In National Geoparks of China (1)

Author: Department of geological Environment, Ministry of Land and Resources
Language: Chinese and English bilingual
ISBN/ISSN: 7116035478
Published on: 2002-01
Hardcover

It has become a common way in the world to set up national parks to efficiently protect important and unique geological heritages, which have been formed during the long history of the earth. For examples, the Hawaii Volcano National Park and the Grand Canyou National Park in the United States, the Galapagos Islands National Park in Ecuador, and the Glacial National Park in Argentina. By now, 11 national geoparks have been established in China, which are famous for their peculiar geological buildups.
China is vast in territory and complex in geological and geographical features. Many unique landscapes have been created during the earth history. In southwest China's Yunnan province the famous Lunan Stone Forest provides a fantastic karst scenery. The Chengjiang Fauna National Geopark, also in Yunnan, demonstrates early Cambrian strata which contain a variety of fossils, these can tell us a lively story of life explosion in the early earth history. The "Cambrian life explosion" was one of great events in the earth's life evolution. The Chengjiang Fauna National Geopark owns clues to solve that puzzle. Sichuan province, a land of plenty in southwest China, is rich in beautiful mountains and rivers. It has splendid geological heritages. The Zigong Dinosaur Fossil Site is a rare location of Middle Jurassic dinosaurs in the world. The Longmenshan, located in the northwest Sichuan, is of a lot of klippes. Whether they are resulted from thrusts or glacial erratic boulders remains in debate. In hunan province, the area of Zhangjiajie is well known for its unique sandstone forest landscape. In henna province, the Songshan mountain, one of the most famous five mountains in China, has not only a long cultural history, but also the records of Precambrian tectonics and strata. The Cuihuashan Mountain in Shaanxi province owns rare landslide topography. In east China, there is the so-called "Volcanic Museum of China", the Wudalianchi, in Heilongjiang province, the beach volcanic scenic sites in Zhangzhou of Fujian province, the Quaternary glacial sites in Lushan of Jiangxi province, and also in Jiangxi the Onghushan, famous for the origin place of the Taoism and magnificent Danxia topography (formed by Mesozoic red sandstones and conglomerates).

China, with a vast territory and long history, is proud of its unique geological settings, beautiful mountains and rivers, and esoteric culture. If we combine the conservation of historical sites of religious or cultural importance with the preservation of geological sites, these areas could become harmonions locations where human beings live in balance with th enatural environment.

Human history and the history of the Early are closely linked. Its origins are our origins, Geological sites are a common heritage of mankind. To keep them intact is man's responsibility and the obligation of countries and geologists all over the world. Just as human life is recognized as being unique, the time has come to recognize the uniqueness of the Earth, and it is high time for people to see the future of the Earth based on learning about its past and present. Learning to protect global geosites is the very basis of this longterm process. It becomes the best way to set up national geopark to protect geological heritages.

Contents

1. Shilin National Geopark in Yunnan
2. Zhangjiajie Sandstone Peak Forest National Geopark in Hunan
3. Songshan National Geopark in Henan
4. Lushan National Geopark in Jiangxi
5. Chengjiang Fauna National Geopark in Yunnan
6. Wudalianchi Volcanoes National Geopark in heilongjiang
7. Zigong Dinosaurs National Geopark in Sichuan
8. Zhangzhou Littoral Volcanoes National Geopark in Fujian
9. Cuihuashan National Geopark of Rock Collapse in Shaanxi
10.Longmenshan National geopark in Sichuan
11.Longhushan National Geopark in Jiangxi