Pengembangan Geopark Kabupaten Semarang Menelusuri Lorong Waktu: ”Dari Dasar Samudera Purba, menuju Puncak Jalur Magma”

Semarang Regency harbors an exceptional geological record comprising three evolutionary phases of the Kendeng Zone: deep-marine sedimentation (Early Miocene–Pleistocene), tectonic uplift, and ongoing volcanism of Mount Ungaran. This study aims to inventory and identify geodiversity, biodiversity, and cultural diversity across 19 sub-districts of Semarang Regency as a scientific foundation for the Semarang Regency Geopark Master Plan, and as the initial step toward UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGp) designation. An integrative literature review with a qualitative-descriptive approach, complemented by field observations, was employed. The inventory identified 22 geosites, 19 biosites, and 19 culture sites with demonstrable causal interconnections. The key uniqueness of Semarang Geopark lies in its complete record of three geological phases within one integrated area—from ancient deep-sea floor sediments in Bancak Sub-district, comparable to the Luk Ulo Mélange Complex of Kebumen UGGp, to active hydrothermal manifestations of Mount Ungaran at the Gedongsongo Temple Complex. The geotourism narrative 'Traversing the Time Corridor: From the Ancient Ocean Floor to the Summit of the Magma Pathway' is proposed as a unifying theme integrating conservation, education, and sustainable economic development. This study confirms the international potential of Semarang Regency Geopark based on the UNESCO & IUGS (2023) geological heritage assessment criteria.