The Merangin Geopark in Jambi has attracted world attention after winning first place in the world for the 2023. Best Practices Award category in the UNESCO Global Geopark (UGG) awards in Morocco. The award was give at the UNESCO Global Geopark Family conference in Marakkesh on 4-10 September 2023.
General Manager of the Merangin Geopark Management Agency (BP), Agus Zainuddin. Said that this award was give thanks to the dedication of the entire Merangin Geopark team and the Jambi community. Including the Serampas traditional law community, especially Rantau Kermas Village,ANGKAt District, Merangin Regency.
“Thank you to the Serampas indigenous people,” he said in an official statement Monday, September 11 2023.
Home to Jambi Flora fossils
Merangin Jambi Geopark was designate as one of UNESCO’s Global Geopark. Network along with 17 other geoparks throughout the world last May. According to the UNESCO page, this geopark is home to unique Jambi Flora fossils which are the only. Plant fossils of its kind exposed in the world today.
The name Jambi Flora refers to plant fossils found as part of rock formations dating to the Early Permian (296 million years old). These fossilized plants include mosses, primitive conifers, and seed ferns, which reproduce through seed dispersal, not through spores.
The landscape of this geopark combines lowlands on the east side with highlands on the west side. With the highest peak at 2,900 meters above sea level (masl) on Mount Masurai which was forme as a result of a large eruption 33,000 years ago.
This geopark is home to a karst landscape formed in the Mesozoic era (252–66 million years ago) which contains prehistoric artifacts.
The ride is list as a UNESCO Geopark
The Merangin Jambi Geopark went through quite a tough journey and was suspend on its first attempt in 2014. After failing, this geopark returned in 2019 but has not yet received an answer from the Indonesian National Geopark Committee (KNGI). KNGI responded when the Merangin Geopark was proposed again in 2020 together with Raja Ampat in Papua.
After the administrative evaluation, UNESCO sent an evaluation team to the location for five days. Apart from its unique nature, Merangin is also considered to have rich cultural value because its people still adhere to their customs.
Apart from the Merangin Geopark, there are three other geoparks on the new UNESCO list, namely the Ijen Geopark in East Java, the Maros Pangkep Geopark in South Sulawesi, and the Raja Ampat Geopark in West Papua. UNESCO now has a list of 195 global geoparks in 48 countries.
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