Luxembourg environment minister Carole Dieschbourg revealed an application had been submitted to Unesco for the Mëllerdal Nature Park at a press conference last Friday.

The park spans an area of 256 square kilometres, covering 12 communes, and is known for its water mills and striking rock formations, which are popular among hikers. Around 23,000 people live in the park’s zone which stretches from Rosport in the east to Fischbach.

To receive Unesco Global Geopark status, Unesco states the region must demonstrate collaboration and commitment to sustainable development. According to the environment ministry, the application “rigorously respected” Unesco’s criteria and includes almost 50 pages listing the geological and cultural heritage of the region. As part of the application procedure, Unesco experts are expected to visit the park in 2018. A decision is expected in April 2019.

To date, there are 127 Unesco Global Geoparks in 35 countries. Click here to find out about them.