Langkawi Geopark...hmm interesting ..

mbhcsf

Greetings and salam to all
i just heard on the radio that Langkawi has been awarded/declaired  by  UNESCO as  bearing the title of a GEOPRAK???  thus becoming one of the world's most unique and beautiful Geopark...
so what is constitute as a GEOPARK???


Jadi bersamaan dengan ulang tahun Pertama Pulau Langkawi dianugerahkan dengan Perisytiharan Geoprak ni saya ingin bertanya



ada berapa tempat dalam dunia ni yg UNESCO anugerahkan sebagai GEOPARK atau yg berkisar dengan alam sekitar?

and i know that GREECE has been awarded teh blue flag by the UNESCO as having teh most beutiful beaches , is it ?

casper_cute1

tompat den..bangga2

Jiman

Originally posted by mbhcsf at 29-5-2008 03:04 PM
ada berapa tempat dalam dunia ni yg UNESCO anugerahkan sebagai GEOPARK atau yg berkisar dengan alam sekitar?

The International Network of Geoparks (INoG) is a UNESCO Geoparks programme established in 1998. According to UNESCO, for a Geopark to qualify in the INoG it needs to have:

Jiman

What Is A Geopark?

Any area could be designated as geopark if they posses several geoheritage features and outstanding geological landscape within which they form the nucleus for the development of local communities through conservation and ecotourism. Essentially, a geopark should have components of conservation, local community is regarded as a central component of interaction between various elements within the environment and thus, the geopark management authority should get them actively involved in managing geoheritage conservation and promoting sustainable geotourism.

The above mentioned development concept does not contradict with the present Langkawi development agenda, particularly as Langkawi is geared towards daylight tourism as its trademark. In adopting this kind of nature tourism, Langkawi would create its own niche in this highly competitive industry instead of having to compete on the same basis with other neighboring tourist destinations such Phuket or Bali.

In order to sustain nature tourism, Langkawi shall go along with various initiatives of nature conservation that has symbiotic kind of relationship with nature tourism.

A kind of integrative and more holistic concept such as that of geopark would definitely suit its necessity. At the same time, eradicating poverty and improving the quality of life of the local community which is also the main concern for the牋Langkawi Development Authority and Langkawi District Council, should be addressed. These show that the present牋Langkawi development and the geopark agenda could very well work hand in hand as they could supplement one another very nicely. For this matter, the local community stands to better benefit from the inception of LANGKAWI AS A GEOPARK.


Why Langkawi?

1. A complete geological history of the region….cambrian 550 million years
2. Most complete study on geology…..complete geological records.
3. Features the most beautiful heritage of geological landscapes, karsts, caves, sea-arches, stacks, glacial dropstones, fossils
4. First time ever, a geopark encompass 99 islands in the sun
5. Include attractions in both geology biodiversity and culture heritage
6. Has long been a prominent tourist destination-domestic and internatioanal
7. Duty free Geopark


Langkawi Geopark

Langkawi Geopark is Malaysia’s first geopark and is located in the far northern corner of peninsular Malaysia. Located in northern State of Kedah, it is unique in the sense that it was formed on 99 islands that made up the legendary Langkawi Archipelago.

The total land area of Langkawi geopark is about 478km

Jiman

GEOFOREST PARK

The Machinchang Cambrian
Machinchang Cambrian Geoforest Park hosts the oldest geological formation in Malaysia known as the Machinchang Formation (550 milion years old). Among the important geosites in the park are Teluk Datai (where the oldest grains of sand rest), Pantai Tengkorak (where old continent has been submerged-exhibiting text book examples of sedimentary structures). Tanjung Buta/Pulau Jemuruk (graveyards of the oldest life forms in the country) and Tanjung Sabung (where the limestone succeeds sandstone). Also located within this park are some natural wonders resulted from recent geological process such as the Temurun and Telaga Tujuh Waterfall, remnant islands of Anak Burau and Anak Datai, and beautiful beaches in Teluk datai and Pantai Kok. The Machinchang peak exhibits peculiarly chopped sandstone that has often been related to the old folk myth of the brawl between two giants, the Matchinchang and Mat Raya. The Machinchang ridges can be classified as one of the most beautiful landscape in the islands.

