In 2014, with the guidance of the Ministry of Land and Resources, the Global Network of National Geoparks and the assistance of sister geoparks, Lushan Global Geopark passed the revalidation by UNESCO GGN Bureau and got the continuing membership of the Global Geoparks Network (so-called "green card"). Through out the whole year, Lushan Global Geopark work focused on improving the global geopark visibility, renewing the geopark webpage and museums, renewing geosite information boards, increasing the integrated promotion of heritage sites, continuously organizing geo-science education activities, being actively involved in GGN activities, strengthening the cooperation and exchange among the geoparks, and generally improving and promoting the quality of Lushan as a recognized Geopark. Lushan Global Geopark has been trying its best to construct a new style of geopark based on Lushan characteristics that will meet GGN requirements.

Below is the Lushan Global Geopark working report in 2014:

 

1. Conservation and protection of Geosite

Geosites resources are precious wealth blessed from the nature which we pay high attention with respect.  As a clear requirements in the overall plan of Lushan Global Geopark, geosites regular work and conservation projects are listed in annual financial budget as important special funds. After detailed investigation and scientific classification to all geosites, we designed and published new geosites distribution maps and set up a complete geosites documentary. In 2014, 4 million RMB is invested on geosite conservation and geopark monitoring basic infrastructure. A geopark main stone tablet is set up. New geosites interpretative boards and all the guiding boards are re-written,  being renewed and being set up. 1.85  million RMB are spent on natural disaster prevention and restoration. Special fund, 2 million of disaster prevention from provincial financial department is already transferred to our account. Since the new interpretation system are wildly acknowledged as a good example among Chinese Global Geoparks, managers from other geoparks such as: Jiu Hua Mountain , Anhui ,  Zhang Jia Jie, Hunan came to our park.

    

2. Scientific research and popularization

2.1 Scientific research

2.1.1 Cooperating with China University of Geo-science, we finished producing a 3D cartoon movie(30minutes) called, “Stone Bean’s Magical Tour in Lushan” with both Chinese and English versions. Total cost is 200,000.

2.1.2 Cooperating with Jiangxi Agricultural University , we carry out social economic survey. In this way we are very clear about the living condition of the local people and the economical development style of the communities. Up till now more than 300000 RMB are spent on the project.

 

2.2  Scientific popularization

2.2.1 Scientific popularization for universities and colleges. Favorite price of the toll fee, 50% off is offered to all the students who come up to the park.  In 2014 ,there are tens of thousands university and college teachers and students majored in geology, forestry, biology and painting have their trainee courses in Lushan. The students went to the centre street, to the scenic sites and held exhibitions in the street to inter-act with the local residents and the tourists to promote earth knowledge and environmental ideal. Meanwhile, cooperation contracts with China University of Geo-science and other cooperation universities are extended. Together with them, we strengthened the training on local the geo-specialists and build up a better scientific education basement.

2.2.2 Scientific popularization for primary and middle school students

   Apart from regular scientific popularization  activities, In 2014, Series of scientific popularization  activities were held on the topic, “Lushan – our common home” during “Global Earth Day” and “World Environment Day”.

2.2.3 Series scientific popularization pocket books are edited and published. Hand-drawn geo-tour maps and special geopark souvenirs are sold in all the shops in the geopark to increase the visual identity of GGN.

 

3. Geopark tourism and promotion

3.1 In 2014, There are 12 million tourists(man/time), tourism revenue RMB 12.12 billion, financial revenue 760 million. Lushan Geopark Tourism direct employment involves 3000 persons, indirect employment is more than 26000 persons.

3.2 Tourism promotion and guide training

3.2.1 Tourism promotion

We took part in more than 7 times of joint tourism promotion together with other parks, 6 times of tourism presentation meetings, 5 times of tourism pictures exhibitions.

Tourism promotion with new media. Internet, micro-blogging, wechat and all the latest hi-tech are used to promote Lushan as a global geopark.

To develop smart promotion platform. Free free WIFI access and public tourism wechat platform are available in the scenic area and tourist service centers. QR code identification system is used for the ticket checking system to provide accurate statistics.

Festivals promotion activities are held from time to time. “Tsingtao Beer, Romance in Lushan” and “2014 Lushan International Sports Carnival” are held during the low season.

3.2.2 Guide training

Lushan Global Geopark Tour Guide Training Regulation is set up. 2 weeks of geo-tour guides training is held every half a year.

3.3 Infrastructure construction

Apart from road maintenance, ecology system, animals and plants protection, more than 20 millions are invested on upgrading Kuling town facilities. and  20 millions are used in constructing multi-story parking lot and the park above it to reduce jam traffic.

3.4 Promoting special geopark products, local residents got the benefits from Geo-tour.  

3.4.1 Four special geopark souvenir shops are  opened.

3.4.2 Lushan Global Geopark happy farm restaurants are very hot and greatly improved the living standard of the local people.

