Revalidation Report
Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark
People’s Republic of China
Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark Administrative Committee
Yang Jian
December 2017
A. GENERAL INFORMATION
| Surface area in km2
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548(after range extension of 9.6% )
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| Population
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18,000(registered permanent residents in core zone of the geopark )
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| Year of acceptance as UNESCO Global Geopark
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2015
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| Year of membership in the Global Geoparks Network (before the establishment of the UGGp label in 2015)
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2004
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| Previous revalidation date(s) and name(s) of previous evaluator(s)
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From July 23 to 25, 2014
Revalidators: Mr. Ilias Valiakos,
Mr. Pasquale Li Puma
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| Contact person (name, position, e-mail)
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Mr. Shi Wan Li,
director of Management Office for Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark,
E-mail: lsgeopark@163.com
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| Website
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| Social media
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Wechat Official Account:
Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark,
Lushan Scenic and Historic Area,
Lushan Stone Carving Museum,
Lushan Tourism Bureau,
Lushan Traffic Police
Weibo/MicroBlog(bloc public service):
Lushan Tourism Service,
Lushan Scenic and Historic Area
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B. LIST OF DOCUMENTS AND ANNEXES
(including the annual progress reports to GGN network)
Appendix: 1.Letter of intent of range extension application Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark
2.Range extension illustration extension of Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark
3.Range extension draft complex map of Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark
4.2014 annual working report of Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark
5.2015 annual working report of Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark
6.2016 annual working report of Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark
7.2017 annual working report of Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark
8.One page summary of revalidation of Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark
C. COHESION OF THE AREA
Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark has a single, unified geographical area with distinct boundary, with some overlap with Lushan World Heritage Cultural Landscape Site and Lushan National Nature Reserve.
When Lushan Geopark was accepted as a member of Global Geoparks Network, her coverage was 500 km2, and her range was between N29°21’～29°45’、E115°50’～116°10’. According to Operational Guidelines for UNESCO Global Geoparks, and the 2014 revalidation experts’ recommendation Number 7, that is, Lushan Global Geopark should consider expanding the area of the Geopark in order to limit overlapping with the territory inscribed in the World Heritage list of UNESCO and to include also some villages that are today outside the Geopark. (Up to 10% expansion is possible by reporting it for the next revalidation, in case of over 10% expansion, a complete application file is necessary), Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark has adjusted her range to between N29°20’24”～29°40’50”、E115°51’27”～116°11’4” and has extended her coverage to 548 km2, based on the change of administration and transportation, the requirement of geological resources integrity and the geopark boundary definition. ( For Letter of intent of range extension application, Range extension illustration and Range extension draft complex map see Appendix 1, 2, and 3)
D. IMPROVEMENTS MADE ON PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS
Lushan Global Geopark got green card after the revalidation in 2014. The recommendations of last revalidation as follows:
1.The old museum on the top of the mountain could modernize its geological sector making it more attractive and understandable to visitors.
2. Both museums should enrich their educational programmes and activities for pupils and students and not limit the participation of students to the attendance of a guided tour.
3. At some points along the Jin Xiu Gu Glacial U-Valley trail there are some concerns on the safety of the visitors as they are allowed to reach the edge of the cliff where there are only warning signs and no fencing. Fencing should be put there.
4. Due to the large number of visitors at the Jin Xiu Gu Glacial U-Valley, the trail gets overcrowded. Re-arranging the flow of tourists would improve this situation.
5. The QR code on the panels should be connected with additional information on the specific site and not just go to the general web site of the Geopark.
6. The products where the GGN logo is put on, should be chosen carefully and they should fulfill certain criteria. The GGN logo on products like cigarettes does not reflect the quality label and the philosophy of the GGN.
7. Lushan Global Geopark should consider expanding the area of the Geopark in order to limit overlapping with the territory inscribed in the World Heritage list of UNESCO and to include also some villages that are today outside the Geopark. (up to 10% expansion is possible by reporting it for the next revalidation, in case of over 10% expansion, a complete application file is necessary).
8. As a logical follow-up of point 7, the Geopark should strengthen the already existing collaboration with the World Heritage site management, making clear the different institutional missions and enhance common activities. Special attention should be given to avoid brand dilution and brand confusion between the two different site labels and how you will protect and strengthen the individual brand recognition.
