"We will propose two tourist objects as our priority program to UNESCO and obtain world recognition, namely the Muarojambi temple and the Geopark in Merangin," said the Culture and Tourism Office`s spokesperson, Heri Suroso, here Thursday.
According to Heri, the Merangin Geopark was another opportunity to make Jambi`s tourism potentials beter known to the public, because every rock in the area was a remnant of fossils that were formed as a result of a sedimentation by molten magma coming out of the earth`s bowels 150 million to 299 million years ago.
Heri said in an effort to learn more about the geopark`s existence, his office had for the past two months been conducting a research on the site in collaboration with the Bandung Geological Institute.
"The research is done continuously by professional teams based on their expertise such as the mapping team, geological, archeological and cultural research team," he said.
This scientific research is conducted as a step to reveal the Geopark`s existence to the scientific world which becomes the material to be proposed for world recognition through UNESCO.
Hopefully in 2012 we will have the geopark`s study conclusion so it can be opened for the public as a tourist mainstay of Jambi.
Meraingin Geopark considered as the only one geological treasure in the world, because beside the geopark`s wide distribution is also due to the fossils of natural flora and fauna which was printed there is the most complete and not been touched by the human hands.
"The natural heritage authenticity is still very intact, physical forms of flora or fauna buried there in ancient times are still originally printed, attached to the cliff, rock or plant itself," Suroso said.(*)
(A050/HAJM/a014)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