3.4.3 International painters’ village project introduced into Lushan and meanwhile culture creative park project is started to construct.

3.4.4 Lushan Lu Yu Tea is our local tea brand. In 2014 black tea and white tea are developed apart from the traditional green ten. Lu Yu Brand was entitled as Jiangxi provincial famous brand by Jiangxi People’s Government. Golden prize was awarded to Lu Yu Cloud and Fog Tea of national beverage.

 

4 Information exchange, communication and cooperation

4.1 Nine articles (Chinese 7, English 2) were adopted and released by GGN.

4.2 News released in magazines and medias.

New trending internet platform, (wechat) is used to release events, information and geo-science knowledge. Lushan Global Geopark and official web are renewed all the time. The news article on the Peony Exhibition cooperated with Bergstrasse and Odenwald Global Geopark in Germany was issued on the magazines names World Heritage Sites and Friendship Cities , the Global Geoparks of National Geoparks website and the newsletters of EGN.

4.3 International and domestic geopark meetings and other interchange activities hosted or attended in 2014

4.3.1 In April, Dr. Ng Young, from Hongkong Global Geopark visited  Lushan Global Geopark and gave very good proposal on GGN revalidation work.

4.3.2 In May, staffs from Lushan attended the geopark annual meeting in Shennongjia Geopark , Hubei Province and delivered presentation on the preparation of revalidation work .

4.3.3 In July, two GGN experts inspected Lushan Global Geopark for the revalidation.

4.3.4 In August, the managers from Jiu Hua Mountain National Geopark, Anhui Province visited Lushan.

4.3.5 In September, participated in the 6th International UNESCO Conference on Global Geoparks in Canada and held the exhibition.

4.3.6 In November, participated the Application and Revalidation Workshop of Global Geoparks in Tianzhushan ,   Anhui Province

4.3.7 Cooperation with the universities:  Lushan Global Geopark manager and the geologists gave the lecture, Walking Among the History, Culture and Geology to the postgraduate students from the China University of Geo-sciences, Wuhan . Meanwhile a trainee base of the China University of Geo-sciences was set up in Lushan. The 8th Science and Culture Summer Camp for University Students from China Mainland, Taiwan , Hongkong and Macau was held in our geopark. Exchange students from Tong Ji University, University of Marburg , Bergstasse and Odenwald Global Geopark, Germany visited our geopark.

4.4 Sister geoparks, practical cooperation and exchange

4.4.1 In March, we participated in the tourism “promotion week” and news release, Beautiful Jiangxi, Fantastic Northeast Jiangxi in Nanjing , Jiangsu together with San Qin Shan Global Geopark.

4.4.2 In June, Peony Art Exhibition was held jointly with Bergstrasse-Odenwald Global Geopark, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Lorsch Abbey and City of Lorsch in Lorsch , Germany . It was the first exhibition of Chinese regional artists work being exhibited in Germany which lasted for four months. This cooperation is taken as a good examples of civil diplomat by the Jiangxi Provincial Foreign Affairs Office and being highly praised by the related departments.

4.4.3 Renewal of Lushan Global Geopark web and documentary reconstruction

In 2014, a complete new Lushan Global Geopark website was finished with a new independent webpage apart from the original official government web: http://www.lushangeopark.com/ with both English and Chinese versions and very identical GGN logo. There are eight main columns: Geopark, New & Events，Research & Education, Geosites, Geo-tourism, Cooperation and Communication, BBS and Linkage of sister parks. Information is renewed daily, Q and A are replied on the web on time.

 

5. Problems and recommendation

5.1  Problems and reform procedures

Enhance more promotion on geo-sites  protection;

More training of English-speaking and geological staff;

Make good use of the geopark privilege to cooperate with universities on science research and education;

Strengthen sustainable geo-tourism economy.

5.2 Recommendations to GGN Centre

More science education activities one topic of science popularization should be arranged more frequently by GGN network centre.

More guidance about geo-tourism should be given to the geoparks.

 

6. The plan for the next year

6.1 Striving for special fund for strengthening geo-relics protection, do more research on our geosites to add interesting to the geosites interpretation boards and direction boards.

6.2 Recruiting more geological and English-speaking personnels.

6.3 Enhancing geo-science education and research, enroll and train more geo-science staffs.

6.4 Improve Lushan Global Geopark webpage(English and Chinese versions), renewing information daily; Contributing to GGN webpage and other media to promote GGN more actively.

6.5 Develop more geopark tourism products and happy farm restaurants. Play a better role to contribute to geo-tourism and local  economy.

6.6 Continuously strengthen both the domestic and international cooperation with other geoparks, especially on the cooperation of geo-tourism.

6.7 Make good use of geopark volunteers and encourage more youngsters to join the team to do more contribution to Lushan geopark. Train more English speaking and geological knowledge background volunteers.

6.8 Participate 4^th Asian–Pacific Geopark Network Symposium

6.9 Participate 13^th European Geopark Conference