Two Canadian UNESCO Jiopark warns to create a situation of improvement or risk losing positions

The two unique areas of the Atlantic Canada are recognized for their geological importance five years ago, warning to lose their rare positions as UNESCO’s global Geopark or lose risk – a designation that puts them in the bucket list of people around the world.

“If I lose it, my future is uncertain to be honest,” said Anna Hergart, the owner of Tide Rollers and Maddlarkers, a local tour company. Hargar takes people on a custom tour on a custom tour on a custom tour through the rocks of Funny UNESCO Global Geopark on the northern edge of the Minas Basin in Nova Scotia.

“It was one of the main reasons for me to settle in the field,” he said during an interview inside the park., Standing on the floor of the sea during low tide.

Ziopark is not an already existing provincial or national parks, but internationally important geology-rockery, caves, mountain ranges and different areas with fossil sites-which tell the story of Earth’s history, and where local and indigenous communities can promote their culture.

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, re -evaluating Jioparks every four years, and three out of five in Canada – only 229 on the planet – between 229 – they have been told that they need to be improved. Funny and Discovery Jiopark rocks in Newfoundland and Labrador are still in Limbo. The recommendations were also given to improve the Pers Jiopark in the Gape region of Quebec, which was first nominated in 2018, but its position has been confirmed since then.

Funny and Discovery rocks Both obtained their UNESCO designations in 2020.

The more common UNESCO world heritage sites, which are reviewed every eight years and are more than 1,200 of which are more than 1,200, Jiopark undergos “rigid re -evaluation” every four years.

‘Rigid revaluation’ process

In a statement by CBC News, a UNESCO spokesman said, “This timeframe reflects the dynamic nature of the program, which emphasizes the ongoing community engagement, educational outreach, sustainable tourism and international cooperation.”

He said that it is rare to cancel a designation.

The revaluation is conducted by independent assessors and includes a four to five-day visit on the site, at the end of which the park receives a green card, which means its position is renewed, a yellow card, which means that there are two years to change or get a dreaded red card, meaning it will lose its position.

In 2023, Funny and Discovery Cliffs received trips from two independent assessors from Germany and France, who prepared a report in 2024. In July, both parks are expecting travels from two more evaluators – this time from Portugal and Iceland – to check if previous recommendations have been implemented.

Vishal rocks of Funi – Mi’kmaw immersed in history – boasts the most tides in the world and the oldest dinosaur bones in Canada. Geologists say it is also the only place on Earth where they can see the records of the world’s supercontinent, Panjia assembly, more than 300 million years ago, and when it broke 100 million years later, it is flowing in continents today.

The park received 10 recommendations, including securing funding, imposing more signage, improving infrastructure and reaching the streets and better sharing the area’s story.

“Obviously it would have been cute to get a green card,” said the managing director of the fund.

“But in a way, I think it’s good that we have actually been motivated for a kind of hugne and focus on achieving things.”

Treffri said the park got a slow start due to the designation during the Kovid -19 epidemic, and did not help in the devastation of the post -Tropical Storm Fiona in 2022.

But he said that a lot of work has been done in the last year: the park is working towards achieving the situation as a charitable organization, which will allow donors to achieve tax receipts; The signs are purchased and approved and simply needed to be created; And new explanatory panels and a tourist map are at hand.

He said that the designation of UNESCO has placed the low-term area of ​​the province on the map and has also raised its profile within the Nova Scotia.

Discovery Jiopark received a uniform report card on the Bavnista Peninsula in Newfoundland on the east coast of the island.

Nominated for the discovery of the new Found Land of the Italian Explorer John Cabot in June 1497, Discovery Jiopark is recognized for marine arches, fossils and rock festivals, and was about 15 years in making.

The Park received several recommendations as the Nova Scotia Park, including expanding the network of geosits beyond the coast into the interior.

Shawna Prince, president of Newfoundland and Labrador Geopark and owner of a whale-looking company in Trinity, is also a resident of the park.

He said that many new sites are in traditional MI’KMAW medicinal plants watching tasks, another which is an example of glacial scrap and one that will examine the effects of climate change and storm igor, which passes through the eastern part of the province in 2010.

Prince said that after doing so much work in achieving the designation, he was earlier harassed to get a yellow card, but said she feels much better after meeting with the evaluator, who said that the recommendations said that the recommendations are not punitive.

In a statement, UNESCO confirmed that the suggestions “do not form an approval” are a support mechanism for maintaining high standards.

Already, through experience, the Oceic Parry-Cane has some advice for the Science and Education Manager of Pers, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.

“This is really just, continue working with your community, showing UNESCO how important the community is,” he said. “Show the UNESCO that by having this Jiopark logo, people understand what rocks mean for them.”