- Novohrad
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The Novohrad – Nograd Geopark (NNG) is an international Geopark in the Pannonian basin, situated in Central Europe. Covering an area of 1.587 square kilometres (0.613 sq mi), it straddles the border between Hungary and Slovakia and is the first transnational Geopark in the world. The area spans from the southern edge of the Western Carpathians to the North Hungarian Mountains.
It is landlocked and dominated by hills, divided by valleys and basins. Approximately 150 thousand people live within the Geopark.
Contents
Inhabitants
The Paloc ethnic group inhabits the geopark, which comprises the administrative area of 63 settlements in Hungary and 28 settlements in Slovakia. The Southern part of the Geopark can be reached by car in an hour from the Hungarian capital Budapest. Lučenec is the biggest Slovak city close to the Geopark. Being a transnational Geopark, the name comes from the Slovak and Hungarian names of the county, where the Geopark is located.
Geology
The geological heritage of the Novohrad – Nógrád Geopark has a special significance. The area’s stratigraphy represents deposition over the last 30 million years commencing with the initial opening of the Pannonian basin. The geology of the region is the product of a series dynamic of Earth processes. These processes include the collision of accreted terrains resulted in highly complex volcanism spanning 20 million years, the destruction and reactivation of marine basins, burial and the conservation of palaeohabitats.
The outstanding geological heritage of the region is a treasure to both the inhabitants and visitors. It’s value was recognised even by earth scientists who started to reveal it’s secrets three centuries ago, when the geological research first began in the area.
History
The idea of linking geosites on both sides of the border as a common geotourism project was born in 1998. The Bükk National Park Directorate (Hungary) and the Cerova Vrchovina CHKO (Slovakia) were the lead partners of it. The main geopark project started in 2005 to the initiative of the Slovak side and the database of the area was accomplished on both sides by the end of 2007. The headquarters of the Slovakian part was established in Filakovo in early 2008.
In January 2009 the Novohrad – Nógrád Geopark applied for the European Geoparks Network membership and received the title in 2010. It became the member of the Global Geoparks Network as the globe's first transborder geopark. The main gateway of the geopark is the Ipolytarnóc Fossils site.
This grassroots movement, inspired by enthusiastic locals, has been building on the rich geological, natural and cultural heritage of the area. [1]
Notes
- ^ NNG application dossier to EGN membership, Salgotarjan, 2009
External links
Categories:- Geoparks
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