Reassessing GGN Membership of Dong Van Geopark

Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark entered the Global Geoparks Network (GGN), also known as the Global Network of National Geoparks, in 2010. After four years of construction and development, the government and people of Ha Giang province have gradually improved the conservation and development of the geopark to realise the goal of sustainable poverty reduction for local residents.

 

The GGN delegation comprised 16 members, including four GGN experts and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ha Giang Provincial People's Committee, the Ha Giang Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Management Board of Dong Van Geopark. In the reassessment roadmap, done every four years, to GGN members, GGN specialists examined the practical implementation of GGN criteria and recommendation at Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark. From August 5 to 9, 2014, the GGN delegation, led by Mr Pablo Rivas Palomo, re-evaluated the GGN membership of Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark in some partner service establishments of the geopark, visited the exhibition space for the geopark at the Ha Giang Museum, paid field trips to the geopark, worked with regional information centres, the cultural villages, tourist attractions and heritage sites. Notably, the reassessment team asked local people with specific contents like their perception of Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark, their involvement in conservation, preservation and promotion of geopark values.

 

On August 9, the delegation worked with provincial leaders, the Steering Committee for Construction and Development of Dong Van Plateau Karst Global Geopark, relevant units to offer consultancies and remarks on the geopark construction. The delegation highly appreciated the efforts of Ha Giang province in implementing three objectives and six GGN criteria and recommendations. Ha Giang province has effectively promoted geopark heritage values. Specially, the community education received good reviews from the experts. The delegation also recommended Ha Giang province to give special attention to tourism development strongly engaged by local people and continue to raise public awareness of geopark heritage values.

 

The reassessment result is scheduled to be announced at the sixth GGN Meeting in Canada in September 2014.