Lorentz National Park

a) Mining;

b) Security limitations;

c) Development threats;

d) Exploitation of marine resources;

e) Absence of a co-ordinating agency;

f) Absence of a finalized strategic management plan;

g) Absence of physically designated Park boundaries;

h) Inadequate financing.

The State Party, in response to the request from the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee for a progress report on the implementation of recommendations from the 2004 IUCN mission to the property, submitted on 6 March 2006, a two-page report to the World Heritage Centre.

The State Party notes that the Strategic Plan for the management of the World Heritage property is in the final stage. However, there is no schedule identified for its implementation as called for in Decision 28 COM 15B.10. The State Party notes that the park management authority, Balai Taman Nasional Lorentz, has been agreed and is in the process of being established. Meanwhile, the park is under the management of the regional Conservation Agency. The 2006 national budget includes provisions for some management activities of the property. However, no information is included on actual amounts allocated.

The Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation, and WWF-Indonesia have carried out an assessment of the management of Lorentz National Park to measure the effectiveness of the Park’s management. The assessment reviewed the threats arising from “pre-existing development rights” on the conservation of Lorentz National Park. However, based on the limited information avaiable, it is not possible to determine the degree to which this has been adequately addressed.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN are concerned about the length of time involved in the finalization/implementation of the Strategic Plan for the property and that the resources (human and financial) available to manage it are extremely limited for such a large national park that covers such a wide range of habitats, from high mountains to coastal marine.

The report received from the State Party does not provide a substantive response to the World Heritage Committee’s request to commission an independent environmental audit of the proposed Habema Road (28 COM 15B.10 paragraph 3).

In addition to the issues reported by the State Party, IUCN has received a number of press reports and information concerning pollution and land rights issues associated with the Freeport mine on the park boundary. The press reports provide details of on-going public protests in Indonesia over the activities of the mining company and IUCN is concerned that these issues may threaten the World Heritage property if they remain unresolved.

Of particular concern is the pollution of the marine and estuary areas of the World Heritage property resulting from the water discharged from the mine tailings into the estuary of the Ajkwa River, near the boundary of the property. This discharge could be carried by longshore drifting into the marine section of the World Heritage property.

IUCN is also concerned about the reported oil and gas exploration within the World Heritage property, which appears to be supported by licenses and permits that have been issued over the park. In addition a number of reports have been received on a large landslide reported to have occurred in and near the property. This landslide seems to be the result of a new underground mining technique applied in the Freeport mine.