Friday, April 11, 2014

Save Getu from Destruction


China’s magical Getu National Park, situated in the southwestern province of Guizhou, is a 70-square-kilometer geological wonder and an ecological sanctuary. It has a majestic cave, enormous karst caverns, complex underground river systems and rare species of swallow, fish, hemp, and bamboo.  


Photo: Petzl

The site of Petzl RockTrip 2011, an annual rock climbing festival,  Getu inspired the world’s top climbers including Dani Andrada, Daniel Dulac, Olivier Balma, Sasha DiGiulian, Chris Sharma,  and Lynn Hill.


Photo: Petzl

For the last two years, developers backed by government officials have relentlessly destroyed the lower cavern system, cemented stairs into the ancient walls once scaled only by the gliding swallows and legendary locals using stick ladders, constructed a suspension bridge and a glass elevator.



Photo: Save Getu

To construct the expanded parking lots and gates, so throngs of visitors can conveniently drive into the peaceful valley, developers and officials forcibly appropriated hundreds of acres of farm and forest land from the locals, many of the ethnic Miao descent. Local people’s protests  were suppressed by police deployed by the local officials. Four most vocal leaders were jailed for 10 days.

Now the damages to the lower portions of the caves done, developers have moved for the “holiest of the holiest,” the Chuanshang, or Through Upper Cave, under the Great Arch! Workers are already clearing the delicate vegetation to make site for a hotel and restaurant!

The following two photos were taken on April 10, 2014. Within a few days, more irreparable damages will be done! This destruction must be stopped immediately!




Photo: Save Getu

Please help make the world aware of what is happening to this sacred site, forward this  to your friends, your local Chinese consulates, UNESCO, WWF, to anyone who loves and cares for all that are natural, beautiful and just.

Residents of Getu village including:
Wang Fengzhong, Luo Chaoting, Luo Yi, Liang Chaoting, Wang Hui, Luo Dengming, Wang Xiaowu, Huang Yaomei, Wang Chengbao, Wang Zhaoguo, Liang Zhengsong, Wang Tianzhi
April 10, 2014


A Chinese version of this petition appears on:
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_1307348dc0101j79c.html

For questions:  savegetu@gmail.com Twitter: @savegetu

For links to the park:
Getu as featured in the 2011 Petzl RockTrip: