Lạng Sơn Geopark boasts the harmonious beauty of the nature and local residents. — Photo nhandan.vn

HÀ NỘI — A dossier has been built by the People’s Committee of the northern mountainous province of Lạng Sơn to seek the UNESCO recognition of Lạng Sơn Geopark as a global one.

Covering 4,842sq.km across eight district-level localities, Lạng Sơn Geopark is one of the largest of its kind in Việt Nam and boasts a number of unique values.

In terms of geology, geomorphology and landscape, it is home to a rich diversity of palaeobiological fossils dating back as far as 500 million years, many of which indicate this province used to be under the sea in the past.

Moreover, this park is endowed with many renowned landscapes such as the low mountain ranges surrounding valleys and villages in Yên Thịnh Commune of Hữu Lũng District, or the caves like Thẩm Khuyên in Bình Gia District that accommodated prehistoric humans.

Regarding cultural values, it houses a number of temples dedicated to the gods in the worship of Mother Goddesses – an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, especially Bắc Lệ Temple, as well as villages of Tày and Nùng ethnic groups with distinctive cultures.

Phạm Thị Hương, deputy head of the Lạng Sơn Geopark management board, said the seeking of the UNESCO recognition aims to preserve and bring into play the park’s geological, geomorphological, and cultural values in a sustainable manner.

Local authorities are taking various measures for improving public awareness of the park’s values as well as protecting and making use of its values for tourism development.

The province is preparing for a verification trip by a UNESCO delegation around this July, Hương said.

Việt Nam currently has three global geoparks, namely Đồng Văn Karst Plateau (recognised in 2010) in the northernmost province of Hà Giang, Non Nước Cao Bằng (2018) in the northeastern province of Cao Bằng, and Đắk Nông (2020) in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Nông. — VNS