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State of Conservation (SOC)

Ichkeul National Park (1987)

UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds
International Assistance granted to the property

Requests Approved: 0 (from1981-1981)
Total Amount Ap proved: 30,000USD

1981   Study on Ichkeul National Park   30,000  USD
Missions**
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

Construction of dams; hunting; grazing and air pollution

Corrective Measures
Current conservation issues

In response to studies of the drying up of this wetland, the Permanent Delegation of Tunisia has written the Tunisian authorities to suggest it be inscribed on the danger list.

In response, the Minister of Agriculture noted that mitigation measures to safeguard the site are underway and that it is not therefore necessary to consider it for the Danger List.

 

Conclusion

The Committee should request a monitoring report from Tunisia in 1988.

Decision
  • Adopted

  • Draft Decision

11COMVIII.19
Link to the decision

19. The representative of Tunisia informed the Committee that a Unesco/World Heritage consultant was currently reviewing the sitatirn of Ichkeul National Park which had been mentioned in the IUCN document: he stated that his country would certainly nominate this site to the List of World Heritage in Danger if this way recommended in the consultant's report.

 

No draft Decision

Ichkeul National Park
State Party:
Tunisia
Date of Inscription: 1980
Nomination records (Year): 1978
Category: Natural
Criteria: (x)
Exports
Word File
SOC Reports (year)
2010
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
1989
1987
1986
1985
Threats*
  • Water infrastructure
  • Air pollution
  • Livestock farming/grazing of domesticated animals
  • Subsistence hunting
  • Water
  • Other Threats:
Inscription on the Danger List
Year: 1996 -2006
Threats to the Site:

The Park was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger during the 20th session of the Committee (1996) as a result of significant deterioration in the characteristics for which the site was inscribed.

The construction of three dams on rivers supplying Lake Ichkeul and its marshes has cut off almost all inflow of fresh water, causing a destructive increase in the salinity of the lake and marshes.

Reed beds, sedges and other fresh-water plant species have been replaced by halophytic plants, with a consequent sharp reduction in the migratory bird populations dependent on the habitat the lake formerly provided. According to IUCN, all reed-dependent species such as purple heron, purple gallinule and reed warblers have disappeared.



* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.