Legacies of earth evolution history in Dong Van Karst Plateau like Ma Le and Lung Cu areas, Si Phai Pass (Dong Van Town) are very valuable for scientific research and education. Ethnic communities living in the geopark have developed tourism products to introduce indigenous cultural values to humanity.
Sceneries and landscapes like Khau Vai Karst Flower Garden, Lung Pu Karst Zoo, Van Chai Seal Zone and other values that nature takes millions of years to form provide Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark with a special advantage to develop tourism, scientific research, education and training.
In the 2010 - 2014 period when it joined the Global Geoparks Network (GGN), the Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark effectively preserved and promoted geopark values with the participation of the Government of Vietnam, scientists, local authorities and the people. The responsibility to preserve and promote heritage values of mankind was effectively elevated.
In October 2010, the Dong Van Karst Plateau was recognised by the United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) as a global geopark. This was the only title in Vietnam and the second in Southeast Asia. According to the UNESCO regulations, four years after being recognised, the title will be revoked if the site fails to meet conservation requirements.
After four years of construction and development, on November 12, 2014, in Dong Van district, the Ha Giang Provincial People's Committee announced the decision by UNESCO that UNESCO has re-recognised the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark as a member of the Global Network of National Geoparks (GGN) for the 2015-2018 period. Dam Van Bong, Chairman of the Ha Giang Provincial People's Committee, said it is a great honour for Ha Giang province in particular and Vietnam in general to be received the recognition, adding that this is the responsibility for the province to preserve and promote outstanding values of the heritage and introduce them to the world.
Since the Dong Van Karst
Plateau becomes a global geopark, tourists to Ha Giang province keep going up and local people are benefiting from tourism activities. To date, all villages and schools on the geopark are informed and educated of heritage protection and preservation.
The Ha Giang Provincial People's Committee proposed solutions to the geopark development for the 2014- 2018 period, especially when global geopark network system is strongly expanded in most countries around the world. The robust development of nature-responsible tourism and scientific discovery trends is bringing more tourists to the province. The province targets at maintaining its GGN membership status of Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark and restructuring the economy on the geopark towards tourism and services. Besides, the province will expand community awareness raising programmes and enlarge the active participation of citizens in the sustainable management and operation of the heritage while building strategies for popularity and branding of the geopark.
According to experts at the recognition announcement event, strategies are needed to sustainably develop the Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark without damaging the natural heritage. They said the first four years of development were the start-up stage and that local authorities should work with scientists to discover the real potential value hidden in the karst mountains.
To do this, concerned units must strengthen their coordination. Local dwellers must understand the tremendous value of the heritage to work together to protect it. Besides, the province also needs strategies to introduce the global geopark to international friends.
Thanh Nga
Vietnamese