9. Your Geopark should actively participate in and also promote your membership of the GGN.
Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark took the following improvement in the light of the above 9 recommendations:
1.While protecting the architecture of the old museum, the geopark added modern technology of sound, light, electricity as much as possible in the geological sector of the old museum on the top of the mountain to make it more attractive and understandable to visitors. The geopark built a new geo-museum and Stone Carving Museum with a number of new technologies, in which visitors could obtain related information through VR glasses, exhibits, and a multi-media interaction screen, so that they might have better understanding of geology, history, culture, ecological diversity of Lushan, and be able to scan QR Codes to follow WeChat public accounts and visit online museum with mobiles.
2. New museums added new functions of interaction experience and education. Visitors could take simulate stone carving making in the museum. Easy-understanding and illustrated booklets, books and disc were edited for and distributed to children.
3. Safety rails and fencing have been installed near cliffs and dangerous points. More warning plaques and signs for safety were set up as well. The geopark brushed yellow safety line in the dangerous places which are not suitable for installing safety rails, and arranged special security personnel to protect the visitor on site during the opening hours.
4. The geopark carefully takes the measures and emergency response of limiting and splitting flow according to the tourist capacity at the peak season to cope with the possible risks of exceeding capacity. In peak periods, the visitors in Jingxiugu U-shaped Valley will be guided to take Flower Path Park, walkingpath ring trail around Ruqin Lake and other Geo-tour Trails(Han Po Pass Geo-tour Trail, Three Cascades Waterfall Geo-tour Trail and Shi Men Jian Valley Geo-tour Trail). During peak periods of visitors, the Geo-tour-trail is made to be one-way and more geopark staff are sent to congestion points to maintain the smooth flow of the trail. The geopark provides different transferring services to visitors based on both peak and non-peak seasons that the visitors transferred from their cars to geopark public tourism buses. The geopark conducts capacity control of visitor under 60,000 and vehicle under 4,000. The geopark staff (including administration team) will also go to scenic spots and public areas during peak season, to provide additional ad hoc services to tourists..
5. On the interpreting panels, there are now QR codes which are connected with information not only on the specific site but also with the general web site of the Geopark, and WeChat public account QR code are added on . The official website has been updated.
6. During 2014 revalidation, some merchants used GGN Logo on part of their items (cigarette) without permission. Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark paid high attention to GGN revalidation recommendations and has organized regular inspections by Industry and Commerce Administration Department and other law-enforcement departments to prevent the use of GGN Logo without permission. With the idea of sustainable development, the geopark management committee does not permit any commercial use of GGN Logo. Only geopark official tourism service, scientific popularization, environmental education and other non-profit projects and activities are permitted to use GGN Logo.
7. In 2016, according to the approval documents of the State Council of China, former Xinzi County was converted into Lushan Municipality, former Xinzi Country and Kuling Township under former Lushan District became the administration area of Lushan Municipality. In order to meet the concept of sustainable development of the global geopark, and implement the 2014 revalidation recommendation No. 7:(that Lushan Global Geopark should consider expanding the area of the Geopark in order to limit overlapping with the territory inscribed in the World Heritage list of UNESCO and to include also some villages that are today outside the Geopark. ) the coverage of the geopark has been extended by 9.6%, from 500 km2 to 548 km2. After this extension, Lushan World heritage Cultural Landscape site and Lushan National Nature Reserve are within the range of Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark . (For Letter of intent of range extension application, Range extension illustration, Range extension draft complex map see Appendix 1, 2, and 3)
8.The geopark and the World Heritage site are managed by the same organization, under which there is a special management department that is responsible for management and conservation of the global geopark and world heritage. Our mangement teams fully understand the difference and connection between them. Because our world heritage is cultural landscape, the geopark public interpretation has integrated geologic evolution and humanity history, and has successfully popularized geological heritage conservation and cultural heritage conservation, and undertaken research on geoscience and culture heritage, and has promoted our respective brands.
9. Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark actively participated in GGN meetings and activities, including Geopark conferences , networking events, and regional Geopark Conferences and made communications. The geopark constructed themed activities to promote the global geopark, including the 2017 International Sustainable Development Geotourism and UNESCO International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction.
E. VERIFICATION OF UGGp CRITERIA
E.1 TERRITORY
E.1.1 GEOLOGICAL HERITAGE AND CONSERVATION
Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark located in the north of Jiangxi Province, with Yangtze River to her north and Poyang Lake on her east. There are a lot of typical and concentrated quarternary glacier of east China. There are well exposed strata here which date back some 2 billion years and could be considered as a miniature of the Yangtze platform. The geological heritage in the geopark could be divided into 6 categories: stratigraphic heritage, rock heritage, tectonic heritage, sedimentary heritage, hydrogeologic heritage, and geomorphic heritage.
