Sangay National Park (Ecuador)
The Committee noted that the Sub-Secretariat of Forestry and Renewable Natural Resources, which is responsible for the management of this site, has been successful in temporarily halting a proposed road construction project in order to bring together the relevant provincial and national agencies to discuss the environmental impact of the project and plan mitigating measures. The Committee commended the Ecuadorean authorities for having included substantial areas south of the World Heritage site in the National Park. The Committee, however, was concerned about the information reported by the Representative of IUCN regarding heavy poaching of wildlife, illegal livestock grazing and encroachment in this site.
Furthermore, the Committee took note of the fact that the road construction could recommence, and that the Ecuadorean authorities have not yet undertaken an impact study and have not responded to repeated requests for information by the Centre. The Committee was informed by the Representative of IUCN that although the size of this site has been nearly doubled, the values and conditions of the new areas added to the site were not known, and the severity of the threats to the integrity of the site has been confirmed by IUCN's Regional Office for Latin America, and by the Ecuadorean Conservation Organization, Fundacion Natura. The Committee therefore decided, in accordance with the provisions of Article 11, paragraph (4) of the Convention, to include this site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Committee requested the Centre to contact the Ecuadorean authorities and request them to (a) provide information on the status of the road construction project and on-going efforts to assess its impact on the integrity of the site, and (b) consider submitting a proposal to extend this World Heritage site to include new areas added to the Park. The Committee urged the Centre to co-operate with the Ecuadorean authorities to organize a mission, comprising regional experts, in order to assess the severity of the threats faced by this site and plan necessary remedial action.