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To be conserved: Dong Van Stone Plateau Geopark has evidence of the Earth's evolution, rocks, caves, valleys and other features. — File Photo |
HA NOI — The Dong Van stone plateau in Viet Nam has officially been recognised as a member of the Global Network of National Geoparks (GGN) at a conference in Lesvos, Greece.
Dong Van Stone Plateau Geopark is one of six areas which was approved at the conference on Sunday.
It became the first geopark in Viet Nam and the second in Southeast Asia, after Langkawi Geopark in Malaysia.
Dong Van Stone Plateau Geopark is about 150km from the northern mountain province town of Ha Giang. It is well known for various shapes of karst stone with different characteristics, especially karst pyramids.
The area has been surveyed by Vietnamese scientists and specialists from Russia, Poland, Japan, Belgium, and Germany. Around 40 areas have been discovered there with valuable evidence about the Earth's evolution, rocks, caves, valleys and other features. The plateau is made up of at least 80 per cent limestone and has fossils of thousands of species of ancient creatures from 400-600 million years ago.
It is also home to several cultures that have sprung up over the centuries. The 574sq.km plateau is home to about 250,000 people belonging to 22 different ethnic groups.
The GGN's Advisory Council asked Viet Nam to develop a master plan for Dong Van stone plateau which will include the community in geographic and cultural heritage conservation. — VNS