Eying the prize of a world geopark title, Wangwu Mountain National Geopark in central China's Henan Province is busy preparing for the coming inspection by experts from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in late June.

 

To ensure a successful application, the city government of Jiyuan, where the Wangwu Mountain National Geopark is located, has marked out a detailed blueprint for the application and formulated a series of measures to improve its facilities and infrastructure inside the park.

 

To acquaint visitors with geological information and improve transportation and other facilities of the park, the local land and resources department co-ordinated with Henan Institute of Geological Surveys to set up more than 100 sightseeing signboards for geological relic spots and tourist destination entrances.

 

According to park officials, local authorities have invested more than 1 million yuan (US$125,000) to improve the geological museum within the park; and another 3 million yuan (US$375,000) in the establishment of a geological science and training centre alongside the museum. The centre is equipped with computers and research equipment such as microscopes and magnifiers, and has many mining samples.

 

The municipal government also channeled some 2 million yuan (US$250,000) into the expansion and renovation of the main roads and cleaning up the environmental scenic spots.

 

About 40 promotional signboards and advertising boards were also erected on important roads and expressways.

 

More importantly, a new song named the Mountain of King eulogizing the mountain has been introduced.

 

To popularize geological knowledge across the city, a scientific book on the geological phenomenon of the Wangwu Mountain has been compiled and will be used as a textbook in local schools.

 

Mountain profile

 

With a total area of 1,170 square kilometers and a core area of 463 square kilometers, Wangwu Mountain is known for its marvelous geological structure and landscape, as well as its charming scenery and sites of human interest.

 

At the national assessment meeting for world geopark applicants held on October 16, 2005, Wangwu Mountain Geopark ranked second among its domestic competitors.

 

Since then, the Jiyuan city government has been looking forward to adding a world geopark title to its already long list of honors.

 

(China Daily June 9, 2006)