Evaluation of the Value of Natural Resources

Scientific value: The sandstone geomorphic relic landform, the main body of the park, records movements of the Neotectonic and changes of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironment, which provides a basis for studying the important geological events and the formation and evolution of Qinghai-Tibet plateau and Qilian Mountain in the uplift process since cretaceous period. The complex existence of various red beds brings the Geopark great scientific research value. However, due to the rich color of the hills, all geologists haven’t reached an accurate conclusion on the cause of the formation of this special landform caused by lacustrine sedimentation, and the actual formation process of the landscape still needs to be further studied.

Aesthetic Value: Zhangye red beds is the most typical and largest red-beds landform of arid areas of China, The landscape is magnificent, the scene is spectacular, the shape is strange, and the color is gorgeous. It is mainly composed of red gravel, sandstone and mudstone, is a natural scenery oriented spot. It gathers the wonderful, dangerous, precipitous and beautiful characteristics of red-beds landforms and cliffs, it also has many unique and gorgeous colors. Beauty of shape: Sandstone landform has strong expressive force and recognizability in shape, including general modeling of castles, towers, columns, etc., as well as special modeling of personification and object simulation, with many beautiful forms. Gorgeous colors: Sandstone landform is rich in colors, including red, yellow, purple, white, daiqing, grey-green, grey-black and so on. In the park, window-lattice and palace-style, peak-forest, column-like and other pictographic sandstone landforms and colorful hills contrast finely with each other, with obvious characteristics and value of scientific research. Up to now, a number of famous directors have shot film and television works under the background of colorful hills and red-beds landforms.

Science popularization value: The geological relics in the park are widely distributed, diversified and well preserved, especially the sandstone landform and other geological relics, which clearly shows a sequence of topography from "young" to "mature" to "old", and the composition of each scenic spot shows the landform characteristics of a specific stage. With unique geomorphology characteristics and extremely high scientific connotation, the Zhangye geological museum built in the park is an ideal place to carry out geological science popularization education and geological science research.

Tourism development value: Zhangye red-beds landforms and colorful hills are a pair of "sister flowers", born in the Cretaceous period when dinosaurs appeared. They were formed from about 135 million years ago to 100 million years ago. Their high-grade and distinctive sceneries are high-quality tourism resources, and distinctive colorful hills are the best-developed and largest geological landforms in China, and they can be called “Chinese natural wonders”. Geopark resources are well preserved, with less human disturbance factors. Tourism geological resources are well preserved with the original appearance, which can show the overall landscape of geological relics to the greatest extent.

Zhangye Geopark is not only the most important tourism resource of Zhangye, the best tourist resources in the province, but also one of the best tourist attractions in China. It has unparalleled momentum and scale, and it is special, unique, international and non-replicable. The number of tourist receptions has increased from more than 100,000 in 2012 to more than 1.5 million in 2016, shown a large and explosive growth trend. It has become one of the seven major scenic spots that the Gansu province has built. It is also one of the fastest growing scenic spots which provincial party committee and provincial government highly concerned. The increasing number of tourists has greatly boosted the development of the surrounding and even the city's economy, at the same time, it has created a large amount of tourism income and a large number of jobs. At present, there are 644 jobs in the park, and the annual income of staff has reached nearly 15 million yuan. There are 148 restaurants, accommodations and other shops around the scenic spot, with 364 employees. In 2016, the income of the tickets and surrounding services reached 120 million yuan, and the continuous construction projects will bring a large number of jobs. The construction and development of Zhangye Geopark has driven the economic development level of rural farmers in the surrounding counties and towns, solved the employment problems in poverty-stricken areas, increased the per capita annual income, and promoted the improvement of living standards and consumption levels.