There are four geological history stages of Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark: 1. Formation stage of Proterozoic craton: around 800 million years ago, the geopark was still under the sea. The orogenic movement by continental crust collision, magma intrusion, and volcanic eruption formed Lushan and the surrounding mountains. 2. From Nanhua period to Triassic period of interaction development stage of land and sea: from about 800 million years to 700 or 500 million years ago, the Lushan area had developed into alluvial plain. From 750 million to 700 million years ago, there formed a great glacier in Lushan area. From 700 million to 200 million years ago, Lushan and her surrounding area developed into an epicontinental sea. The land and sea emerged alternately. 3. Mesozoic continental block orogenic movements stage: about 200 million years ago, there was a mountain-building movement here. The water receded and turned the sea into dry land. During Cretaceous, there formed ancient Poyang Lake in the geopark. 4. Mountain, river and lake formation stage in Cenozoic: from 67 to 40 million years ago, a great many inland lakes in Lushan area were formed. During the Himalayan orogeny 40 million years ago, the fault-block mountain was formed and the ancient Poyang Lake disappeared in the geopark. During the Quaternary glaciation ages 3.2 million years ago, there stood mountains of middle and great height.
Until now, the geopark has included over 100 key geological remains of the Glacial Age, which recorded the whole process from snow accumulation, glacier formation, glacier movement, rock erosion, rock transformation to mud-gravel deposition, paleoclimate change and its geologic feature of east China. There are many similarities between the Quaternary glacier activities of European Alps and North America and the related activities of the geopark, thus showing global comparative significance and great significance for global paleoclimate change and geologic history research. The extensional structure as main body, accompanied with fault-block mountain structure and metamorphic core complex structure is another characteristic geological landscape of the geopark. Under the influence of Neotectonism, Lushan stood all alone, with magnificent large structures and diversified small ones. The geopark has a special metamorphic core complex structure with comparative significance and similarity with other standard metamorphic core complexes of the world. At the southern foot of the mountain, there is the exposure of Xingzi Group metamorphic core complex strata of Early Proterozoic Era 2.5-1.8 billion years ago, which was recorded in Stratigraphical Lexicon of China.
E.1.2 BOUNDARIES
The geopark communicates/defines its well-defined boundary on geopark maps, websites, geopark tourism maps, Lushan World Famous Mountain Tour Book, Lushan Travel Book and other leaflets, geopark map panels in tourism center, popularization videos, and so on.
E.1.3 VISIBILITY
The geopark has made an interpretation system available for visitors, local community residents and students, with a unified and clear layout, simple language, in green (in line with ecological and environmental aims), and shows a close integration between geological heritage with culture and history. The interpretation panel has provided visitors with much information, such as cartooned geological development pictures, sightseeing information and the geo-tour-trail.
The geopark official website and WeChat Official service Account use UGGp Logo. Tourism facilities, Lushan official website, publicity booklets use Global Geopark and World Heritage Logo. Geopark VI (visual image) recognition system (T-shirts, hats, umbrellas) also uses the GGN Logo.
The geopark has enhanced and improved basic facilities and the community residential environment, and the village ecological environment with increasing financial support. The geopark allows more local community residents to participate in geopark geological tourism and conservation to promote the coordinate development of geopark and local community.
The geopark has enhanced UNESCO visibility by out-door advertising, advertising video, internet media, newspaper and periodicals and other media, and has promoted participation through a cross-provincial tourism promotion conference, tourism expo and other tourism exhibitions with exhibition booths.
E.1.4 FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUTURE
The geopark has set up tourism facilities, like tourism traffic transferring centers, transportation ropeway, museums, footpaths, landscape platforms, information boards, public toilets, parking spaces, tourism buses, hotels, restaurants, cinemas which have attracted visitors and provided them transportation service, catering, accommodation, shopping and entertaining with a comfortable, convenient and safe journey of the geopark. We are also in the process of constructing of a ski resort, international communication center, performing center, religion museum, poem and verses museum. The increase of visitor has brought the rising revenues and has allowed the geopark to pay increased attention to the conservation of natural resources, the geological landscape, and the cultural landscape to develop the economy in a sustainable way.
