In 2015, concentrated on geopark conservation, construction and management, with a greater emphasis on geosites conservation and geo-science popularization and education, and on the objective of improving community residents’ common prosperity, Lushan Global Geopark constantly enhances cooperation and communication with other geoparks and promotes tourism service so as to develop unique geopark features.2015 Annual working report of Lushan Global Geopark is as follows:
1. Conservation of the geosites and other resources
In 2015, Lushan National Geopark Plan(2013-2030) was proved after the review by the Ministry of Land and Resources experts team. Based on the plan, Lushan Global Geopark formulated the annual work plan of geosites conservation under principles of conservation in accordance with law, rational development, classification and partition conservation. Therefore the geosites in the park get an effective conservation and rational utilization.
In 2015, the conservation fund of the geosites and other resources reached nearly RMB 30,000,000.It was used for improving the basic infrastructure on geosites conservation and all interpretative boards and guiding boards, protecting national key cultural relics( the White Deer Cave Academy, public library, museum and so on) and enhancing natural environmental resources conservation (daily management and monitoring, fulfilling forest-tending of 10,000 mu and hill-closure afforestation project of 1,500 mu).The fund was mainly from government and partly from entrance tickets income.
2.Science research and Gepscience popularization
2.1 Science research
Cooperating with World Heritage Reasearch Center of Beijing University,we completed the World Heritage Cultural Landscape Research Project and its report-Reasearch on the Use Pattern of Lushan National Park based on its Cultural Landscape Process: Research on the Utilization Methods of Lushan Cultural Landscape Delimitation of cultural landscape units, Elaboration of Guidelines for Conservation and Management and Formulation of Recommendations for Integrated Diversified Utilizations Methods，which was invested with a fund of RMB 500,000.
Funded by National ministry of science and technology, the project of "Poyang Lake Watershed Rare and Endangered Plants Conservation Technology and Sustainable Utilization of Resources Integration and Demonstration" and the provincial major research project "poyang lake basin aquatic plant resources conservation and utilization research" are processing well. Above two projects are invested RMB 17.09 million ,and 5 million respectively.
2.2 Gepscience popularization
Facing to middle school and primary school students in the park, the community residents, the tourists and the university students from home , scientific popularization activities is mainly materials distribution, lectures holding, exhibitions, summer camps, composition and painting competitions, geo-knowledge competition, and so on.
Cooperating with universities, middle schools and primary schools, and related departments in the park, like Tourism Bureau, Environmental Protection Bureau, Lushan Botanic Garden etc. , Lushan Global Geopark carried out geopark guide training, a-week series activities titled Lushan in My Eyes during World Earth Day, scientific popularization activities of 5 June World Environment Day , geo-education and research tour, summer and winter camp, summer vocation scientific popularization and other activities.
Through different and abundant scientific popularization according to geo-features and special cultural resource and properties of the geopark, geopark conception, geoevolution and other earth knowledge, and environmental protection concept have been interpreted to the public so as to have a better understanding of the earth, love the earth and protect the earth.
3. Community participation, geopark tourism and promotion
3.1 Community residents participate in geopark construction, protection positively
3.1.1 Carrying out environmental comprehensive improvement activities in the community.
3.1.2 Cooperating with community residents, Lushan Global Geopark set up several geopark cultural tourism products franchised stores.
3.1.3 The fund(RMB15,000,000) from entrance tickets income was invested on improving community residents’ dwelling.
In 2015, the economic income of community residents raised and living standard improved substantially.
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 In 2015, tourists amounted over 15 million(man/time), with year-on-year growth of 24.6%, tourism revenue reached 15.126 RMB billion, with year-on-year growth of 24.8%. Lushan Geopark direct employment involved over 3,000 persons. Indirect employment is more than 26,000 . 410 persons new employment increased. Registered urban unemployment rate is 99.8%
3.3 Tourism promotion and guide training
3.3.1 Tourism promotion. More than 15 tourism promotion meetings facing to provincial targeting market were held in 2015. Lushan image advertising were launched in CCTV, Jiangxi Provincial TV and other important medias.
