Annual Report of Zigong UNESCO Global Geopark in 2022

1. GEOPARK IDENTITY

Geopark name, country, regional Network: Zigong UNESCO Global Geopark / the People’s Republic of China / Asia Pacific Global Geopark Network

Year of inscription / Year of the last revalidation:2008 / 2016 / 2020 (on-site revalidation has yet to be performed due to pandemic-related restrictions)

Representative photo with caption (from the most important event this year)

Zigong Fantawild Dino Kingdom Park opened to the public

2. GEOPARK FIGURES

Number of Geopark staffs: 265 staffs including 6 geoscientists.

Number of visitors:751,800 visits.

Number of Geopark events: More than 100.

In 2022, the geopark independently hosted or worked with partnering organizations to host more than 100 online and on-site events, such as:

Independently hostedevents by the geopark: "The 53rd World Earth Day Activities of Zigong Global Geopark", "2022 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day in Zigong City", "Children Docent Training Course of Zigong Global Geopark in 2022", "Zigong Dinosaur Training Course of Young Volunteers", etc.

Worked with partnering organizations: Zigong Global Geopark and Sichuan Normal University co-hosted "2022 University Students Studying and Travelling in Zigong Global Geopark", and cooperated with Universal Pictures to carry out the "Dinosaur Experts Answering the Curiosity of Fans of the Movie Jurassic World 3 ", and jointly carried out the" Training Activity for Young Technical Talents in Well and Mineral Salt Drilling Technology " with Sichuan Salt Geological Drilling Brigade.

Number of school classes realize Geoparkeducational programmes: More than 30classes

published: More than 100 news articles.

3. GEOPARK ACTIVITIES

Major achievements in 2022:

· In June 2022, Zigong Fantawild Dino Kingdom Park, the first dinosaur entertainment park with dinosaur culture and high technology in Sichuan province, opened to the public. The "Zigong Lantern Making Technique Hall" and "Visitor Center" of the Lantern Museum scenic area of Zigong Global Geopark were upgraded and officially opened to visitors. The display work of the "Dinosaur Exploration Hall" of Zigong Dinosaur Museum has been finished.

· In 2022, Zigong Global Geopark carried out and finished the"Project of Investigation and Research of Paleontological Fossils and Their Assembled Stratigraphy System in Qinglongshan Area" and the "Qinglongshan Dinosaur Fossil Site Protection and Conservation Project".

· Recompiled the Plan of Zigong Dinosaur National Geopark of Sichuan and the Plan of Zigong Global Geopark of China.

· Published a scientific monograph book named "Dinosaur Footprints in Sichuan Basin". Publish a science popularization book titled "Zigong Global Geopark - Home of Dinosaur, City of Salt, land of lantern".

· Hold the “International Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Discovery of the Dashanpu Dinosaur Fossil Site” in Zigong.

· Continuously strengthen the capacity building of our staff, and the interpreters of the geopark have won many awards in various interpretation competitions, such as won the first prize in "The 2nd Provincial Research Travel Instructor Skills Competition", won the second prize in "2022 Sichuan Popular Science Explanation Competition".

Contribution towards GGN - Networking and participation：

· In August 2022, Zigong Global Geopark held the “International Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Discovery of the Dashanpu Dinosaur Fossil Site” in Zigong.

· In September 2022, Zigong Global Geopark participated in “The 7th Aisa Pacific Geoparks Network Symposium”.

· In October 2022, provided information about Zigong Global Geopark to cooperate with GGN to edit the book about UNESCO Global Geoparks.

· In 2022, Zigong Global Geopark has communicated with Funiushan Global Geopark, Xingwen Global Geopark, Guangwushan-nuoshuihe Global Geopark, and Xiangxi Global Geopark, etc.

· Paid the 2022 GGN Annual Membership fee.

Management and Financial Status:

· In 2022, under the leadership of the Zigong Global Geopark Management Committee,the comprehensive management and coordination ofZigong Global Geopark Management Center, and the collaborative cooperation of every Zigong Global Geoparkscenic areas, the Geopark was effectively managed. Zigong City's financial subsidy funds and tourism income of the geoparkare sufficient to cover the various expenditures of the geopark such as management, construction, and staff wages.

Geoconservation：

· In 2022, Zigong Global Geopark completed the investigation and research of paleontological fossils and their assembled stratigraphy system in Qinglongshan dinosaur fossil site area, conducted a survey of the 40 kilometers area around Qinglongshan dinosaur fossil site area, and drew the key protection area.

· Improved the protection facilities of the Qinglongshan dinosaur fossil site, reinforced the surrounding rocks of dinosaur fossils, and made conservation of these fossils to prevent their weathering.

· Started the work of doing conservation to Longguanshan dinosaur footprintsfossils.

Sustainable tourism (Geotourism)：

· In 2022, Zigong Fantawild Dino Kingdom Park opened to the public.It is the first large-scale cultural and high-tech theme park with dinosaurs as the theme in Sichuan Province, with a total investment of 3.1 billion yuan and an area of more than 400000 square meters. It includes nine exclusive indoor large-scale high-tech theme projects, 30 outdoor amusement projects, hundreds of distinctive leisure landscapes, and theme restaurants, shops, and hotels full of dinosaur elements. The Fantawild Dino Kingdom Parkintegrates theme experience, popular science education, leisure vacation, catering, and shopping, which will strongly promote the sustainable tourism of Zigong Global Geopark.

New education programmes on geoconservation, sustainable development and disaster risk reduction：

· In 2022, Zigong Global Geoparklaunchedthe education programmes such as "Children Docent Training Course", "Zigong Dinosaur Training Course of Young Volunteers", and “Course on Avoiding Geological Disaster”, etc.

Strategic partnership：

· In May 2022, Zigong Global Geopark, Pu'an Dinosaur Fossil Management Committee of Yunyang County, and Chongqing Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources signed a cooperation agreement, agreeing to conduct in-depth research on the cooperation between Zigong Dinosaur Fauna and Chongqing Yunyang Dinosaur Fauna.

· In August 2022, Zigong Global Geopark, the Rongxian County Government, and the Sichuan Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources established a strategic partnership, which will carry out various forms of communication and cooperation in scientific research, resource investigation, fossil protection, and geological and cultural village construction.

Promotional activities：

· In March 2022, Zigong Global Geopark made its debut in the latest city promotional video of Zigong, which was broadcasted on CCTV-1 Comprehensive Channel, CCTV-4 Chinese International Channel, and CCTV-13 News Channel to showcase and promote Zigong to the global.

· From Juneto August 2022, Zigong held "The 1st Zigong International Dinosaur Cultural Tourism Festival", with the theme of "Seeing Dinosaurs·Going to Zigong", and launched a series of activities for family tours, research tours and other customer groups.

· In September 2022, Zigong participated in “The 9th Chinese Exposition of Museums and Relevant Products and Technologies” to promote the museums, cultural, and tourism products of Zigong Global Geopark.

4. CONTACTS

Manager: Wang Wenwei, ziggeopark@163.com

Geologist: Peng Guangzhao, 158974244@qq.com