The rock sample from Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark was exhibited in the museums of her sister geoparks, Sanqingshan UNESCO Global Geopark and Huangshan UNESCO Global Geopark to show the cooperation between the geoparks. There are Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark exhibition panels exhibited in the museums of UNESCO Global Geoparks in China, using the UGGp, GGN Logo. The geopark advised the museum, the visitors’ center and partners on the correct way to use the Logo.
E.1.5 INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
The geopark has provided information on transportation, catering, accommodation, shopping and entertaining information and geological heritage, cultural heritage sites and natural landscape interpretation through the geopark official website, geopark information panel, WeChat, MicroBlog and other social media. The visitors could also get information from the internet and tourist information hotline.
Educational activities we have:
1.Cooperated with local schools, museums, Jiujiang Love-nature Science Popularization Consulting Co., Ltd., the geopark set up various education projects, including local education, natural practice education, and museum second-classroom education for local community residents, elementary and middle school students.
2. Cooperated with China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Jiangxi Agricultural University and some other universities, with whom the geopark conducted studies education, held summer camps, winter camps and social practise activities.
3. Held themed popularization education publicity activities during every World Earth Day, Bird-loving Week, World Environment Day to increase the public’s understanding of the geopark’ s geological scientific significance, environmental and ecological conservation.
4. Held regular special lectures and training of geological, flora and fauna knowledge for managers, interpreters, and enterprise executives.
5. Held geological, meteorological and other natural disaster emergency drills to promote better understanding and ensure the correct response by local community residents to disasters.
Scientific research :
1. Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, the geopark’s partner has investigated the tectonic and regional crust stability of Yangtze River Economic Belt.
2. The geopark has cooperated with Peking University World Heritage Research Centre in the research on World Heritage Conservation and Management.
3. The Lushan Botanical Garden of Chinese Academy of Sciences undertook research and development on European Alpine Rhododendron Fine Breed Introduction and industrialization technologies.
4. The Lushan Botanical Garden of Chinese Academy of Sciences undertook research and demonstrated of Relocation Conservation Technology about the Rare and Endangered Plants of Poyang Lake River Valleys.
5. The Lushan Meteorological Bureau undertook research on the impacts of climate change on Lushan UNESCO World Heritage and countermeasures against meteorological disasters.
6. The Lushan Meteorological Bureau undertook research on the forecasting of the rhododendron blooming time at Mt. Lushan.
E.2 OTHER HERITAGE
E.2.1: NATURAL HERITAGE
The geopark is located in the cross boundaries between Jiangnan platform’s upper bend and the lower Yangtze with fully displayed strata and distinct structures, which show the crustal evolution except the Triassic period. Lushan has special quaternary glacial relics which made it became the birthplace of quaternary glacier theory of China. The area comprises a complicated geological structure with distinct tracks, mainly NE-trending Cathaysian structural system and NNE-trending Neocathaysian structural system. A great number of fractures of structure has formed numerous mountains. Mt. Lushan is an intensely uplifted fault-block mountain. While the Mt. Lushan is rising, the land around is sinking and the Poyang basin has developed into the Poyang Lake. Numerous peaks, rocks, valleys, waterfalls, caves formed the mountain landscape. Frequently occurring fog and cooling summer are the distinguishing meteorological features of Lushan. Soil layers showed the vertical distribution. The flora of the geopark recalled the Tertiary period, and the insects of the geopark formed a special species group.
The heritage conservation of Lushan has been paid much attention from state to local government in China. Lushan is a National Nature Reserve. Lushan Botanical Garden is directly under Chinese Academy of Sciences. The geopark has made unremitting efforts to achieve progress on nature conservation and fulfil the requirements of the United Nations convention on the protection of world cultural and natural heritage. The geopark has set up a Headquarters of Forest Fire Prevention and has issued and executed the geological disaster and outbreaks of forest pests and diseases prevention plan, as well as other measures on afforestation, pollution control, water purification, sanitation management and so on, it has also set up a heritage monitoring platform, and has conducted scientific popularization and research on flora, fauna, and meteorology. The geopark undertook scientific research projects of Research and Demonstration of Relocation Conservation Technology of the Rare and Endangered Plants of Poyang Lake River Valleys, Joint Research and Development on European Alpine Rhododendron Fine Breed Introduction and industrialization technologies and Special Research and Investigation on Big Cats in 2015. During the special investigation of feline animals, 60 infrared outdoor cameras were used for real-time monitoring and filming, and pictures of leopards were successfully taken. With these efforts, the geopark realized the goal for wild animal resources investigation and species group assessment.
