Regulations on the Protection of Wudalianchi Global Geopark of Heilongjiang Province
Chapter One: General Principles
Article 1: The enactment of this regulation is in accordance with the relevant national laws and regulations, in order to strengthen the conservation of the Wudalianchi Global Geopark, make rational use of natural resources, and ensure sustainable development of the Wudalianchi Global Geopark.
Article 2: All the affiliations and individuals who carry out activities related to tourism, convalesce, scientific research, religion and culture, production and business, development and construction, or administrative management within the Wudalianchi Global Geopark (simplified as the Geopark in the following) should follow this regulation.
The term Geopark in this regulation is subject to the national approved Nature Reserve Overall Plan (simplified as the Overall Plan in the following). The conservation range of the Geopark covers 720 km2, with Yuejin Reservoir and Daqing Farm as western boundary, Guxi River as eastern boundary, Tuanjie Village, Yixin Village and Dalian Buxiao Farm as South boundary, and 5th and 7th team of Weishan Farm as northern boundary. Boundary markers are set up according to this range.
Article 3: The Administrative Committee of the Wudalianchi Global Geopark of Heilongjiang Province (simplified as the Administrative Committee in the following) is an administration agency that belongs to People’s Government of Heihe city. It is responsible for conservation, planning, usage and administrative work of the Geopark, and is in charge of detail organization and implementation of this regulation. It is guided and supervised by administrative department of Land and Resources of Heilongjiang Province. Provincial departments of construction, water conservancy, forestry, environmental protection, tourism, agriculture, animal husbandry should fulfill their supervision responsibilities in accordance with laws and regulations.
Article 4: Geopark should focus on the protection of geological sites, and adhere to the principle of strict protection, scientific planning, unified management, rational development and sustainable use.
Article 5: Any organization or individuals have the obligation to protect natural resources and ecological environment of the Geopark, and have the right to report and sue those who destruct resources and pollute environment.
Article 6: The Administrative Committee is responsible for organizing the resource investigation and overall planning of the Geopark, and then report to provincial and national authorities for approval according to the law. Without the approval by the original examining and approving authority, none organization or individuals should modify or adjust the overall planning. Construction planning and other special planning of towns, forestry centers and farms (including the army farms) within the Geopark should meet the overall plan of the Geopark and report to the Administrative Committee for record.
Article 7: The people's government and its departments should support the work for the protection, construction and management of the Geopark, and strengthen capital investment on infrastructure and protection facilities of the Geopark. The Administrative Committee should use a certain percentage of its income to protect the Geopark resources.
Chapter Two: Protection and Utilization
Article 8: Protection zones of the Geopark are classified as core protection zone, key protection zone and normal protection zone, and protection criteria are set up as different level accordingly.
Article 9: Laohei Volcano, Huoshao Volcano, driblet cone (dish) and its surrounding Shilong (Stone Dragon) lava, and the Stone Dragon distribution area at the northern part of east-west point connection line of Touchi are the localities of the volcanic relics with extremely important scientific value. These areas are classified as core protection zone.
Article 10: The resources of the volcanic relics in the core protection area should be kept in its original, systematic and integrity. The following activities are forbidden within the core area: 1) destroy or ruin the volcanic relics; 2) any construction or development activity; 3) tourism activity against the rules of the Geopark; 4) establishment of a commercial billboard; 5) any other behavior in violation of the Overall Plan and this regulation.
Article 11: In accordance to the Overall Plan, the Administrative Committee should gradually move out the existing residents within the core zone with an organized plan, and all the arable land within the core zone should be returned to forest, grassland and wetland. The Administrative Committee should take necessary measures to maintain the original state of the Shilong terraces and other important geological sites zone.
Article 12: Twelve volcanic cones (South Gelaqiu Volcano, North Gelaqiu Volcano, Wohu Volcano, Bijia Volcano, Yaoquan Volcano, Wei Volcano, Molabu Volcano, East Longmen Volcano, West Longmen Volcano, Xiaogu Volcano, East Jiaodebu Volcano, West Jiaodebu Volcano) and their shield shaped lava platform, Stone Dragon area at the southern part of east-west point connection of Touchi, Yaoquan volcano spring water zone, Jiaodebu spring water zone, Huoshaoshan and Wei volcano spring water zone, and lakes and streams of Wudalianchi are localities of volcanic relics and mineral water with important protection value. These areas are classified as key protection zone.
