S Kalimantan promotes 5 geosites for Meratus to become global geopark

The beauty of Meratus Mountain seen from Muara Uya in Tabalong District, South Kalimantan. (Antaranews Kalsel/Latif Thohir)

Especially for the measurement, the provincial government has budgeted a fund of Rp1,2 billion,

Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Provincial Government of South Kalimantan promoting five geosites of the Meratus Mountains in its proposal to win the recognition of UNESCO as a global geopark.

Head of South Kalimantan Energy and Natural Resources Agency (ESDM) Isyarwanto in Banjarbaru on Wednesday (Feb 5, 2020) said, the five geosite are the Public Forest Park of Sultan Adam, Matan Keladan, Cempaka, Belangian and Batulicin.

Now the provincial government is struggling to meet some specified requirements, he said, including to provide adequate infrastructure to and from the geopark, international journals, and seminars to raise the potential of the geopark that can be developed, for example about rocks and others.

After several requirements have been met, an assessment will be conducted by a team from UNESCO to South Kalimantan to confirmed the information obtained from various parties in accordance with the conditions on the ground.

The assessment is to determine if Meratus Geopark proper to the UNESCO recognition as a global geopark.

Currently, he added, a measurement is being done to geosite zonation in Tanah Bumbu and Kotabaru.

"Especially for the measurement, the provincial government has budgeted a fund of Rp1,2 billion," he said.

Meanwhile, a Meratus Mountains researcher of the UPN Yogyakarta Dr. Joko Susilo said, Meratus Geopark has a very big potential to be developed for the uniqueness it has does not exist in other region or any country.

This must be realized by the local people that the attraction both of earth and socio-cultural have great potential to become the world's attention. This is very beneficial for an effort to improve the welfare of the community around the attraction.

Human resources and awareness must be prepared about the importance of caring for and managing the potential through tourism awareness group (pokdarwis) around the tourist area.

At this time, he added, is quite a crucial moment to make various preparation for Meratus to become a global geopark.

"Possibly the determination will be in 2021, and now is a crucial period to complete all the requirements set," he said.