E.2.2 CULTURAL HERITAGE
Lushan is one of UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscapes. In 1996, in the 20th Session of World Heritage Committee, Lushan was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To keep the authenticity and integrity of the world heritage is the responsibility of each member of the Convention for the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The geopark conducted a lot of work in monitoring, conservation, management, construction, scientific research and popularization. Cooperating with UNESCO Beijing Office, the geopark carried out UNESCO-Mercedes-Benz Joint Project of Conservation and Management of World Heritage Sites in China, it also conducted Research of Lushan World Heritage Cultural Landscape, Old villa preservation research and restoration, Waste water treatment research. The geopark held the Project Report Expert Meeting on the research of Lushan World Heritage Cultural Landscape. The geopark developed cultural relics monitoring platform to monitor the climate change of protective range of culture relic protection site and development control area. It also enhanced the integration of rangers’ inspection and monitoring of scientific technology, and improved monitoring object, monitoring index and early-warning threshold. Followed the laws and regulation of Jiangxi Provincial Peoples Congress, the Administration Regulation of Lushan Scenic and Historic Area of Jiangxi Province, and related plans, the geopark formulated and implemented local regulations and provisions of conservation and management system, such as Interim Procedures of Lushan Villa Building Conservation and Renovation, Procedures of Lushan Kuling Area Building Renovation. The geopark provided support to the conservation and management of world heritage in organization, personnel, technique, and financial resources, so as to make an efficient fulfillment of international treaty and promise as made when applied for the world heritage.
E.2.3 INTANGIBLE HERITAGE
The main approved intangible heritages of the geopark are:
1.Pure Land Sect of East Grove Temple(Provincial intangible heritage)
Located at the foot of Mt. Lushan, East Grove Temple, established in 386 AD of East Jin Dynasty more than 1600 years ago, is the birthplace of Pure Land Sect of Buddhism in China, one of the most important branches of Chinese Buddhism.
2.Lushan Stoneworker Labor Chant and Songs(Provincial intangible heritage)
It is a labor song chanted by stoneworkers when they carry heavy stones for villa building.
3.Traditional production techniques of Lushan Cloud & Fog Tea(Provincial intangible heritage)
Lushan Cloud & Fog Tea is one of the top ten famous teas of China. Its production is a very careful hand-made process, which have eight procedures: harvesting fresh leaves, de-enzyming or water removing, shaking loose, rolling or twisting, rubbing, tipping or making appearance tippy, and baking.
4.Xingzi (now Lushan Municipality)Stone Carving techniques(Provincial intangible heritage)
Xingzi (now Lushan Municipality)Stone Carving techniques is a stone-carving skills with knives, chisels and other tools by hand. North of Xingzi (now Lushan Municipality) is in the south of Mt. Lushan and covered about 45% of the mountain, with strata of Nankang Granite Group. In the middle of Xingzi there are hills containing rich shale resources. Such geological environment and resource are favorable conditions for generations of inheritance of Stone Carving techniques.
5.Jingxingyan Inkstone production techniques(National intangible heritage)
Jingxingyan Inkstone, or Jingxing Song Inkstone was originated by Tao Yuan Ming (352 or 365—427AD) of Jing Dynasty, and is produced with inherited traditional skills. The inkstone has a shape of simplicity and grace, and often carved with designs of flowers, birds, grasses, fishes, dragons, phoenix, Poyang Lake, Mt. Lushan, legends and stories of celebrities with local culture flavor, which are in harmony with the natural textures of the stone.
6.Xihe Opera(National intangible heritage)
Xihe Opera, or Tanqiang Daxi Opera, was originated during Xianfeng(1831-1861) period in Qing Dynasty, and is popular in Lushan Municipality, De’an County, Duchang Country, Yongxiu County of north part of Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province. The opera got the name of Xihe because of its originating place is in the river valley of Xihe River, a subbranch of Ganjiang River.
Intangible heritage represents culture and wisdom created by human being, and reflects cultural diversity, hence is a significant attraction for visitors. In Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark, intangible heritage conservation institutions were established to perform special conservation, like researching, collecting, editing of Lushan landscape poems, landscape paintings, celebrities stories, folklores, traditional folk customs, handicrafts, and publishing research books. With exhibition, popularization, and research on conservation and utilization of intangible heritage, the geopark helps the public to gain a better understanding of it. The geopark conducted the popularization activities of Intangible Heritage Inheritor visits of Campus, Community and Scenic Point. The geopark is training more and more people to inherit the craftsmanship of intangible heritage.
