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Redwood National and State Parks

United States of America
Factors affecting the property in 1995*
  • Ground transport infrastructure
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

Road constrution project

International Assistance: requests for the property until 1995
Requests approved: 0
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 1995**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1995

The World Heritage Centre was advised on 15 September 1994 of a proposed road project within the site. The proposal involves 2 miles of highway relocation which has been subject to an Environmental Impact Study. The United States National Park Service and IUCN were requested by the Committee to follow up this matter.

In May 1995, the Centre received a preliminary monitoring report from the National Park Service, indicating that the California Department of Transportation (CDT) has proposed to realign 3,2 Km (2 miles) of Highway 101 near Cushing Creek in Del Norte County to correct safety and operational problems. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement was prepared by the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation and 76 comments were received, mostly opposing the alternative, which would have required the removal of at least 200 old growth redwood trees for highway widening.

In response to the public and agency opposition, a Value Engineering Team considered other solutions and developed strategies to alleviate safety and traffic problems, which were presented at a public meeting in March 1995.

Action Required

As the site was placed on the World Heritage List specifically in recognition of the conservation values of the "Redwoods", the Bureau may wish to request IUCN to carry out as soon as possible a mission to evaluate whether the World Heritage values of the site are imperilled, and recommend that the Committee consider putting the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1995

The World Heritage Centre received on 15 September 1994 information on a proposed road project within the site, which involved 2 miles of highway relocation which has been subject to an Environmental Impact Study. The United States National Park Service and IUCN were requested by the eighteenth session of the World Heritage Committee to follow up this matter. The Centre informed the Bureau that in May 1995 a preliminary monitoring report from the National Park Service was received, indicating that the California Department of Transportation (CDT) has proposed the realignment of 3,2 Km (2 miles) of Highway 101 near Cushing Creek in Del Norte County to correct safety and operational problems. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement was prepared by the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation and 76 comments were received, mostly opposing the alternative, which would have required the removal of at least 200 old growth redwood trees for highway widening. In response to the public and agency opposition, a Value Engineering Team considered other solutions and developed strategies to alleviate safety and traffic problems, which were presented at a public meeting in March 1995.

The Observer of the United States indicated that the original plans for the realignment have been abandoned. The National authorities indicated to the World Heritage Centre in their fax of 25 September 1995 that they are satisfied with the most recent outcome of the proposed realignment of Highway 101 through Redwood National Park as described in a new Alternative by the California Department of Transportation. This Alternative 4 will result in the removal of no more than five coniferous trees including redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) greater than 36 inches in diameter. The modification of the original proposal in which 750 old growth redwoods would be removed to the current Alternative 4 illustrates a success in protecting World Heritage value and integrity.

Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 1995

The Bureau may wish to recommend to the Committee to commend the States Party for their effort and to request that the World Heritage Centre be kept informed about the development of the project.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1995
19 BUR VI.20
Redwood National Park (United States of America)

The World Heritage Centre received on 15 September 1994 information on a proposed road project within the site, which involves 2 miles of highway relocation which has been subject to an Environmental Impact Study. The United States National Park Service and IUCN were requested by the eighteenth session of the World Heritage Committee to follow up this matter. The Centre informed the Bureau that in May 1995 a preliminary monitoring report from the National Park Service was received> indicating that the California Department of Transportation (CDT) has proposed to realignment of 3,2 Km (2 miles) of Highway 101 near Cushing Creek in Del Norte County to correct safety andoperational problems. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement was prepared by the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation and 76 comments were received, mostly opposing the alternative, which would have required the removal of at least 200 old growth redwood trees for highway widening. In response to the public and agency opposition, a Value Engineering Team considered other solutions and developed strategies to alleviate safety and traffic problems, which were presented at a public meeting in March 1995.

The Observer of the United States indicated that the proposed plans for the realignment have been abandoned. A detailed report will be presented to the next session of the Bureau.

19 COM VII.A.2.21/14
SOC: Redwood National Park (United States of America)

VII.21 Redwood National Park (United States of America)

The Committee recalled that the Bureau at its nineteenth session reviewed a preliminary monitoring report and further information on the proposed realignment of Highway 101 near cushing Creek in Del Norte County to correct safety and operational problems. The World Heritage Centre informed the committee about new information received from the State Party that the proposed realignment of Highway 101 through Redwood National Park, as described in a new alternative by the California Department of Transportation, will result in the removal of no more than five coniferous trees including redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) greater than 36 inches in diameter. The modification of the original proposal, in which 750 old-growth redwoods would be removed, illustrates a success in protecting World Heritage values and integrity.

The Committee commended the state Party for the action taken to prevent the destruction of about 750 redwood trees requested that the World Heritage Centre be kept informed of future developments with respect to the project.

The Secretariat recommends the Committee to take note of the written information provided by the Secretariat and to adopt the following:

"The Committee took note of information provided by the Secretariat that the proposed re-alignment of Highway 101 will imply only the removal of five redwoods instead of the 750 originally proposed. The Committee commended the State Party for this action which illustrates a success in protecting World Heritage values and the integrity of the site."

Report year: 1995
United States of America
Date of Inscription: 1980
Category: Natural
Criteria: (vii)(ix)
Exports

* : 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.


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