The third revalidation of Shilin UNESCO Global Geopark took place on July 28 to 31, 2016. Ingeborg Klepp from Norway and Ilias Valiakos from Greece, thought Shilin geopark had set a good example for other geoaprks, made great contribution to global geoaprk network. Other geoaprks could learn from Shilin and draw up its successful experience. 

Every 4 years each UNESCO Global Geopark must under a periodic review to ensure continuity of the designation according to the Operational Guidelines on UNESCO Global Geoparks, if the geoaprk meets all the requirements and standards, its membership of GGN will be continued for a further 4 year period (so-called green card) with some recommendations, if the geopark doesn’t protect or  develop well, it may receive yellow card or even red card. 

The Department of Land and Resource of Yunnan province stressed importance to the third revalidation of Shilin UNESCO Global Geopark and sent related leaders and officials to the meetings and field inspections. Shilin was designated as UNESCO Global Geopark in 2004, and passed two revalidations with good remarks. During the past 12 years, Shilin has made remarkable achievements in conservation and development, especially in the following fields: combination karst landforms with Yi culture, forest, vegetation, land and soil resources, environmental quality, combination of geotourism and Sani culture, economy development, sustainable protection of geoheritages. Shilin geoaprk greatly boosts regional sustainable development. 

The experts listened to the work reports, checked some materials, visited the park, communicated with staff members, gave feedback suggestions, evaluated the work of management structure, conservation of geoheritages, contribution to GGN, science research and popularization during the three-day revalidation. The experts also visited geology karst museum, Aishima culture exhibition hall, protected areas of Shilin geoaprk, traditional architecture protection..

Experts fully reaffirmed Shilin’s efforts and achievements at feedback meeting, saying that Shilin is the oldest geoarpks and it has set a very good example for other geoparks, that other geoaprks should learn Shilin’s successful expericence, that Shilin can share its methods. Experts gave some advices in six aspects: geology kast museum, fossil heritage protection, geological evolution explaining, interpretation panels, publications, contribution to GGN. The experts also pointed out that geoaprk management is a continually improving process and Shilin should keep on.  

Some specially invited experts from Yunnan Geological Environment Monitoring, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming University of Sciences and Technology, Southwest Forestry University, Xishangbanna Botanical Garden of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shilin county leaders, staff members of Yanqing Geopark , took part in this revalidation.    

Experts will submit report to UNESCO after revalidation and this revalidation results will be known this September.