E.2.4 INVOLVEMENT IN TOPICS RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL HAZARDS
The main natural hazards in Lushan are climate and geological disasters. Climate disaster, like typhoon, rainstorms, severe convective weather and freezing rain and snow, often leads to geological disaster, such as mountain flood, mudslide, collapse, rockfall. Other meteorological disasters include thunder and lightning, strong wind, cold wave, etc. in the geopark.
To cope with natural disasters, the geopark has formulated and issued the emergency plan of climate disasters, geological disasters, forest pest control. During the World Meteorological Day, Disaster Prevention and Relief Week, Scientific Technology Activity Week, the geopark conducted disaster prevention popularization and training for guides, students, visitors, local residents to make them aware of the early warning signals (categories, levels and related suggestions). With radar, regional automatic stations, networking data, the geopark conducts all-weather monitor and early-warning for climate-related disasters. The geopark has set up emergency supplies reserve, promoted emergency facilities, and organized the ER (emergency response) training regularly.
The geopark took many approaches to respond to climate change, such as reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by using electricity instead of coal, using energy-efficient tourism buses, and controlling the number of vehicles.
E.3 MANAGEMENT
The Management authority of Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark is Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark Adminstrative Committee. Composed with the same personnel of the Administrative Bureau of Lushan Scenic and Historic Area, the geopark committee, is the authorized management organization by the People’s Government of Jiangxi Province, and is responsible for the decisions making and implementation of geopark conservation and sustainable development. In 2016, with the establishment of Lushan Municipality, the organization of geopark committee was adjusted accordingly. The geopark now consists of the Global Geopark (World Heritage) Management Office, the Administration Management Office, Planning and Construction Department, Tourism Industry development, State-owned Assets Management Department, Scenic Spot Management Department, Comprehensive Enforcement Bureau, Reception Office. Among which, the Lushan Global Geopark Management Office (World Heritage Management Office), is the department responsible for geopark management and conservation.
There are a total employee of 1,360, including 63 scientific staff, 594 technical staff, 452 administrative staff and 251 rangers. In addition, there are volunteers, such as middle school and elementary school teachers, students and local residents. Female managers have equal opportunity for promotion and receive same welfare as their male colleagues. In addition to, female employees have the rights under state laws and regulations, such as paid maternity leave and medical examination.
Elected as NPC (National People’s Congress) representatives, community representatives
participated in the general election of NPC (National People’s congress) with the right to vote or be voted.
Budgetary and Financial situation: Since inscribing in GGN network, Lushan Geopark has maintained a favorable and stable financial status, and achieved some profits. Its revenue sufficiently meets the needs for geopark conservation, infrastructure maintenance/replacement, scientific research and popularization, cooperation and communication between geoparks, media promotion and popularization.
Marketing strategy:
1.Survey, identification and prediction of target tourism market: The target market is mainly located in the cities and provinces on both sides of Yangtze River valley and the Beijing-Kowloon Railway line, distributed in a cross shape. The short-distance cities are within the 2.5-3-hour-expressway-circle, like Jiujiang, Nanchang and Wuhan, medium-distance cities are within the 12-hour-railway-circle and 2-hour-aeroline-circle, including the economic dynamic area of the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and Bohai Rim, and long-distance area include other mainland cities and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative Region, Taiwan Province of China and Southeast Asia.
2.Marketing promotion and publicity: The geopark utilized radio broardcast, television, outdoor advertising, internet online media and platforms, trade fairs, tourism promotion meetings, art and cultural themed tourism promotion.
3.Geopark promotion and publicity: The geopark promotes through geopark website, publications, interpretation system, geological tourism products development, geological museum and special geological investigation route construction, and communication and cooperation between geoparks under Global Geopark Network.
E.4 OVERLAPPING
Lushan UNESCO World Heritage (Cultural Landscape)Property(core zone coverage 302
km2) is within Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark (coverage 548km2 after extension). The geopark and world heritage shared the same administrative organization, under which a special department is responsible for the conservation and management of both geopark and world heritage, hence is very clear about the difference and connection between global geopark and world heritage. Since the category of our heritage is world heritage cultural landscape, the geopark paid much attention on the integrating geological evolution with culture and history and popularizing the idea of conservation of geological heritage and other natural heritage and cultural heritage,and researching in geological science and cultural landscape, promoting their heritage brand concept. The geopark interpretation system integrated the culture, history with geological heritage. The geopark established special stone carving museum, which has a close connection with geological museum.