3.3.2 Guide training. In the first half of 2015, one-week geo-guide training with more than 300 participants was held .
3.4 Infrastructure construction
Total fund of RMB 21.5 million was invested on transport safety infrastructure of north and south mountain roads, multi-storey parking lot expansion and public park square projects.
4. Capacity building, communication and cooperation
4.1 Conducting profit-sharing with partners and get win-win cooperation, team tour business managing capability of geopark get promoted. Win one-day-team-Lushan-tour customers. Develop many favorable policy of profit-sharing to travel agencies . Cooperating through various channels ,make online and traditional promotions for Lushan feature brand .
4.2 In 2015,17 reports were adopted by global geopark network office(16 pcs Chinese version and 1 English version). News, information and geoscience knowledge were released by geopark website and WeChat .
4.3 International and domestic geopark conferences and communications we participated in 2015.
4.3.1 Participated 2015 Annual Conference of China Global Geoparks held in Dali Mount Cangshan Geopark.
4.3.2 We received managing team from Long Hu Shan Global Geopark in July.
4.3.3 In September , we participated the 4th Asia-Pacific Geoparks Network San’in Kaigan Symposium in Japan .
4.3.4 In November, we participated in Geosites Conservation Training Workshop held in Tengchong of Yunnan Province. We had a better understanding on the latest national geopark standard and global geopark guideline and studied geosites conservation cases in this workshop.
4.4 More sistership set up, cooperation and communication with our sister geoparks in 2015
In May ,we met with Mt. Huangshan and Mt. Sanqingshan our sister geoparks and exchanged typical rocks for each geo-museums
In December , we participated Cartoon Mascot Selection of San Qingshan Global Geopark our sister geopark.
In December, we set up sisterpark-intention with Daweishan National Geopark of Hunan Province
4.5 With bilingual service of English and Chinese and complete information input, our website(http://www.lushangeopark.com/) get routine updating and maintenance by professionals and provide enquiries reply. We have WeChat information release platform .
5 .Other aspects
5.1 Geo- disaster prevention and treatment . A fund of over RMB 3 million was invested in controlling and handling of landslides and torrent and geo-disaster potential points under the influence of No. 13 super typhoon Soudelor.
5.2 Forest fire prevention. A fund of over RMB 2 million was invested in complex building of professional forest fire prevention team and forest fire prevention office. Integrating fire monitoring and early warning,the second phase of Comprehensive Control Project of Lushan Forest Fire Prevention has completed.
5.3 Video monitoring system. A fund of over RMB 500,000 was invested in “Sky Net Project” Improvement，which integrate and update monitoring system front-end and back-end and 110 alarm control center to optimize public security, transportation and tourism environment, to serve the development of geo-tourism economy of the geopark.
6. The existing problems and suggestions
6.1 Insufficiency and improvement measures
6.1.1 Geosite conservation popularization, foreign and geology talent cultivation need enhancing.
6.1.2 Marketing lacks innovation. Insufficient creative marketing strategy failed to achieve desired effect.
6.1.3 Professional training needs to be enhanced. More guide capacity building, fire prevention and other training,study and communication should be organized. Correct irregular guide.
6.2 Suggestion for work next step of national geopark network centre
We expect further help and guidance from network centre so as to conduct geoscience and geosite popularization jointly and help us contact with experts to provide guidance on geopark conservation, development and management and promote geo-tourism research.
7. Work plan for next step
7.1 Routine geopark management and conservation. Pursuing special funding on geosite conservation and interpretation board maintenance and improvement.
7.2 Conduct more geology and foreign language talent introduction. Enhance guide training. Strengthen geoscience popularization. Make further geology research.
7.3 Make improvement and maintenance for English and Chinese website. Release dynamic information. Make active contribution to global geopark network website and other medias so as to make extensive promotion for geopark.
7.4 Give a full play to the role of geopark volunteer. They have a devotion and love to Mt. Lushan .
7.5 Take active part in conferences , communications and training organized by Ministry of Land and Resources. Strengthen the substantial communication and cooperation with sisterparks.
7.6 We will participate the 7th Global Geopark Conference.