Annual Report of Zigong UNESCO Global Geopark in 2021

1. GEOPARK IDENTITY

Geopark name, country, regional Network: Zigong UNESCO Global Geopark / the People’s Republic of China / Asia Pacific Global Geopark Network

Year of inscription / Year of the last revalidation: 2008 / 2016 / 2020 (on-site revalidation has yet to be performed due to pandemic-related restrictions)

Representative photo with caption (from the most important event this year)

Dashanpu dinosaur fossil exploration

2. GEOPARK FIGURES

Number of Geopark staffs: 265 staffs including 6 geoscientist(s)

Number of visitors:987,400visits

Number of Geopark events: More than 200

In 2021, the geopark independently hosted or worked with partnering organizations to host more than 200 online and on-site events, such as:

In April, the geopark hosted a promo events for the 52^nd "World Earth Day," which included online Q&A, public welfare activity, scientific knowledge education and popularization lecture, science and technology film week and other components.

In June, the various scenic zones of the geopark partnered with organizations like the Intangible Cultural Heritage Preservation Society of Zigong City to host the 2021 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day event.

In September, the geopark partnered with the Geoparker Scientific Knowledge Education and Popularization Center and Xinhua News Network to host the "Know the Beauty of Mountains and River, Know Mountains and Rivers to Know Beauty - Zigong Global Geopark" special live stream event.

Between September and December, the Zigong Dinosaur Museum scenic zone partnered with the School of Fine Arts of the Sichuan University of Science & Engineering and the Zigong Artists Association to host the "2021 Zigong Dinosaur Arts Week," which included the "Dinosaur Kingdom in My Eyes" Kid's Drawing Competition," One Sight Ten Billion Years" Art and Design Competition, award-winner exhibition etc.

Number of school classes realize Geoparkeducational programmes: More than 40 classes

published: More than 80 news articles

3. GEOPARK ACTIVITIES

Major achievements in 2021:

· Completed construction of Zigong Fangte Dinosaur Kingdom Park scenic zone, which will open its doors during the first half of 2022.

· Commenced explorations and survey researches of the key dinosaur fossil sites at Dashanpu and Qinglongshan.

· Completed potential geological hazard site troubleshooting within the territory of the geopark and allayed potential safety problems.

· Scientific knowledge education and popularization efforts continued to take on innovative forms. For the entire year, more than 200 scientific knowledge education and popularization activities were held online and on-site, with direct attendance surpassing two million person/times.

· Newly compiled and published third issue of Park-Homeland, scientific knowledge education and popularization periodical of the Zigong Global Geopark.

Contribution towards GGN - Networking and participation：

· In October 2021, the geopark participated in the second GGN Digital Forum.

· In April 2021, the geopark participated in the Yimeng Mountain Geopark Monument Unveiling and Opening Ceremony and Global Geopark Construction and Development Symposium.

· Between May 31st and June 1st, 2021, representatives from the Zhangjiajie Global Geopark visited the geopark for an exchange to discuss matters such as geopark management, and conservation and utilization of paleontological fossil.

· In July 2021, the geopark participated in the China Dinosaur Egg Symposium held at the Funiushan UNESCO Global Geopark.

· In December 2021, the geopark participated in the 9th UNESCO Geoparks Network Symposium, and submitted videos and posters to partake in the Global Geoparks Network virtual exhibition.

Management and Financial Status:

· In 2021, under the leadership of the Zigong Global Geopark Management Committee, under the general management and coordination of the Zigong Global Geopark Management Center, the geopark, and with coordinated cooperation between the various scenic zones, departments and communities, management of the geopark was undertaken in an effective manner. For the whole of the year, the main scenic zones realized income of RMB 29.11 million, sufficient to cover the various expenditures of the geopark such as management, construction and staff wages.

Geoconservation：

· The geopark undertook Dashanpu dinosaur fossil exploration project, completed surveying, drilling exploration tasks, and is currently carrying out trenching work. Some dinosaur fossils have already been found at one of the trench exploration sites.