Lushan National Nature Reserve(201.2 km2) and Lushan Botanical Garden are within the range of the geopark and under the administration of the committee of geopark. Lushan National Nature Reserve and Lushan Botanical Garden cooperated with special management of the geopark in conservation, scientific popularization, environment education and shared information, management, techniques and other resources.
E.5 EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Every year, the geopark will conduct environmental education, during Bird-Loving Week, International Museum Day, Earth Day, World Environment Day, to make science popularization and help the public to have a better understanding on environment educational knowledge. The geopark offered a variety of regular environmental training programs for volunteers, employees, tour guides, teachers, tourism enterprises managers, and achieved good environmental education results. The geopark also cooperated with partners in environmental education to promote geopark visibility and enrich the education content.
The geopark is planning to develop various kinds of education publications, and to enhance the popularization on website, newspaper, television, special tourism activities. It will continue to conduct special educational and practical activities on anniversaries, the extra-curriculum activities in museum education, summer camp, nature education in scientific popularization base of the geopark, to cooperate with universities to set up practice and training base for university students, to hold academic lectures, social practice, volunteers and other activities. All of these activities will involve 5,000 students, 150 classes, 50 middle and elementary schools and universities.
E.6 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
The geopark distributed geological tourism interpretation system together with geological heritage sites, and maintained regularly and renewed every 3 months. The geopark held 2 times of special geological interpretation training for tour guides and geological science knowledge training for employees and volunteers to enhance the geopark visibility and geological science popularization. There will be a Free-ticket for residents of Jiujiang City during Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and Double Ninth Festival. Every year, there are around 20,000 visitors from Jiujiang City participated in the free ticket activity.
The geopark kept visitor statistics following the Measures for the Administration of Tourism Statistics and Regulation for Tourism Statistics Survey of National Tourism Administration and National Bureau of Statistics, through accommodation bed renting rate (hotel occupancy rate) and visitor counts of museum and tourists’ information center. In 2014, visitor statistics of the geopark is 12,065,000 person-time. In 2015, that number increased to 15,030,000 person-time. In 2016, it rose again to 17,096,200 person-time. In 2017, the count is 20,071,400 person-time.
E.7 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT & PARTNERSHIPS
E.7.1 Sustainable development policy
The geopark joined in UGGp in order to promote the conservation, research and education of geological heritage, support and promote the sustainable development of local economy and achieve a harmonious co-existence between the human and nature. Based on geological heritage, natural and cultural resources, comprehensive service facilities and well-designed recreational tourism environment, the administrative committee of the geopark made development strategy of “Prioritize Conservation, Utilize Scientifically and Develop Sustainably”. The detailed measures are the following: 1. Strictly carry out 2013-2030 Lushan National Geopark Master Plan, establish the conservation mechanism at different levels and areas/zones; 2. To ensure that the information on geopark official website, geological science popularization booklets and other publications can meet the needs of scientific education, laws and regulations popularization, information provision and tourism service; 3. Through cooperation with research institutes and universities, strengthen the research on geological diversity, ecological diversity and cultural landscape; 4.Through the projects of Lushan Transportation Ropeway, special-theme museums, smart parks, ski resort, transfer transportation services, and others, the geopark enriched the tourist’s experience and improved its quality; 5. Through tourism marketing and promotional activities, GGN network activities, cooperation between sister geoparks, the geopark brand has been widely promoted and recognized; 6. Through participation of local community and residents, favorable policy of the geopark to benefit residents, local economy and residents’income have grown.
E.7.2 PARTNERSHIPS
When the geopark develops her partnerships, it mainly focus on whether the partnership would be in line with the global geopark development thinking, it also pays attention to other factors such as partner’s scale, capital and soft powers such as management and service standards, service quality etc. In addition to the strategic partnership with geological survey bureaus, universities, research institutes and other research education institutions, the geopark has set up partnership with local stakeholders:
For example 1.The geopark made cooperation with Jiujiang Love-Nature Scientific Popularization and Education Consulting Co., Ltd. in scientific popularization and education activities and in marketing and promotion of local special merchandises and handicrafts .
