The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-12/36.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 35 COM 7B.31, adopted at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011),
3. Welcomes the progress made towards the relocation of illegal occupants from within the property, and also the establishment of an inter-ministerial judicial group to lead the land tenure regularization process for indigenous groups living in and around the property;
4. Takes note of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed Patuca III hydroelectric project on the Patuca River and considers that “the dam does not pose a threat” to the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, and that the State Party reiterates its commitment to protect the Outstanding Universal Value and ensure that appropriate mitigaton measures would be put in place, as needed;
5. Urges the State Party to pursue its efforts at redrawing the property’s boundaries to reflect the increased size of the protected area, the new zonation, and the existing land uses, taking into account different aspects related to the Patuca III dam on areas that are considered for inclusion in the property;
6. Also welcomes the State Party’s efforts to assure a Government presence in the area, and urges it to ensure that the fourteen checkpoints designed to control illegal activities in and around the property are effectively staffed in 2012;
7. Also urges the State Party to ensure the adequate presence of non-military, permanent, and trained protected areas staff responsible for site management, to provide for the protection and conservation of the property;
8. Reiterates its request to the State Party to establish the capacity to permanently monitor the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, particularly in relation to encroachment and land use change, using a systematic approach, including through the use of remote sensing applications to complement field activities;
9. Requests the State Party to continue its efforts to implement the corrective measures identified in Decision 35 COM 7B.31;
10. Also requests the State Party to ensure that efforts to prevent the use of the property and surrounding lands for drug trafficking continue, and further welcomes the participation of partner States Parties in finding a solution to this regional problem;
11. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to finalize, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, a proposal for the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 37th session in 2013;
12. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2013, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the property, with a particular focus on the advances related to the corrective measures and on property boundary modification progress, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 37th session in 2013;
13. Decides to retain Rio Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.