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Indonesia is rich with natural landscapes, wildlife and cultural sites. Can you imagine if we could combine all of them into one spot?
In fact, this isn’t a new concept. Did you know Indonesia is turning its geoheritages into geoparks that promote geodiversity, biodiversity and culture [1]?
We know what you’re thinking: what do geoheritage and geopark even mean? Well, geoheritage is an area of geologic features with significant scientific, educational, cultural, or aesthetic value[2]. On the other hand, geopark is a geoheritage area that is aimed for educational tourism and managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development[3].
Indonesia has six geoparks that have been recognized as UNESCO Global Geoparks
1. Batur Global Geopark, Bali
Source: Geio Tischler [9]
Mount Batur is an active volcano that has a huge enchanting caldera, which is known for its crescent-shaped lake[4]. On top of that, Batur Global Geopark has a village called Trunyan village, which is known for its unique funeral tradition.
2. Global Geopark Gunung Sewu, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta
Located in the Southern Mountains of East Java, Mount Sewu is known for its tropical karst landscape that is dominated by limestone.
A depression zone occupied by Merapi and Lawu active volcanoes limits its northern part, while the south is bordered by the Indian Ocean. In addition to its aesthetic and recreational values, Gunung Sewu is rich in biodiversity, archaeology, history and cultural aspects. Approximately 1,802 km2 of the area contain traces of prehistoric settlements[5].
3. Rinjani-Lombok Global Geopark, Nusa Tenggara Barat
Rinjani-Lombok Global Geopark has a rich landscape that includes savannahs, semi-deciduous forests, lower and tropical montane evergreen forests.
Source: David Wollschlegel [10]
About 80% of Lombok’s inhabitants are part of the Sasak ethnic group. Several traditional rites were passed on through generations and still exist today, including the traditional wedding ceremony known as Nyongkolanis, the traditional battle performed by so-called Pepadu and Wayang Sasak [6].
4. Ciletuh Palabuhanratu Global Geopark, Jawa Barat
Ciletuh Palabuhanratu Global Geopark is known for its rare geological diversity, such as the uplifted rocks, the ancient magmatic zone shifting and fore arc evolution.
Source: Fadehl Rabbani [11]
Cultural diversity is one of the main pillars of Ciletuh. The involvement of local communities in initiatives related to Geopark conservation, education and promotion is therefore a principal factor in the sustainable development program of the Geopark[7].
5. Geopark Global Kaldera Toba, Danau Toba
Source: HengYao Tang [12]
Toba volcano has already captured the world’s attention for its supervolcanic eruption that happened 75,000 years ago. Moreover, Toba caldera has a high geological and heritage relationship with local communities, especially in terms of culture. One of the inherent cultures is the folklore of the origin of Lake Toba and Samosir island.
6. Belitong Global Geopark, Pulau Bangka Belitung
Source: Nia Giri [13]
Belitong Global Geopark has many precious geoheritages, such as the granite rocks in Belitong Island, the ancient underwater volcano called Lava Bantal Siantu, and Southeast Asia’s largest tin mineral. Adding to that, the unique geological landscape of Belitung Island is also rich in biodiversity, such as Hampala fish and Toman fish. Not only that, its abundance of flora diversity in its area makes the people in Belitong Global Geopark known for herbs utilization[8].
Read also: The New Indonesian Capital City Will Be Smart, Green and Clean. Here’s How to Make It into a Reality
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