Decision 38 COM 7A.33

Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) (N 196)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-14/38.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 37 COM 7A.18, adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013),
3. Welcomes the progress achieved by the State Party with the development of a draft proposal for the Desired State of Conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and requests the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, to finalize the proposal for the DSOCR for examination by the Committee at its 39th session in 2015;
4. Also welcomes the State Party’s efforts to implement the corrective measures, and the progress achieved, in particular with the establishment of a systematic monitoring platform, the on-going process of land titling for communities surrounding the property, and the strengthening of the ad-hoc technical committee for the conservation of the biosphere reserve, and encourages the State Party to continue these efforts, including the development of adequate co-management schemes;
5. Urges the State Party, as a matter of priority, to advance on the proposal for the property’s boundary modification, without which the corrective measures cannot be adequately implemented and the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) remains at risk, and considers that the resolution of this issue will contribute to the future implementation of the DSOCR;
6. Takes note of the State Party’s intention to avoid the construction of hydroelectric projects larger than 15 MW in the buffer zone of the biosphere reserve and to minimize the environmental and social impacts of the construction of dams in the Patuca watershed, as expressed in the recently developed Conservation Plan;
7. Notes with concern that little progress has been made towards increasing human resources and logistical capacity to the agencies responsible for the protection and management of the property;
8. Also notes with concern that illegal activities, including illegal logging, illegal settlements and drug-related activities, continue to impact on the property, and strongly urges the State Party to deal swiftly and effectively with such incursions to the property and the core zone of the biosphere reserve in full observance of the rule of law;
9. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2015, a report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and on further progress achieved with the implementation of the corrective measures and the clarification of the property’s boundaries, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015;
10. Decides to retain Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.