Merangin, Jambi (ANTARA) – The Jambi Merangin Geopark Management Agency is finalizing preparations for the UNESCO assessment, scheduled for August 10-15, 2026.
“The UNESCO assessment team plans to visit eight locations, based on the four-yearly re-evaluation requirement. Two international evaluators are from South Korea and France,” the Head of the Jambi UNESCO Global Geopark Management Agency, Agus Zainuddin, stated on Tuesday.
According to him, the assessment will focus on geological diversity, biodiversity, and the local wisdom of the local community.
The visit will include geological and cultural sites around Tiangko Cave, known to be a 1.8-2.8-hectare nature reserve conservation area that has been maintained since the Dutch colonial era, Agus added.
He outlined that local wisdom includes the existence of waterwheel irrigation systems for rice paddies, as well as 10,250-year-old prehistoric human remains around the cave.
The assessment will also include the Merangin Fossil Site, featuring the 125-million-year-old Teluk Wang Granite, the Teluk Ketimbung Wood Fossil, and the 300-million-year-old ancient plant (Araucarioxylon) in the Mengkarang Formation, a rare geological heritage site in the world, he continued.
Furthermore, the visit also included the Muara Karing Fossil Site, where 300-million-year-old fossilized leaves, pandanus leaves, and ancient tree stumps are on display.
In addition to the ancient sites, the team will visit special tourism attractions and community empowerment initiatives in the Danau Pauh area of Jangkat Sub-district, including flower gardens and the energy-independent village of Rantau Kermas, Agus remarked.
He noted that the village stands out for its preservation of customary forests, the use of a micro-hydropower plant, and its first-place win at the 2023 Global Geopark Network Awards in Morocco.
“We are fully prepared and optimistic. We will continue to optimize the effort and are hopeful that Merangin Jambi will retain its UNESCO Global Geopark status,” Agus pointed out.
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Translator: Agus Suprayitno, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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