NTB Provincial Government Strengthens Proposal for Tambora to Join UNESCO Global Geopark
Mataram (ANTARA) - The West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government (Pemprov NTB) is strengthening the proposal document for Tambora Geopark to become part of the global geopark network or UNESCO Global Geopark (UGG).
Head of the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) NTB, Baiq Nelly Yuniarti, stated that the current focus of the Provincial Government is to ensure that Tambora Geopark receives recognition as a world geopark.
“After Rinjani Geopark received recognition from UNESCO, our focus now is to ensure that Tambora is also recognised in the global geopark network,” she said at the NTB Governor’s Office in Mataram on Thursday.
According to Nelly, to ensure the Tambora Geopark proposal enters the UGG network, Bappeda is preparing a written narrative to support the submission.
“The team is processing Tambora so that NTB has two major geoparks that are recognised and can be appreciated internationally,” Nelly said.
In addition to preparing the written narrative, the next step is the issuance of an official certificate for recognition and the use of the certificate for international promotion.
“The hope going forward is that with obtaining the certificate, Tambora gains world recognition, so NTB has two UNESCO geoparks,” she said.
Tambora is already part of the National Geopark. In fact, Mount Tambora has been designated by the NTB Provincial Government as part of the Samota (Saleh, Moyo, Tambora) area.
Mount Tambora is located on Sumbawa Island, NTB. The mountain is an active volcano with an elevation of 2,851 metres above sea level (masl), famous for its devastating eruption in 1815 that formed a caldera with a diameter of 7 kilometres.
The mountain is a popular hiking destination, a centre for geological studies, and a historical/ecological site within Tambora National Park.
Previously, Rinjani-Lombok Geopark successfully retained its UNESCO Global Geopark status by achieving its second Green Card in the international revalidation process held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, on 28 April 2026.
General Manager of Rinjani Geopark, Qwadru Putro Wicaksono, said that retaining the status is far more challenging than achieving it for the first time.
“The second green card is world recognition of the collective hard work of all stakeholders in NTB,” he said.
Qwadru stated that the success in retaining the status is proof that the governance of Rinjani-Lombok Geopark continues to meet global standards in terms of conservation, education, and community economic empowerment.