoparks (Beijing) and joined the study and exchanges in Yanqing UNESCO Geobal Geopark.

Management and Financial status:

1. In May, 2016, Lushan was upgrades into a municipality, cultural heritages, geosites and tourism resources of Lushan Global Geopark get unified management. The management structure are largely strengthened.

2.Finacial statusRevenue and expenditures balance. Gross fiscal revenue of 2016 is RMB 795,840,000792,840,000 of it is used in geopark management, conservation and construction.

Geo-conservation:

Geopark conservation is strictly according to geopark plan. Geosites are well protected and kept in their natural state, without human being impact, except natural weathering and serious bad weather.

Sustainable tourism (Geotourism):

Geotourism guidance and interpretation system are installed in each geosites and being renewed in each season. Every year, geopark organize more than two times of professional geo-guide training, staff and volunteer training to promote public awareness and geoknowlege publicity.

New Education programmes on geoconservation, sustainable development and disaster risk reduction: We organized World Earth Day, Bird-loving Week, Wild Animal Protection Awareness Month and other themed activities, visit local families to their homes to delivery geo-disasters precaution posters, conduct more than 10 lectures on geoknowledge popularization. In addition to the cooperation on education with local schools and communities, Lushan Global Geopark is taking active research and study cooperation with universities, utilizing geotourism and special cultural resources. Continued cooperating with Nanjing University, China University of Geosciences(Wuhan). And sharing their essays, reports and works. Geopark developments and geo-scientific research ability are strengthened at the same time.

Strategic Partnership:

Most of the farmfood restaurants surrounding Lushan Mountain, Happy Study Association (members are primary students in Jiujiang), China University of Geosciences(Wuhan), Nanjing University, Lushan Special Tourism Products Whole and Retail shops, More than 30 geopark farmfood restaurantsGeopark Franchised shops, travel Agencies such as China International Travel Agency and so on.

Promotional activities:

1.Sustained promotion through internet and traditional medias are part of the major work. 278 articles released on national, provincial and municipal mainstream media . More than 1,000 articles and 8,500 geotourism information released through internet media. 2.Cloud Waterfall in Lushan and other series of geopark photographs taken by Mr. Li Min, local photographer is played in huge digital billboard in New York Times Square. 3. Promote geopark in tourism fair in several provinces. Cooperating with adjacent tourism areas to develop new tourist route. Signed cooperation contracts with 18 channel distributors and travel agencies. 4.Participate Tianjin China Mining Congress and Expo 2016 and join all the exhibitions. 5.Promote geopark in Czech, Croatia and Hungary organized by the provincial government.

4. Contacts: Manager: Mr. Yang Jian lsgeopark@163.com Geologist: Mr. Xiong Weiqiang xiongboy@163.com