On the morning of July 17th, UNESCO Global Geopark assessment experts Mohammed Shafi Lyman and Huang Chundun arrived at Wentu Village, Hejia Township, on the border of Changshan Geopark, to conduct an on-site inspection of the park's boundary markers and geological science popularization signs. "It's done exceptionally well!" At the site, the experts highly praised the construction of Changshan Geopark.

The expert team conducted a comprehensive assessment focusing on geological heritage protection, scientific research and popular science activities, and community development. The assessment was conducted from July 15th to 18th. The preliminary assessment results are expected to be announced in September. If the preliminary assessment is successfully passed, Changshan Geopark is expected to become the second World Geopark in Zhejiang Province, following Yandang Mountain World Geopark.

Over the past few days, the expert team has conducted thorough inspections at various locations, including the Changshan Geological Park Museum, the Huangnitang "Golden Spike" section, science popularization communities and schools, Changshan Port, and wetland landscapes. From the meticulous management of tourist services to the inheritance of geological science popularization in schools, and to the scientific practice of wetland protection, the expert team has conducted detailed inspections and in-depth inquiries. The key word for their evaluation is "solid" - resource protection is well-organized, educational inheritance is innovative, and tourism experience is warm.

In 2023, Changshan Geopark officially initiated the application and construction work for becoming a UNESCO Global Geopark. Changshan pioneered the "leading group + management committee + expert think tank" model, establishing an application leading group, an application working group, and a geopark management committee. It invited expert teams such as the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Regional Geological Survey Team of the Sichuan Provincial Geological Bureau to provide technical support. Meanwhile, the working group actively participated in exchange activities such as the Global Geoparks Network Conference, the Asia-Pacific Global Geoparks Network Seminar, and the China Global Geoparks Annual Meeting, pushing the park's construction and development to new heights.

The Changshan Geopark covers an area of 1,043.1 square kilometers, encompassing almost the entire county of Changshan. The park boasts the world's only "Golden Spike" of the Ordovician Darwillian Stage, serving as the sole standard for global stratigraphic correlation during the same period. In the process of creating a World Geopark, Changshan County has built two geological museums, two science popularization schools, and one science popularization community, established two core geological relic conservation projects, and installed over 200 bilingual (Chinese and English) hand-drawn illustrations of flora, fauna, and geological science signboards. Meanwhile, 46 cultural and creative products have been developed, including geological theme refrigerator magnets and science popularization notebooks. Qin Hailang, director of the Changshan Geopark Management Center, introduced that Changshan Geopark has also collaborated with 15 enterprises to launch specialty products such as "Geopark Table Dish" and "Graptolite Bread".