Mount Rinjani National Park Proposed to Become World Geopark

Mataram, Indonesia - The Mount Rinjani National Park in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), is one of the locations proposed to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) as a world geopark, the first one in Indonesia.

The other two locations are Mount Batur, Bali, and Mount Sewu, in Pacitan, East Java.

According to Mount Rinjani National Park Permanent Member, Heryadi Rachmat, the NTB Government was asked to submit a proposal to Unesco by September 2010.

The Director of Tourism Production at the Department of Culture and Tourism, said Heryadi, has asked the NTB Governor Muhammad Zainul Madjdi to complete all required documents.

“If the required documents are not completed by the determined time, Rinjani would lose the opportunity,” said Heryadi, Wednesday (25/8).

Mount Rinjani has obtained the World Legacy Award from Conservation International and Traveller (2004), and was a finalist for Tourism for Tomorrow Awards (2005 dan 2008) from the World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC).

Compared to Mount Batur and Mount Sewu, Mount Rinjani National Park has the most complete tourism attractions.

Besides a unique mountain, it has valleys, lake, the newest lava stream, natural views, caves and a picturesque waterfall.

An administrator, Rinjani Trekking Management Board, is already in place.

But, according to Heryadi, Mount Rinjani has not yet been visited by a world geopark assessor for lack of NTB government support.

Whereas, with its superior attractions, the mount qualifies as a geopark.

Besides its natural beauty, it also has a unique history and geological process.

Meanwhile, Mount Batur and Mount Sewu have more chances because they were visited by Ibrahim Kamoo from Universitas Kebangsaan, Malaysia, one of nine world geopark’s assessor.

Heryadi said that some kind of national committee was needed to take care of the geopark proposition to Unesco.

There is currently only one geopark in South East Asia, in Langkawi, Malaysia, from 58 in the world.

The Head of NTB Regional Development Planning, Rosyadi Sayuti, said that Mount Rinjani, Mount Batur and Mount Sewu are the three world geopark candidates to be proposed to Unesco.

This is the result of Indonesia National Geopark Workshop held by LIPI Geotechnology Research Center in Bandung in early August 2010.

“We try hard to complete all the required documents for Mount Rinjani National Park,” said Rosyadi. (Supriyantho Khafid)

Source: http://www.tempointeractive.com
Photo: http://www.pioneerexpeditions.com

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