Giang has been recognised as a member of the Global Network of
National Geoparks (GGN).
The news was announced by
the Vietnamese delegation attending the European Geoparks Conference in
Lesvos , Greece , on Oct. 3.
The plateau has now
become the first geological park in Vietnam and the second geological
park in Southeast Asia after Langkawi Geological Park in
Malaysia.
The GGN proposed Vietnam develops a
master development plan to encourage people to preserve cultural and
geological heritage values together with local sustainable development.
The park is expected to eliminate poverty through sustainable economic development in Ha Giang province.
The document on Dong Van Stone Plateau was among six dossiers approved at the conference.
Dong
Van, which has remained untouched for hundreds of millions of years,
has mammoth rocks spread over four districts – Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo
Vac, and Dong Van – and is 1,000m above sea level.
The
plateau is made up of at least 80 percent 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 sprung up
over the centuries. The 574-sq.km plateau now has 250,000 people
belonging to 17 ethnic groups./.