Kilim Karst
The Kilim Karst Geoforest Park in the eastern part of the main Langkawi Island features magnificently formed landscape of nearly vertical to subrounded limestone hills with pinnacles of various shapes and sizes can be viewed on limestone Setul Formation.

The northeast region of Langkawi, encompassing the three river basins of Kilim, Air Hangat and Kisap and the neighbouring islands of牋Langgun and Tanjung Dendang are spectacular in its beauty with the牋geological and landscape resources, the seas, the mudflats, beaches, the wetland mangrove and the unique fauna and flora that have long coexisted in these ecosystems.

The eagle and the cave system found in this area have also contributed to the myths and legends of the Island. The name ‘Langkawi’ is said to have been derived from the Brahminy Kite bird which is the most dominant faunal species in the area. Gua Cherita or in English, Cave of Stories, which lies in the northern tip of the park,has many legends and beliefs associated with it the giant bird Garuda, the epic fight between Rama and Rawana and Sang Gededembai- a humanlike giant female creature with a power to curse anything to turn into stone!

The Dayang Bunting Marble
The Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest Park is mainly made of Permian marble overthrusted by the older Setul Formation limestone. These wold finest marbles were resulted from the baking of Chuping Limestone by Triassic (220-200m.y) granite intrusion underneath. There are a牋number of caves within the park. One of the most unique features of the park is the fresh water lake of Tasik Dayang Bunting, formerly a dry doline resulted from the collapse of a very large underground limestone cave.

This lake is believed to have some magic ‘mystical power’ to improve fertility among those who dip into it and drink its water. A large mangrove forest flourish along the Selat Dayang Bunting (Dayang Bunting Straits). The combination of landscapes from marble and granite bedrocks formed a figure resembling a pregnant woman on her back, hence the name Tasik Dayang Bunting or Lake of Pregnant Maiden.



The ecosystems of the old limestone rock formation, the caves, the mudflats and the seas that surround it have three main elements: the mangroves, the vegetation of the limestone hills and the fauna of the mudflats and beaches.

A mangrove forest promotes a unique root system and with a physiology of the plant species that are capable of preventing soil erosion and cleaning the water from contamination of possible metallic pollutants. The mangroves also serve as the breeding ground to many species of fishes, prawns and other sea life. The mangrove vegetation in this area is quite diverse and includes many important species, some with medicinal properties.

The limestone hills of Langkawi have a rich diversity of species of ornamental plants such as the cycsds and orchids. The limestone rock also support many bryophytic flora, lichens and macro fungi.

Forty-five species of birds have so far been recorded in the area, including ten migratory species. The most prominent among the raptor species found along the sea coast and the rivers of the northeast region are the Bahminy Kite and white-bellied sea-eagle. The two raptor species are in fact, one of the attractions of the popular mangrove forest.

Other biodiversity which live on the mudflats, the beaches and the sea include mudskippers and phytoplankton. At least seven species of mudskippers were found and 129 species of marine and 55 of freshwater phytoplankton were reported to exist in Langkawi.

Bat are the other fauna prominent in Langkawi. Three species were identified that roost in the well know Gua Kelawar. The limestone forest are also the home of myriads of small and tiny faunal species, of which the beetles have attracted special interest. Many species were collected from the forests of the Pulau Tanjung Dendang, Pulau Langgun and Gua Cherita including smallest beetle in the world collected in Pulau Tanjung Dendang. Some of these beetle species are rare and some yet to be identified.

The Langkawi archipelago is rich in fossils of ancient extinct sea creatures from the Paleozoic era spanning between 542 million years and 257 million years ago.

Among the fossil found are of trilobite, gastropod, cephalopod, bryozoa and coral.

An alien granite dropstone that is 1 billion years old can be found in sandstone and mudstone at Pulau Tepor southwest of Langkawi and it was the oldest dropstone ever found in this region.

These dropstones once drifted by a glacier before it was dropped in Langkawi that was still submerged underwater hundreds of million years ago. Another geological treasure in Langkawi comes in the form of ancient seabed located in Pulau Ular.

Within these parks there are many caves for exploring activities. Among them are gua Tok Jangkit, Gua Teluk Dedap, Gua Cherita, Gua Teluk Udang, Gua Siam, Gua Buaya, Gua Tanjung Dendang, Gua Kelawar and Gua Wang Buluh.

