Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - With its complex geological history, South Kalimantan’s Meratus Geopark is one of the oldest natural laboratories in Indonesia, a researcher from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has said.
"We can learn the Earth’s history from the Meratus Mountains. Here we can find evidence of geological processes, the collision of continental and ocean plates 200 million years ago," Ruly Setiawan from the Geological Survey Center of the ministry’s Geological Agency said here on Friday.
According to Setiawan, the 200-million-year old Meratus is an interesting area for research for geologists. Its natural beauty is also a draw for tourists, he said.
Many scientific papers on the Meratus Mountains have been published by local as well as international researchers, he noted.
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A team from the Geological Agency recently conducted verifications at 12 geosites of Meratus Geopark, including those located in the districts of Tabalong, South Hulu Sungai, Central Hulu Sungai, Tapin, and Banjar, he informed.
It was the third verification conducted by the agency after March and November 2021 when 26 other Meratus geosites were verified, Setiawan said.
"We found an interesting fact in Kahung Valley (Kahung tropical forest in Belangian village, Banjar district): that the basaltic and diorite rocks were formed from lava cooling under the Earth's crust," he highlighted.
The Meratus Mountains were designated as a National Geopark site in 2018. The Meratus Geopark Management Agency (BP Geopark Meratus) is preparing to apply to UNESCO for a Global Geopark (UGG) status for the site.
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Setiawan said the essence of a geopark is management. "It is not only about geological issues but also biodiversity and culture, in addition to tourism potential,” he elaborated.
He lauded efforts made by the South Kalimantan government and the Meratus Geopark Management Agency for achieving UGG status.
"The essence (of a geopark) is conservation and people's empowerment. It will need collaboration between the government and the public to manage and preserve the area," he said.
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