KUANTAN: The Pahang government has agreed that proactive measures are needed in order to turn the Lipis district into a Unesco Global Geopark.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said this was decided at the Pahang State Parks Corporation members' meeting which he chaired on Tuesday (June 7).
"A geopark is a region that contains geological heritage sites and landscapes of international importance.
"It is managed holistically based on the concepts of conservation, preservation, education and sustainable development," he said in a statement on Wednesday (June 8).
Wan Rosdy said the uniqueness of Lipis district included the presence of rock formation from the Devonian to middle Permian periods, from 420 million to 270 million years ago, in Pos Betau – evidence of the collision of two tectonic plates that formed Peninsular Malaysia.
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"The aspiration of a Lipis Geopark will be a platform to empower the heritage diversity of Lipis district.
"(Such) recognition will also enhance the socio-economy of the local community through the creation of employment opportunities and vibrant tourism activities.
"As a first step, the Pahang government has held discussions with the Minerals and Geoscience Department and the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry... to establish a Lipis Geopark Development Committee that covers human and financial resources to gain recognition as a National Geopark," he said.
He said this recognition was one of the conditions to qualify the proposed Lipis Geopark to be nominated as a Unesco Global Geopark.
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Wan Rosdy said that to date, there were 177 Unesco Global Geoparks worldwide and the Langkawi Geopark was the only one in Malaysia.
"In addition, there are six other sites that have been recognised as National Geoparks, namely Kinta Valley, Jerai, Mersing, Kinabalu, Lenggong and Labuan.
"I hope that our efforts to create the Lipis Geopark become a reality so that we can manage this district... based on natural sustainability as well as being another tourist attraction, especially for those interested in geology," he said.
