Management Measures for World Geoparks

Chapter 1 General Provisions

Article 1: In order to standardize the management of UNESCO World Geoparks (hereinafter referred to as "World Geoparks"), improve the construction level of World Geoparks, and promote the sustainable development of World Geoparks, this method is formulated in accordance with the UNESCO Guidelines for the Operation of World Geoparks (hereinafter referred to as the "Guidelines") and relevant laws, regulations, and policies of China.

Article 2: The World Geopark referred to in these Measures refers to a sustainable development area recognized by UNESCO as having geological relics of global or international significance, rich natural and cultural resources, clear boundaries, and appropriate area.

Article 3: These measures are applicable to the management of world geological parks throughout the country.

Article 4: The State Forestry and Grassland Administration is responsible for the organization, coordination, supervision and management, and business guidance of the World Geoparks nationwide, and serves as the national business supervisory department to liaise with international organizations such as UNESCO on matters related to the World Geoparks.

The forestry and grassland authorities at or above the county level are responsible for the organization, coordination, supervision and management, and business guidance of the World Geoparks within their respective administrative regions.

The World Geopark Management Agency is responsible for the daily management of this World Geopark.

The National Geopark Network Center is responsible for organizing and carrying out activities related to the World Geopark Network.

Article 5: The construction of a world geological park shall adhere to the principles of unified management, scientific planning, key protection, and sustainable development.

Article 6: The State Forestry and Grassland Administration shall establish a World Geopark Expert Database to provide technical support for the management, evaluation, and sustainable development of World Geoparks.

Article 7: The state encourages enterprises, institutions, social organizations, citizens, etc. to participate in the protection, research, education, and promotion of the World Geopark through donations, technical support, volunteer services, and other means.

Chapter 2 Declaration

Article 8: The State Forestry and Grassland Administration shall establish a reserve database for world geological park projects (hereinafter referred to as the "reserve database").

The application for reserve storage shall be filled out by the county-level people's government of the application area and submitted to the provincial forestry and grassland competent department. After being reviewed by the provincial forestry and grassland competent department, it shall be submitted to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. For cross county projects, the municipal people's government shall apply to the provincial forestry and grassland authorities; For cross city projects, the relevant municipal people's governments shall jointly submit applications to the provincial forestry and grassland authorities; For cross provincial (autonomous region, municipality directly under the central government) projects, applications should be submitted to the relevant provincial forestry and grassland authorities in accordance with the above provincial procedures. After being reviewed by the relevant provincial forestry and grassland authorities, the applications should be jointly submitted to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. The State Forestry and Grassland Administration approves the application project and issues a confirmation letter.

Article 9: The application for world geoparks is divided into two stages: domestic recommendation and international application.

Article 10: The domestic recommendation procedure shall refer to the provisions of Article 8, Paragraph 2 of these Measures.

Regions applying for domestic recommendation should meet the following conditions:

（1） Geological relics with global or international significance.

（2） Natural and cultural resources with high value.

（3） For a single, unified geographical area with clear boundaries and appropriate area, there is no dispute over the ownership of land, sea areas, and islands.

（4） Significant achievements have been made in the protection of geological relics, scientific research, nature education, and geoscience tourism.

（5） The application for construction has received widespread support from local residents and high community participation.

（6） There is a clear management unit and professional technical personnel.

（7） It has been included in the reserve database and has been operating for at least one year in accordance with the standards of the World Geopark.

（8） Complies with other regulations for UNESCO World Geopark applications.

Provincial forestry and grassland authorities shall organize review and submit the following materials to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration:

（1） Recommended files. The main content should include the name, area, and boundary of the declared area; Resource conditions and value; Protection and management status; Review opinions from provincial forestry and grassland authorities.

（2） Declaration materials. The main content should include domestic declaration forms; Comprehensive inspection report; Video materials (duration not exceeding 15 minutes); Self evaluation document (Table A); Documents approved by the provincial people's government for application; Publicity, etc. For major matters involving national territorial sovereignty, ethnicity, religion, military, cross-border cooperation, etc., approval letters from relevant provincial authorities should also be submitted.

Article 11: The State Forestry and Grassland Administration shall review the submitted materials, organize experts to conduct on-site inspections, and convene a recommendation and evaluation meeting for the World Geopark. Those who pass the evaluation and have no objections to the public announcement may be determined as candidate sites for the World Geopark (hereinafter referred to as "candidate sites").

Article 12: The international declaration procedure shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of Article 8, Paragraph 2, and the Operating Guidelines of these Measures. Candidate sites should prepare a letter of intent and application materials for the application of the World Geopark in accordance with the Operating Guidelines and other regulations. The provincial forestry and grassland competent department where the candidate location is located shall submit the letter of intent for application to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration before the end of April of the year when the international application procedures are carried out. After approval by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the letter of intent for application shall be submitted to UNESCO by the end of June of the same year. The provincial forestry and grassland competent department where the candidate location is located shall submit the application materials signed by the person in charge of the provincial people's government and stamped by the provincial people's government to the State Forestry and Grassland Administration before the end of September of the same year. After joint approval by relevant departments, the State Forestry and Grassland Administration shall submit the application materials to UNESCO by the end of November of the same year. Candidates should supplement, modify, and improve their application materials within the prescribed time according to the opinions proposed by UNESCO.

Article 13: Candidate sites shall undergo on-site inspections by UNESCO in the following year of submitting application materials in accordance with the requirements of the Operating Guidelines.