Article 13: The following activities are forbidden within the key protection zone: 1) excavation, damage vegetation and protected species; 2) reclamation of wetlands, grasslands; 3) mining and quarrying; 4) introduction of alien species; 5) engage in any of activities detrimental to resource protection.
Article 14: The following activities are not allowed without approval of the Administrative Committee: 1) logging and digging wild herbs; 2) burn grass or straw on the waste land; 3) grazing livestock; 4) dredging and dig soil; 5) hunting wild animals and fishing aquatic biological resources.
Article 15: Protection of the volcanic relics within the key protection zone will be carried out in accordance with the provisions of 1st and 3rd item of the article 10 and 11 of this regulation.
Article 16: In bicarbonate - carbonated mineral water zones (including South Spring and North Spring), the existing units and residents, should gradually be moved out in accordance with the Overall Plan and organized by the Administrative Committee. Closed wells and seepage wells should not be re-enabled without approval. The following activities are forbidden as well: 1) carrying out any construction and development activities; 2) digging or building seepage wells; 3) discharging of sewage and garbage.
Article 17: The spring water zone including Jiaodebu, Wei Volcano, Huoshao Volcano, Erlongyan Spring, Baolong Spring, Shuanglong Spring and Xiangshui Spring should be under scientific protection. None of means are allowed to contaminate the spring water and its waterhead zone.
Article 18: Volcano clay is a kind of scarce resources. The exploitation and use of the clay should be carried out in a reasonable way, and recycling the clay is encouraged. No unit or individuals should explore or make use of this resource without approval by the Administrative Committee.
Article 19: Farmland within 200 meters around Touchi to Wuchi in the key protection zone should gradually be returned to forest, grassland and wetland in accordance with the Overall Plan. Agreement should be reached between the Administrative Committee and surrounding farms, collective economic organizations or villagers' committee, by the means of land replacement, compensation for farmland occupation. Then implementation should be organized by the Administrative Committee after the approval of the reported competent authorities according to the law. Farmland within 1000 meters around Touchi to Wuchi should make a scientific and rational use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers to prevent pollution and protect the environment.
Article 20: Land preparation for fast-growing and high-yield plantation within five hundred meters surrounding the main scenic sites in the key protection zone, including Gelaqiu volcano, Wohu volcano, Ice cave and Longmen stone village, should be returned to forest in accordance with the requested deadline by the Overall Plan.
Article 21:The area in addition to the core and key protection zone is called general protection zone. The activities related to production and economic business, development and construction within the general protection zone should be environment protection friendly to the volcanic relics and mineral water resource within the core and key protection zone. Any activities which might influence or destroy the source of mineral water or ecological environment should be prohibited.
Article 22: Lakes, streams and their natural water supply within the Geopark should all remain undisturbed, and no damming, redirection or any other changes are allowed.
Article 23: All kinds of construction activities within the Geopark should comply with the Overall Plan of the Geopark, and carry out in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations. The Administrative Committee should strengthen its function of supervision.
Article 24: New development of tourism sites and routines, construction of road and facilities should be proposed by the Administrative Committee, reported to the competent authorities of Land and Resource Department of Heilongjiang Province, and implemented after being approved. All kinds of tourism activities should be subject to the unified management of the Administrative Committee.
Article 25: Activities such as research, teaching, investigation, filming, and collect samples should first be applied to the Administrative Committee and be approved by its competent authorities. They should be carried out in a directed timing, locations, routines and range, and the samples and the specimens should be collected in accordance to the certain approval types and amounts. All kinds of activities should be subject to the management and supervision of the Administrative Committee, and a copy of the results of the activities should be submitted to the Administrative Committee for archive.
Article 26: Before exploitation of the Wudalianchi mineral water, the procedures of approval need to be transacted in accordance with laws and regulations, unified planning, organized exploitation and supervision of mineral water exploitation by the Administrative Committee. Any units which drills well for mineral water or explore mineral water without approval should be shut down and terminated for mineral water exploitation. Any units or individuals are prohibited to purchase, process and sell products of the geological relicts within the Geopark, including pumice, King stone, volcano breccias, volcano and scoria, or move these material out of the Geopark.
Article 27: Whoever wants to establish sanatorium organization or engage in individual convalescent services according to the law shall be verified and approved by the Administrative Committee.
Chapter Three: Administration and Supervision
Article 28: The Administrative Committee should have the unified management on the protection of the Geopark. Its duties are: 1) Implement the laws, rules and regulations; 2) Organize the establishment, revision and implementation of all kinds of planning; 3) Approve construction projects within the Geopark in accordance with the planning and competence; 4) Formulate and organize to implement rules and regulations of the Geopark; 5) Manage and supervise the protection, utilization, construction and tourism service of the Geopark; 6) Responsible for the establishment and management of all kinds of documents of the Geopark; 7) Investigate violations in accordance with the provisions of this regulation.
