Quang Ngai (VNA) - Chairman of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council Guy Martini hasexpressed his hope that the central province of Quang Ngai will submit thedossiers of the Ly Son geopark to the UN Educational, Scientific and CulturalOrganisation (UNESCO) to seek a global status next year.

Speaking at a recent conference in the province,Martini, who is also General Secretary of the Global Geoparks Network, suggestedQuang Ngai continue to train personnel for the management board of thepark. 

The conference looked into values of the Ly Songeopark and the project that aims to develop it into a global one. 

Dr. Paul R. Dingwall, a member of theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and a world heritage advisor tothe UNESCO, said the Ly Son geopark has huge potential to win UNESCOrecognition.

However, he said, moremust be done to reach the goal, including studying and assessing its culturaland natural values, defining legal and administrative frameworks, as well as draftingmanagement and consultation plans with relevant sides, especially local leadersand residents. 

Vice Chairman of the provincial People'sCommittee Dang Ngoc Dung said the project is expected to create momentum forthe local tourism and provide additional values to local products. 

Since January, the park's management board hascoordinated with the Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources toconduct many studies in order to assess the park's geological, geomorphologicaland cultural values as well as its biodiversity, the official said. 

Under the project, the geopark will include7,925ha of the Ly Son Marine Conservation site, 1,000ha of Ca Dam NatureReserve and another 39,000ha of reserve in the west of Ba To district.

The area already boasts a number of historiclandmarks, including ancient ports of Champa, Dai Viet (Great Viet) and Sa Huynh,and Son My vestige museum, Sa Huynh museum, and Truong Ly (Great Stone Wall) inNghia Hanh district.

According to scientists, magma sample researchand field examination showed the volcano erupted to create Quang Ngai sometime between6.9 million and 9 million years ago.

Ly Son island witnessed at least three periodsof volcanism with eruption areas from Ly Son to Phu Yen province and Phu QuyIsland in Binh Thuan province.

Samples of metamorphic and igneous rocks found inQuang Ngai are believed to be formed from 250 million to 460 million years ago.

At least three complexes of metamorphic andigneous rock and 12 magma complexes helped create some areas in Quang Ngai (BaTo and Tra Bong districts).

Vietnam is currently home to UNESCO-recognisedDong Van Karst Plateau Geopark in the northernmost province of Ha Giang and NonNuoc Cao Bang Geopark in the northern province of Cao Bang.-VNA