Hoping to match protection and profit, China is encouraging both public and private officials to preserve geological sites.

The central government has set up a special fund and the Ministry of Land and Resources is seeking more funding to protect geological sites reflecting the 4.6-billion-year history of the earth, said Jiang Jianjun, director general of the ministry's Department of Geological Environment.

Protecting the country's geological treasures may do more than just save the environment. Jiang says the move may also help pad the business pockets.

China's National Geoparks combine the protection of geosites with local tourism industry and have contributed to the growth of regional economies, Jiang said during a press conference.

More than 40 National Geological Parks have been built across the country. Thirty of them have started catering to tour groups by putting up boards with information about the site's unique geological features.

Eight National Geoparks are included in the first batch of World Geoparks approved by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in February.

"The great achievements that China has made in the protection of geological heritage won us the opportunity to hold the First International Conference on Geoparks," said Jiang, who is also the secretary general of the conference that opens on Sunday. Some 500 experts from 40 countries will attend the two-day event.

(China Daily June 25, 2004)