TOMSK, Aug 1 – RIA Tomsk. International research station Aktru of Tomsk State University (TSU) will be a part of the Russia's first geopark in the territory of Altai Republic; geopark will be opened officially in September 2017 and its creators hope, it will receive international status, confirmed by UNESCO, director of the station Sergey Astakhov told journalists.
Earlier it was reported that the research base of TSU works more than 50 years in glaciers of Aktru (Altai Republic). Researches in the field of climatology of biology, geology and ecology are conducted by scientists from Tomsk and the international research teams At the geostation. The station in Aktru and TSU entered Scannet interact network in 2011.
"The station entered the first geopark which is created in the territory of Russia. The territory "Aktru" became the main cluster of this geopark... The status of the geopark is an international recognition of uniqueness of the territory where it is possible to watch evolution in all its completeness, – both natural, and evolution of human society. Official opening of the geopark will take place in September, (2017)", – Astakhov told at the press conference in RIA Tomsk.
He noted that the structure of the Russia's first geopark, besides the Aktru station, includes the territory of Kosh-Agachsky District, the valley Chulyshman. UNESCO awards the international status to the geopark.
"The procedure (obtaining the status of the geopark – the Ed.) is very long. It is necessary to describe all available monuments – both natural, and archaeological, historical... Within Altai Republic this status is approved. Now the international community has to set this status. The ribbon will be cut in September, we expect that the international status will be received by this time", – Astakhov noted.He added that the scientific description of 54 nature sanctuaries and stories in the territory of the geopark is prepared. These data will be transferred to UNESCO. "But actually there are much more monuments", – Astakhov noted.