OFFICIAL APPLICATION DOSSIER FOR THE ACCESSION TO THE GLOBAL GEOPARKS NETWORK YANGAN-TAU GEOPARK (Yangantau, Republic of Bashkortostan, Russian Federation) November 2017 CONTENTS CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................... 2 А. IDENTIFICATION OF THE AREA ........................................................................................ 4 А.1. NAME OF THE PROPOSED GEOPARK .......................................................................... 4 А.2. LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ................................................................. 4 A.3. SURFACE AREA, PHYSICAL AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROPOSED GEOPARK .............................................................................................. 5 А.3.1. Geopark square area ...................................................................................................... 5 А.3.2. Physical geography ....................................................................................................... 5 А.3.3. Social-economic geography .......................................................................................... 6 А.4. ORGANIZATION IN CHARGE AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE OF THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ............................................................................................................. 7 А.4.1. Governing board ............................................................................................................ 7 A. 4.2. Main goals of the Center of Novel Educational Technologies “Yangan-Tau Geopark” .................................................................................................................................. 8 А.5. APPLICATION CONTACT PERSON ............................................................................. 11 B. GEOLOGICAL HERITAGE ................................................................................................... 12 В.1. GENERAL GEOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ........... 12 B.1.1. Geodiversity and geoheritage ...................................................................................... 13 Paleontology and stratigraphy ........................................................................................... 13 Hydrogeology ..................................................................................................................... 14 Mineral resources ............................................................................................................... 14 Geomorphology .................................................................................................................. 14 B.1.2. Differences and mutually complementary aspects compared to neighboring geoparks ................................................................................................................................................ 14 В.2. LISTING AND DESCRIPTION OF GEOLOGICAL SITES WITHIN THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ................................................................................................................................. 16 В.2.1. Geological sites ........................................................................................................... 16 В.2.2. Mineral deposits .......................................................................................................... 18 В.3. DETAILS ON THE INTEREST OF THESE SITES IN TERMS OF THEIR INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL, REGIONAL OR LOCAL VALUE .................................. 18 В.4.1.Geological sites ............................................................................................................ 18 В.4.2. Mineral deposits .......................................................................................................... 20 В.4. LISTING AND DESCRIPTION OF OTHER SITES OF NATURAL, CULTURAL AND INTANGIBLE HERITAGE INTEREST AND HOW THEY ARE RELATED TO THE GEOLOGICAL SITES AND HOW THEY ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ................................................................................................................................. 20 B.4.1. Natural Heritage Area .................................................................................................. 20 B.4.1.1. International significance ...................................................................................... 20 B.4.1.2. National significance ............................................................................................ 20 B.4.1.3. Regional significance ............................................................................................ 20 B.4.1.4. Local significance ................................................................................................. 23 B.4.2. Cultural heritage rank .................................................................................................. 23 B.4.2.1. International significance ...................................................................................... 23 B.4.2.2. National significance ............................................................................................ 24 B.4.2.3. Regional significance ............................................................................................ 25 B.4.2.4. Local significance ................................................................................................. 26 B.4.3. Sites of cultural intangible heritage ............................................................................. 27 С. GEOCONSERVATION ........................................................................................................... 29 С.1. CURRENT AND POTENTIAL PRESSURE ON THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ........... 29 2 С.2. CURRENT STATUS IN TERMS OF PROTECTION OF GEOLOGICAL SITES WITHIN THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ................................................................................... 29 C.3. DATA ON THE MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL HERITAGE SITES (GEOLOGICAL AND NON-GEOLOGICAL) ......................................................................... 31 C3.1. Management of geological sites ................................................................................... 31 C3.2. Maintenance of geological sites ................................................................................... 32 C.3.3. Management and maintenance of non-geological sites ............................................... 32 D. ECONOMIC ACTIVITY & BUSINESS PLAN (INCLUDING DETAILED FINANCIAL INFORMATION) .......................................................................................................................... 33 D.1. ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ........................................... 33 D. 1.2. Results of economic activity ...................................................................................... 33 D.2. EXISTING AND PLANNED FACILITIES FOR THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ........... 35 D.2.1. Existing geoeducational sites ...................................................................................... 35 D.2.2. Projected geoeducational sites .................................................................................... 36 D.2.3. Existing geotourist sites .............................................................................................. 37 D.2.4. Existing tourist sites .................................................................................................... 38 D.2.5. Projected geotourist sites ............................................................................................. 38 D.3. ANALYSIS OF GEOTOURISM POTENTIAL OF THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ....... 41 D.3.1. Description of the current level of tourism ................................................................. 41 D.3.2. Geotourism research and strategy ............................................................................... 41 D. 3.3. Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 42 D.4. OVERVIEW AND POLICIES FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF: ...... 42 D.4.1. Geo-tourism and economics ........................................................................................ 42 D. 4.2. Geo-education ............................................................................................................ 45 D. 4.3. Geo-heritage ............................................................................................................... 46 D.5. POLICIES FOR, AND EXAMPLES OF, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT (INVOLVEMENT AND CONSULTATION) IN THE PROPOSED GEOPARK ................... 47 D.5.1. Local community participation and consultation policy ............................................. 47 D.5.2. Examples of policies for community participation and consultation .......................... 48 D.6. POLICIES FOR, AND EXAMPLES OF, PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER AWARENESS IN THE PROPOSED GEOPARK .................................................................... 48 D.6.1. The policy of informing the public and interested parties in the proposed geoparks . 48 D.6.2. Raising awareness of the proposed geopark ............................................................... 48 D.6.3. Examples of stakeholder awareness in the proposed geopark .................................... 49 E. INTEREST AND ARGUMENTS FOR BECOMING A UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK ... 51 E.1. INTEREST IN BECOMING A UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK .................................... 51 E.2.