Article 14: The application materials for the World Geopark shall be true, objective, and accurate. Except for force majeure reasons, if there are situations during the application process, including but not limited to serious human damage or threats to important resources, false or intentional concealment of the application content, slow progress of the application work exceeding the time limit, etc., it shall be deemed that the candidate site has automatically given up its qualification. The National Forestry and Grassland Administration will no longer accept applications for world geological parks involving provinces within the next two years.

Chapter 3 Reevaluation and Scope Adjustment

Article 15: World Geoparks shall undergo regular reassessment by UNESCO. Re evaluation is divided into copywriting evaluation (mainly including abstract summary, work progress report) and on-site evaluation.

Article 16: World Geoparks shall prepare abstract summaries and work progress reports in accordance with the "Operating Guidelines" and other regulations. The abstract summaries reviewed by the National Geopark Network Center shall be submitted to UNESCO between May and July of the year before reassessment. The work progress report shall be reviewed by the provincial forestry and grassland authorities before the end of December of the same year and submitted to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. After being reviewed by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, it shall be submitted to UNESCO before the end of January of the reassessment year. The World Geopark should undergo a re evaluation on-site visit by UNESCO in accordance with the requirements of the Operating Guidelines.

Article 17: World Geoparks may apply for area adjustment. If the adjusted area (sum of increased and decreased areas) is less than 10% of the original area, an area adjustment application report should be prepared in accordance with the "Operation Guidelines" and other regulations. After obtaining the approval of the provincial people's government from the original application unit of the World Geopark, the provincial forestry and grassland competent department shall submit it to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration before the end of October of the application year. After being approved by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, it shall be submitted to UNESCO before the end of November of the same year. If the adjusted area is greater than or equal to 10% of the original area, the application materials shall be resubmitted in accordance with the international application requirements for the World Geopark stipulated in Article 12 of these Measures.

Article 18: If an application is made to change the name of a world geological park, a name change application report shall be prepared in accordance with the provisions of the "Operation Guidelines". After obtaining the consent of the provincial people's government from the original application unit of the world geological park, the provincial forestry and grassland competent department shall submit it to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration before the end of October of the year of application. After being approved by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, it shall be submitted to UNESCO before the end of November of the same year.

Chapter 4 Supervision and Management

Article 19: The management of world geological parks shall, in accordance with the relevant articles of association of UNESCO and national regulations, do a good job in resource protection and regional sustainable development. The areas where the world geological park overlaps with nature reserves should also comply with the relevant control requirements of nature reserves.

Article 20: Provincial forestry and grassland authorities shall guide and supervise the management institutions of world geological parks within their respective administrative regions to fulfill relevant international regulations and declaration commitments, and provide necessary guarantees for the protection, construction, and management of world geological parks. Cross provincial (autonomous region, municipality directly under the central government) world geoparks should have a work coordination mechanism established by relevant provincial forestry and grassland authorities, world geopark declaration units, etc.

Article 21: The management agency of the World Geopark shall formulate a protection and management system, prepare a development action plan, and establish a website, database, and archives for the World Geopark. The content of the development action plan should include but is not limited to geological relic protection, resource investigation and monitoring, construction of interpretation systems, natural education and geoscience tourism, management and capacity building of geological parks, community development plan, publicity and promotion, network exchange and cooperation, funding investment and guarantee, etc. The development action plan should be widely solicited from relevant departments, enterprises and institutions, community residents, and experts, and should be connected with the national spatial planning and various nature reserve planning within the scope of the World Geopark. The management agency of the World Geopark should carry out its work in accordance with its development action plan, and refine the work tasks within the evaluation cycle to ensure the orderly development of the World Geopark.

Article 22: The management agency of the World Geopark shall establish and improve a natural education and science popularization system, improve facility construction, strengthen cooperation with scientific research institutions, communities, etc., and enhance public awareness of the World Geopark. The management agency of the World Geopark shall fulfill the obligations of the World Geopark Network

Member responsibility, participate in world and regional geopark conferences, establish sister parks, strengthen international exchanges, cultivate and transport world geopark assessors, and pay membership fees on time.

Article 23: The management agency of the world geological park shall submit the previous year's world geological park management report to the provincial forestry and grassland authorities before the end of January each year. The main content shall include resource protection and management, implementation of development action plans, natural education and geoscience tourism, domestic and foreign exchange and cooperation, etc. After being reviewed and summarized by the provincial forestry and grassland authorities, it shall be submitted to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration by the end of February of that year.

Chapter 5 Supplementary Provisions

Article 24: The use of the UNESCO World Geopark logo shall be authorized by UNESCO and comply with relevant regulations on the use of the logo. It is strictly prohibited to use it for commercial purposes or authorize third-party organizations.

Article 25: All relevant units and individuals shall comply with national confidentiality regulations, and use, exchange, and store confidential documents, data, graphics, etc. during the process of declaration, re evaluation, scope adjustment, etc. in accordance with the law. All classified materials should be declassified before reporting.

Article 26: The State Forestry and Grassland Administration shall, in accordance with the decisions of UNESCO, uniformly publish the application and re evaluation results of the World Geopark.

The application for a cross-border (border) world geopark will be subject to further study and decision.

Article 27: These Measures shall be interpreted by the State Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Article 28: These Measures shall come into effect from the date of promulgation.

Issued by the State Forestry and Grassland Administration on January 25, 2024