UNESCO’s World Heritage List was created in 1972, and so far includes 830 approved areas of the world, among which 162 are nature reserves, and the rest either cultural or mixed regions. Each country can submit two nominations each year, one of which has to be a nature site. If successful, the south China karst region will be the fifth natural heritage site of China to receive world heritage status, following southwest Sichuan’s Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve, Huanglong Nature Reserve, Wulingyuan Scenic Area in Hunan Province, and the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan.

Taking a relaxing tour of national parks, immersed in a wild and untamed natural landscape, is a pleasant but normal experience for most Americans. As the oldest geopark in the United States, Yellowstone National Park alone is estimated to receive around 3 million visitors each year, and one third of Americans surveyed said they expect to visit the park during their lifetime.

Equally breathtaking scenery, rare and diversified plant species, endangered animals, and restless geological rock formations can be found in south China, among the region’s karst topography, and the newly established nature reserves and geoparks there.

The word karst originates from the former Yugoslavia, where it referred to a limestone plateau. Scientific expeditions and studies of the unique landforms of the plateau led to the term karst being used to describe similar landforms all around the world. In basic terms, karst landscapes are those where rocks have been dissolved by acidic water to create caves, valleys or peaks.

Enthusiasm

A vast karst area covers southwest China, extending across Guizhou, Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, to Guangxi Autonomous Region and Chongqing Municipality, with small stretches to Hunan and Hubei provinces. The total area covers around 640,000 square kilometers, making it the largest karst terrain in the world. The south China karst region includes Libo in Guizhou Province, known for its cone karst formations, Yunnan’s sword-shaped pinnacle karsts of the Shilin Stone Forest, and the gorge karsts of Wulong County, Chongqing.

The region has applied for recognition by the World Heritage Committee. If it succeeds in this bid, south China’s karst region could gain world fame overnight, leading to a flood of visitors.

Along the Wu Jiang (river), a tributary of the sluggish Yangtze River, the karst topography is in places spectacular, encompassing naturally formed stone bridges, deep caves, and underground streams.

The local government is gradually improving access to the area. “A highway network will be open by the end of 2008 to connect Wulong to Chongqing,” said Wu Chengwu, Director of Wulong County Office. Once that is complete it will take only an hour to cover a distance of 130 km between Wulong and downtown Chongqing.

Since 1995, Wulong’s local government has been working on developing the area’s tourism industry. The biggest hurdle it faces has been educating local people about environmental protection and sustainable development.

According to Liu Qi, Secretary of the Wulong Communist Party Committee: “Joining the south China karsts program has helped Wulong learn more about its potential as well as strengthening its investment in environmental control and ecological conservation.”

Heavily polluting businesses and hotels in the karst region have been moved out, and an estimated 100 million yuan has been invested in developing the region and compensating business owners. “No matter what the result is, our lives and living environment have been highly improved,” said Chen, a local villager in his 40s.

The root of local enthusiasm for the national world heritage bid is the potential to earn money as a result of a tourism boom. There has already been a significant income rise in the region, from 300 yuan per-capita in the early 1990s to 2,700 yuan in 2006. The improvement in living standards can be largely attributed to the area’s transformation from an agriculture-dominated economy to a mix of farming and service industries. Statistics show that 1.3 million people visited Wulong, earning the local government 130 million yuan in 2006. During the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-10), that number is expected to rise to 300 million yuan.