· Added monitoring facilities at the Qinglongshan dinosaur fossil site to ensure safety of fossils, and commenced systematic research on paleontological fossils and occurrence strata in the Qinglongshan, which is slated to be implemented thoroughly in 2022.

· Completed data and material collection and processing for the mamenchisaurus fossil curated at the Dinosaur Museum.

· Undertook archaeological survey at the salt-well and salt-production workshop ruins in Rong County, and exploration survey of the Dagongjing ruins, having preliminarily uncovered new discoveries about the local salt industry.

· Utilized traditional processes to restore a salt well crane.

Sustainable tourism (Geotourism)：

· The Zigong Fangte Dinosaur Kingdom Park is fully completed, a connecting bridge has been built to link it with the Zigong Dinosaur Museum, and more than 5,000 parking spaces have been added. The recreational project is scheduled to open its doors in 2022.

· The tourist center at Shenhai Well is about to complete construction and will soon be put into service.

· The Jicheng Salt Well Workshop ruins conservation and utilization facilities construction has been completed, including newly built cultural relics conservation and management facility, cultural relics exhibition room, tourist center, patrol routes, ecological parking lot, tourist restroom, cultural relics protection fences and walls, signage system, etc.

· The connection line between Shisungou and highway has been finished, adding to transportation convenience. The geopark's signage system has also been improved, and currently the geopark is applying for grade AAAA tourist and scenic zone status.

New education programmes on geoconservation, sustainable development and disaster risk reduction：

· Unique research and study programs and campaigns such as "Travel Back to the Jurassic and Speak with Dinosaurs," "Scientific Explorer and Detective: the Dinosaur Event," "Ten Billion Years-old Vista of Fossil," "Step Into Prehistoric Ruins: Explore the Mysterious World of Dinosaurs," "Restore Fossils with Deft Hands," "Dinosaur Assembly," "Dinosaur Clay Figurines," etc., have been unveiled.

Strategic partnership：

· The Zigong Dinosaur Museum worked with the team from Regional Geological Survey of Sichuan, CHN, and Geological Disaster Prevention Engineering Survey and Design Institute of Chongqing to jointly apply for the "Sichuan-Chongqing Jointly Constructed Prehistoric Life and Prehistoric Environment Collaborative Evolution" Key Laboratory of Chongqing City, which has already been given the green light by both Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality. The project is distinguished as the first provincial/ministerial-level paleontology key laboratory jointly built by Sichuan and Chongqing.

Promotional activities：

· In February, the geopark carried out the Xiaotaibai Leads You on Tour of Cloud Exhibition live stream, which was attended by more than 170,000 fans; and carried out the "Jurassic Dinosaur World" dinosaur knowledge online challenge.

· In April, the geopark hosted an Earth Day quiz event, which was participated by 267 quiz-takers who answered more than 153,000 questions, and prizes were given out to 66 participants.

· In June, the geopark participated in the "Cultural and Natural Heritage Day" and 1st Sichuan-Chongqing Scenic and Historic Interest Area and Nature Park Scientific Knowledge Popularization and Education Promo Week 2021 campaign that took place in Chongqing.

· In July, the geopark participated in the "2021 Sichuan and Giant Panda Cultural Tourism Week" online promo event hosted by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism at the 9th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo.

· In August, the geopark participated in the "Travel to One Thousand Years Ago, Fall in Love with Museum" Zigong Salt Industry History Museum live stream event hosted by Tencent Video.

· In October, the geopark carried out the "Most Beautiful Marks on Earth, Know the Beauty of Mountains and River, Know Mountains and Rivers to Know Beauty - Zigong Global Geopark" special live stream event, with real-time online viewership exceeding 500,000 person/times.

• In December, the geopark participated in the "Your Shu   New Year and New Year's Eve" thematic live stream of the Magical Day   at the Museum campaign hosted by the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage   Administration, with viewership amounting to some 720,000 person/times.

4. CONTACTS

Manager: Tao Hong, ziggeopark@163.com

Geologist: Peng Guangzhao, 158974244@qq.com