Charlie Lee and Philip Lesslar presented this work as a poster session at the Geological Society of Malaysia Seminar in Kuala Lumpur in November 2000.
The abstract of that poster session is included below.
Preserving our Key Geological Exposures – Exploring the Realm of GeoTourism
GSM Conference, 22-23 Nov.2000. Philip Lesslar and Charlie Lee. SSB/SSPC, Lutong
Abstract
Miri Town is the locality of Malaysia's first commercial oilfield, discovered in 1910. It is also a locality rich in geological exposures that exhibit a wide range of features. This poster session summarises efforts to date made by a group of volunteers to preserve a selected number of these exposures as permanent geological exhibits that also support educational and eco-/geo-tourism efforts. The Airport Road Outcrop in Miri, located about two kilometers from the town center along the way to Miri Airport, is one of the most outstanding geological exposures in the region. In particular, it has been hailed by some as one of the best outcrops in the world for the observation of faults in three dimensions. Many geological field trips to the site have been made by the various petroleum companies operating in the area. In addition, the site has attracted scholars from Universities in the region and from Europe. Its location on one of the highest points in Miri town also offers visitors a panoramic view of Miri and its surroundings. In pursuing logistics aspects, linkage to development aspirations of the community and the Government has been a key area of focus as is maintenance of the exhibit over time. Early efforts have therefore been made to present results of the effort to local dignitaries and the Miri Council and to secure support which has proven to be extremely positive. This poster session depicts the progress and experiences to date, outlines future plans and looks at a range of synergy areas eg. tourism industry, education, geological survey, local university.
Event Summary
The poster session combined the 3 posters from the Airport Road outcrop location plus the additional one above that summarises the activities to date. There was a keen interest in the work presented. Similar efforts are being carried out in various parts of the country, coordinated by LESTARI, the Malaysian Conservation Geology Group. We were invited to submit an article on this effort to the 4th Volume of Warisan Geologi which will be going to press in Jan 2001. It was good to see that there is already a lot of similar work in progress around the country.
Philip Lesslar at the poster stand at the GSM
