A declaration aimed at protecting areas with particular geological and landscape features by establishing a network of geological parks (geoparks) was signed in Taipei on Monday at the opening banquet of the International Conference of Landscape Conservation.
The Landscape Conservation Taipei Declaration says conservation of Taiwan’s landscape is to be placed among the most important issues on national agendas, is a national responsibility for the global environment and the implementation of the geological parks is a means to improve the conservation of natural landscapes and sustain social-cultural heritage at the same time.
The declaration also says that while legislative and government support is needed to ensure the implementation of the program, to make the plan sustainable the public needs to be involved in environmental protection and social-economic planning.
Photo courtesy of the Forestry Bureau
Geography and earth sciences academics from the UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Switzerland, Poland and Hungary were invited to the conference, hosted by the Forestry Bureau, to exchange views with local academics, government officials and officials from the Tourism Bureau as well as the Forestry Bureau.
The Forestry Bureau said there are already more than 300 sites throughout the country listed as rare landscape conservation sites, but only 20 are designated as nature reserves, meaning that there are still many neglected sites that are at risk of being destroyed.
The Forestry Bureau said it had designated four geoparks according to UNESCO’s core values: conservation, environmental education, community development and landscape recreation.
Geoparks, which feature unique landscapes of scientific, educational and esthetic values, can enhance local community involvement and stimulate economy growth through eco-tourism, the Forestry Bureau said, adding that as of the end of last year, there were a total of 77 geopark sites in 25 countries.
Among the four designated geoparks, Penghu Marine Geopark (澎湖海洋地質公園) features a total of 10 geological spots, including its famous natural basaltic cliffs found on the sides of mesas, historic fishing weirs built with coral and basaltic rocks, as well as the Double Heart Stone Weir, which is a popular tourist attraction.
Taitung Liji Badland Geopark (台東利吉泥惡地地質公園) has a variety of landscapes, including badland fruits, sea ports, bays, mountainous landscapes with eroded gullies and five Aboriginal communities within the park.
Yulin Caoling Geopark (雲林草嶺地質公園) features the Caoling Landslide, which is one of the largest landslides in the nation. Mud volcanoes are the highlights at the Kaohsiung Yanchao Badland Geopark (高雄燕巢泥惡岩地質地質公園).
The Forestry Bureau said more geoparks would be eventually be designated to form a network to protect the country’s valuable landscape and issues concerning geologic hazards, tourism, heritage, conservation and diversity would be discussed during the two-day conference.
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