Article 29: All things regulated, approved and put on a record by the Administrative Committee or others regulated, approved and put on a record by the lows should be carried out in accordance with the laws and regulations. Otherwise, should be transacted in accordance to the following rules: 1) Applicants submit written application to the Administrative Committee; 2) After receiving the application, the Administrative Committee should make a decision whether to accept the application within two days; 3) The Administrative Committee should make a decision on the accepted application within 20 days, and reply whether to put it on record for reference or take other measures.
Article 30: The Administrative Committee should determine the environmental capacity of various scenic area and spots, and develop specific programs to divert tourist during the tourist seasons, so that it can avoid excess reception.
Article 31: The Administrative Committee should strengthen construction and management of the public facilities such as environment, roads, road sign, logos, lighting, toilets and trash bins within the Geopark, control the number of units and individuals that engaged in wholesale and retail, accommodation, catering, transport, post and telecommunications, tourism and other service activities, and supervise them to engage lawfully in business activities.
Article 32: The Administrative Committee should take effective measures to keep good sanitation within the Geopark, organize unified removal and dumping of the household and construction waste, harmless processing, and receive a fee in accordance with national and provincial regulations. The units and individuals that do production and sales within the Geopark should take effective measures to prevent environmental pollution, polluted water, substance and gas from discharging, and undertake green landscaping and environmental health work within the occupied area. Tourists or any other persons enter the Geopark should protect public facilities, maintain sanitation and public order of the Geopark, and comply with the relevant provisions of the Geopark.
Article 33: Monitoring organizations on volcanic earthquakes, geological environment, and environmental protection should regularly inform the monitored results of the Geopark to the Administrative Committee.
Article 34: The Administrative Committee should strengthen security and security management, protect safety of tourists and intact of landscape within the Geopark, and maintain good order of the Geopark. Vehicles entering the Geopark should follow specified routes and park at the prescribed places.
Article 35: The Administrative Committee should strengthen the public promotional work on scenic spots, resource protection, knowledge of popular science, and civilized construction, and strengthen education and training to raise the quality of its staff.
Chapter Four: Legal liability
Article 36: The Administrative Committee or affiliations of the Administrative Committee should dispose or punish any behavior in violation of this regulation or of the items clearly defined by national laws and regulation in accordance with provision.
Article 37: If the Administrative Committee and its staff have any conducts involving abusing authority, dereliction of duty and playing favoritism and committing irregularities, or having one of the following actions should be given administrative sanctions: 1) no implementation of the Overall Plan; 2) fail to perform the duties of administrative agency of the Geopark; 3) find violation behavior but no timely treatment; 4) Other behavior in violation of this regulation
Article 38: Violation of this regulation, any of the following acts should be terminated or corrected to eliminate harmful consequences, and the direct responsible person should be dealt with punishment in accordance with the following provisions:
1) Violation of article 10, 15, damaging the volcanic cones, lava, driblet cones (dishes), or lava caves, the responsible person should be fined between 10,000 and 100,000 Chinese Yuan.
2) Violation of article 13, 14, destroying bio-resource and environment within the key protection zone, the responsible person should be ordered to make restitution within a time limit, and be fined between 1000 and 10,000 Chinese Yuan; If it cannot be rehabilitated, compensation should be made in accordance to the actual damage and be fined with a extra double amount according to above mentioned rules.
3) Violation of article 16, 17, exploring mineral water or destroying, contaminating water source without approval, the responsible person should be fined between 10,000 and 50,000 Chinese Yuan, or be fined with the amount equal to its 3-5 times of illegal income.
4) Violation of article 18, illegal transaction of volcano clay, should be confiscated all the volcano clay and illegal gains and fined between 1000 and 10,000 Chinese Yuan.
5) Violation of item two of article 26, the responsible person should be confiscated all the products and items of geological relics and illegal gains, and be fined between 1000 and 10,000 Chinese Yuan.
6) Violation of item 2, 3 of article 32 and item 2 of article 34, the direct responsible person should be fined between 200-1,000 Chinese Yuan. Any behavior against these articles and are serious enough to constitute a crime, should be investigated for criminal responsibility according to the law.
Chapter Five: Supplementary provisions
Article 39: This regulation should become effective on January 1st, 2007.