History of Conservation

The government of Dunhuang City, together with the people, has made huge effort and obtained certain achievements in the protection of geological heritages, historic relic of humanity and other tourism resources, which lays a good foundation for the establishment of the global geological park. The detailed protection events are as follows:

1. April, 1998, the People’s Government of Dunhuang City listed Dunhuang Yardang landforms as the key ecological preservation area, which was the beginning of protection of Dunhuang Yardang landforms;

2. Since 2000, Duhuang City mobilized social forces to invest 35.8 million RMB for the protective development of Dunhuang Yardang landforms;

3. February, 2001, the People’s Government of Dunhuang City set up a management office of Dunhuang Yardang landform scenic area for the project demonstration of unified planning and infrastructure construction of Yardang landform scenic area. In the meanwhile, the People’s Government of Dunhuang City commissioned the Third Geological Exploration Institute of Gansu Geology and Minerals Bureau to organize researchers for the geological survey of Dunhuang Yardang landforms, and compiled Declaration of Provincial Nature Reserve of Dunhuang Yardang Landform Geological Heritage and Declaration of National Geological Park of Dunhuang“Devil City”Yardang Landform;

4. July, 2011, the People’s Government of Gansu Province approved to establish Provincial Nature Reserve of Gansu Dunhuang Yardang Landform Geological Heritage;

5. December, 2001, Ministry of Land and Resources approved to establish Dunhuang Yardang National Geological Park and Yardang was listed into the protection of national geological relics;

6. 1987 to 1992, three rehabilitation works, including spring cleaning and water injection, demonstration of sand control and forestation,  restoration of historic buildings, was conducted for the governance and development of Mount Mingshashan and Crescent Moon-shaped Spring;

7. January 10, 1994, Gansu Mount Mingshashan and Crescent Moon-shaped Spring Geo-area was listed into the third batch of National Scenic Spot approved by the State Council.

8. Since 2000, Dunhuang City has taken emergency measures to supply Cresent Lake with water through river water recharge near Crescent Moon-shaped Spring to prevent it from drying up.

9. At the beginning of 2007, emergency harnessing project for the water level drop of  Crescent Moon-shaped Spring was officially launched with a total investment of 41 million RMB and was completed in May, 2008. With the help of the project, the water level of Cresent Lake became stable and was increased slowly.