Geoparks

Geoparks; the four billion _year outlook of the Earth

The man & the earth are to closely tied terms that have spent a quite long history with one another & the humankind is so engrossed in its own abode, so that have been looking for the events related to the earth particularly the ones data back to the appearance of the man. The earth that is, indeed, the scene of gods wisdom & beauty, has been gracefully done up bewitching the man to its fundament at essence which means: release from restrictions & reach to truth sources

Since the Earth is the heritage of all the humankind, global organizations like UNESCO together with local government & organizations are struggling to well keep & deliver such values to the next generation. To have this process operate we should become familiar with a number at lucid descriptions:

Based on the UNESCO's description, geoparks have the following characteristics:

An area including one so scientific attributes, not only on geology but also due to archaeological, ecology or cultural values.
A well designed managerial plan in order to improve the socio- economic state of each region ( often based on geotourism descriptions)
To present the methods of preservation & improvement of the condition of the geological heritage, as well as providing a good situation for wider and better education of various branches of geology & environmental issues.
The necessity to value the public, socio-local rights & not to attack the private space of the citizens all at the same time & at the same place.
Such area shall be a part of the world web which is a good example itself, repressing the practical practices about how to regard cultural heritage & integrity of the whole world in relation to the strategies of stable developments.

Geoparks are the places in which the geological heritage is being protected under an-exact & constant management. In such plans, success is only meets as the whole area gets involved in the plan. The place which candidates itself to be elected as a geopark, should have been containing little local communities. By the way, to develop & achieve an appropriate management scheme, a serious commitment is required to both meet the economic needs of the local community & give protection to the environment. This brand _ new innovation through which the four_ billion_ year history of the Earth is supposed become ready for the posterity is a good method to draw the international community's attention to the domains in which the world's key geological sites are located.

Enlisting the name of each geopark into the list of UNESCO is considered to be a time _ taking process requiring years of preliminary activities. During this time, the data of geological heritage, management of the region & geotourist exploitations get more extensive so that tourist firms pay more attention to the region.

For having a geopark, the sole attractive geological sites wouldn't be enough, however primarily planning, processing & above all, financial income shall be deemed to make the frame work or structure of the region ready to be used as a good device to establish a geopark.

UNESCO's new advices:

The topic of the protection of environment geotourism & parks has not raised as worldwide rules so far & whatever had been done was regional & personal activities & nothing more. UNESCO is on the verge of giving a description on its latest plans on the second internation Assembly of Geoparks /sep-2006_ Belfast Northern Ireland as follows:

Display the innovative growth & development of geoparks all around the world & honoring the Earth's heritage.
Discuss about the mechanism by which the continuation of innovative growth of geoparks are being guaranteed.
Study of the relations between geologists & tourism industry which, as a result, leads to stable economic development of geoparks.
The topic of geopark's profitability for local communities.
Study of the different methods existing to be applied to have geological heritage in geoparks protected.

The specialties of UNESCO –protected Geoparks:

Queshm Island is the first Iranian geopark proved by UNESCO. Our country; Iran; with its extraordinary nature can own much more than just one geopark on UNESCO's list, however, it is not possible unless putting great effort into preserving the country's individual sights through the ones who really concerned about what regions can be involved in UNESCO's geoparks list?

Under protection of UNESCO, geopark is the part consisting of fully _ described limits, having sufficient area for the future economic growth the area would have been consisted of several inviting geological location (in various dimensions regardless to the scales), or a row of geological in herein along with a compound at scientific charters, infrequency & elegance of the phenomenon, display of the region's geological history & display of the events or phenomena bearing not only geological merit but also having importance in view at archaeology, ecology, history or culturology.
Beautiful spots of the park though connected to one another all are being controlled & protected by a regional management office located in the park. To make sure of true socio-economic maturity of the region, the management of the park serves under the local regulations. These regulations should be executed in a way that guards the environment as well as being encouraging. For instance, local innovative job productivities, small businesses, boom of rural industries to produce fresh revenues, especially by geotourism & the sale of geological productions. This matter should bring with it a supplementary earning yet attracts the private sector (investment).
The geopark being supported by UNESCO causes the kind of socioeconomic development which is culturally & environmentally right. This has a straight forward influence on the involved region by: improvement of the living standards. This makes the connections within population & environment to get stronger & revive the culture of the region.
The geopark being supported by UNESCO, seeks the ways of safe_keeping of geological heritage, such as provide protection of rock samples being displayed in the region & shows them. The resources of minerals, fossils & the earth's beauties are being under the protection of local laws. Each geopark shall assist varied fields of geology such as solid geology, economic geology & mining , engineering geology , morphology, glacial geology hydrology , mineralogy, paleontology , petrology, sedimentalogy , pedology, stratigraphy structural geology & Volcanology to be considerably know to the public It seems to be essential to consult with responsible geological surveys in order to maintain the ever_ focusing basics of physical protection.
The geopark which is being supported by UNESCO serves as an education & nurturing mean, teaching the basics of environment with the staff who are being educated & trained through geology-related courses the practice of environmental protection gets wider so that it is possible to attain to the stable boom at the region such a geopark provides an expansive & comprehensive educational program for environmental & scientific research in which proposed groups with diverse plans have been introduced (schools universities the public & so on ).
The geopark which is being supported by UNESCO remains under the supervision of the regions jurisdiction district & the duty of the maintenance of the sites & areas refers to state province or country.
The designed body for accepting responsibility for geopark should be fulfilled through managing plans including the following items: The global perception of geopark, Identifying and understand the conditional the region, Acknowledgement of potential capabilities of the region in view of economic development.
To design the geopark being backed by UNESCO the escalation of work quality should be deemed within the structure or body of the management witch means that constantly & regularly UNESCO should become aware of the latest plans & progresses of the park.