2. Cooperated with China International Tourism Sevice (CITS )Group, the geopark has set up Lushan Tourism Development Co., Ltd., which is tasked to develop cooperation with travel agencies, and provided incentives policies to promote tourism. 3. High-standard catering enterprises, like Dicos Fast Food, KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) are introduced in the geopark. 4.The geopark financed the renovation and upgrading of Lushan Yunzhong Hotel, Lushan Mansion to bring them to higher standard hotels.
The geopark provides admission discounts for groups organized by travel agencies and during holidays, it also awards the hotels and restaurants with excellent service, it selects quality ecological local products for tourism exhibition and promotion conference and fair, linking with websites, it promotes its partnerships through websites and leaflet advertising.
E.7.3 FULL AND EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
The geopark cooperated with local community and residents in various community projects: Special investigation project of social economy, the poverty-stricken residents and left-behind children aid, forest fire prevention, ecological conservation popularization. After careful investigation and research, the net up petitions, ideas and suggestions collection from local community residents, negotiation with local community and residents, the geopark developed policies to fully ensure local community and residents to have a greater voice in geopark administrative committee.
The geopark implemented many projects to improve residents' living standard: For example, the geopark implemented “Food of Love” project, which benefited 175 families with financial difficulties. Every year, the government of the geopark distributed more than 15,000 kilogram of grains to these families from distribution sites or through door-to-door delivery. The geopark also completed renovation project in Lushan South Entrance to improve the surrounding environment, including the entryway, parking lot, Tongyuan Elementary School and resident settlement housing. The geopark conducted Yaowa Area Renovation Project(Culture and Art Street Block). Yaowa Area is a shanty, poor dwelling place with low-standard housing in Kuling Township. The renovation project would improve the housing and living standard of local community residents, and elevated tourism industry.
E.8 NETWORKING
Cooperation with sister geoparks:
In 2014, the International Cultural Cooperation Project, was jointly held by Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark, Bergstrasse-Odenwald UNESCO Global Geopark and the World Heritage Site and the city of Lorsch within the Global Geoparks Network.
This project was carried out in 4 phases: Phase 1. Peony Arts Exhibition of Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy, Phase 2. Construction of a peony garden in Lushan following the style of garden in Global Geopark Bergstrasse-Odenwald, Phase 3. Scientific exchange on peony planting and research, Phase 4. Conduct international theme tourism project on Chinese and Germany traditional culture.
In December 2015, Lushan UNESCO Global Geopark was invited to participate the Cartoon Mascot Selection of Sanqingshan Global Geopark. The geopark museum exchanged special representative rocks with Geo-museums of Huangshan UNESCO Global Geopark and Sanqingshan UNESCO Global Geopark.
In 2016, the geopark established friendly relationship of sister geoparks with Zhijindong Cave UNESCO Global Geopark. In 2017, the geopark established friendly relationship of sister geoparks with Zhangjiajie UNESCO Global Geopark and Shennongjia UNESCO Global Geopark. The geopark connected with other sister geoparks by including links to their respective websites.
Participation of International Geoparks Conference:
The 6th International Conference on Global Geoparks in 2014,
The 7th International Conference on Global Geoparks in 2016,
Participation of regional geopark conferences:
The 4th Asia-Pacific Geopark Network Symposium in 2015,
The 5th Asia-Pacific Geopark Network Symposium in 2017
Participation of International Intensive Course on Geoparks:
The 2nd International Training Course on UNESCO Global Geoparks in 2016,
The 3rd International Training Course on UNESCO Global Geoparks in 2017,
International Fair and Promotion:
Special Forum and Exhibition on Geopark and geotourism held by China Mining in 2015,
The 7th China ASEAN Expo in 2017
The geopark actively participated in the themed event of GGN·International Sustainable Tourism Promotion and Development Year in 2017, and International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction on 13th October in 2017.
E.9 SELLING OF GEOLOGICAL MATERIAL
There is no trading on geological material. The collection for scientific research purpose is allowed only after approval following procedure, and will be done under the supervision of geopark personnel.
According to Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China, The Land Administration Law of the People's Republic of China, The Forest Law of the People's Republic of China, Regulations of Scenic and Historical Area of Lushan, Jiangx Province, Regulations on the Protection of Geological Relics, Administrative Measures on Conservation of Lushan Geological Heritage, damage to geological heritage and its geological entity is prohibited.
F. ANY OTHER ISSUES
NONE