Jiman

Originally posted by mbhcsf at 29-5-2008 03:04 PM
and i know that GREECE has been awarded teh blue flag by the UNESCO as having teh most beutiful beaches , is it ?

blue flag tak sama macam geopark..
geopark diiktiraf oleh UNESCO, kan?
blue flag ni diiktiraf oleh FEE (The Foundation for Environmental Education)

baca info kat bawah ni eh!

The Blue Flag was born in France in 1985 where the first French coastal municipalities were awarded the Blue Flag on the basis of criteria covering sewage treatment and bathing water quality

The award of a Blue Flag beach is based on compliance with 29 criteria covering the aspects of :

1) Environmental Education and Information
# Information relating to coastal zone ecosystems and natural, sensitive areas in the coastal zone must be displayed
# Information about bathing water quality must be displayed
# Information about the Blue Flag Programme must be displayed
# Code of conduct for the beach area must be displayed and the laws governing beach use must be easily available to the public upon request
# A minimum of 5 environmental education activities must be offered

2) Water Quality
* Compliance with the requirements and standards for excellent bathing water quality
* No industrial or sewage related discharges may affect the beach area
* Monitoring on the health of coral reefs located in the vicinity of the beach
* Compliance of the community with requirements for sewage treatment and effluent quality
* Algae or other vegetation should be left to decay on the beach unless it constitutes a nuisance

3) Environmental Management
* A beach management committee must be established to be in charge of instituting environmental management systems and conduct regular environmental audits of the beach facility
* The beach must comply with all regulations affecting the location and operation of the beach (coastal zone planning and environmental legislation)
* The beach must be clean
* Waste disposal bins/receptacles must be available on/by the beach in adequate numbers, regularly maintained and emptied
* Facilities for receiving recyclable waste materials must be available on/by the beach
* Adequate and clean sanitary facilities with controlled sewage disposal
* On the beach there will be no unauthorised camping or driving and no dumping
* Regulation concerning dogs and other domestic animals on the beach must be strictly enforced
* All buildings and equipment of the beach must be properly maintained
* Sustainable means of transportation must be promoted in the beach area

4) Safety and Services
* An adequate number of lifeguards and/or lifesaving equipment must be available at the beach
* First aid equipment must be available on the beach
* There must be management of different users and uses of the beach so as to prevent conflicts and accidents
* An emergency plans to cope with pollution safety risks must be in place
* There must be safe access to the beach
* The beach area must be patrolled
* A supply of potable drinking water must be available on the beach
* A minimum of one Blue Flag beach in each municipality must have access and toilet facilities provided for disabled persons
* Map of the beach indicating different facilities must be displayed

Some criteria are imperative (I), some are guideline (G) and some are non-applicable (NA) for certain regions. All imperative requirements have to be fulfilled, and in addition a maximum number of guideline criteria.

All Blue Flags are only awarded for one season at a time.

If some of the imperative criteria are not fulfilled during the season or the conditions change, the Blue Flag will be withdrawn.

Blue Flag on European level in 1987

1987 was the "European Year of the Environment" and the European Commission was responsible for developing the European Community activities of that year. The Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE) presented the concept of the Blue Flag to the Commission, and it was agreed to launch the Blue Flag Programme as one of several "European Year of the Environment" activities in the Community.

The French concept of the Blue Flag was developed on European level to include other areas of environmental management, such as waste management and coastal planning and protection. Besides beaches marinas also became eligible for the Blue Flag.

In 1987, 244 beaches and 208 marinas from 10 countries were awarded the Blue Flag.

The Blue Flag success

Since 1987 the Programme has year after year increased in numbers of Blue Flags. The criteria have during these years been changed to more strict criteria. As an example, in 1992 the Programme started using the restrictive guideline values in the EEC Bathing Water Directive as imperative criteria, and this was also the year where all Blue Flag criteria became the same in all participating countries

The Programme today

In 2007 over 3300 beaches and marinas were awarded the Blue Flag.

36 countries are currently participating in the Blue Flag Programme: Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Turkey.

Aruba, Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Malta and Tunisia are currently running the programme in the pilot phase.

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utk list beaches/marinas yg ada blue flag ni, leh usha kat sini >> http://www.blueflag.org/blueflag

mbhcsf

MUACCH


......bless u dear    u made me veru happy to read those.........