Second Geopark in Africa planned in Northern Tanzania

Counted the second in Africa, the Ngorongoro-Lengai Geopark has been planned for development as the new tourist attraction site in Northern Tanzania.

Located inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), the Lengai-Ngorongoro Geo-park is the new tourist product in Northern Tanzania and set to promote sustainable tourism development for local communities neighbor to Ngorongoro.
Under the coordination of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), the Geopark will be the second in Africa. The first Geopark is in Morocco.

The Ngorongoro Conservator Dr. Freddy Manongi said the Geopark will be an additional tourist attraction within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

The Ngorongoro Lengai Geopark is located within the local pastoralist communities, the Maasai and Datoga, where agriculture, tourism and small scale trading are taking place.

Local residents are expected to earn from geological features made up of the active Oldonyo Lengai active volcano, crater lakes, several mountains and the picturesque Rift Valley geographical features.

The Geopark project was initiated by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) under the European Union (EU) funding.

Identification and establishment of geo-sites is a result of territorial analysis by the Promotion of Earth and Human Heritage of Ngorongoro, by valorisation of the Oldupai, and from reserve Geologique of Haute de France with support and collaboration from local residents.

Geoparks are unified geographical areas that address the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way, while promoting social and economic well-being of the people within the earmarked locations.

UNESCO defines Geoparks as single, unified geographical areas with landscapes of international geological significance with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.

Geoparks are heritage sites with a status in raising awareness on key issues facing the society, in the context of the dynamic planet Earth, where geological hazards such as volcanoes, earthquakes and natural disasters.

At present, there are 119 UNESCO Global Geo Parks in 33 countries, with Morocco being the only country in Africa to reach that status.