Doñana National Park
Factors affecting the property in 2002*
- Ground transport infrastructure
- Livestock farming / grazing of domesticated animals
- Management systems/ management plan
- Marine transport infrastructure
- Mining
- Ritual / spiritual / religious and associative uses
- Water (extraction)
- Other Threats:
Decline of the Iberian lynx and Imperial eagle populations
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Toxic flow from a mine holding pool in 1998 (issue resolved)
- Species decline
- Pilgrimage impacts
- Grazing impacts
- Illegal water extraction
- Plans for up-stream port expansion
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2002
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2002**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 2002
Previous deliberations:
25th session of the Bureau – Chapter V.166-167.
25th session of the Committee – Chapter VIII.97 / Annex IX, page 122.
Main issues:
Mining spill in 1998; species decline; pilgrimage impacts; grazing impacts, illegal water extraction; plans for up-stream port expansion.
New information:
The State Party informed the Centre via letter that its report would only be available after 15 February 2002. The letter notified the Centre of a meeting on 14 February 2002 of the Joint Committee for Management of Doñana National Park, and the State Party’s intention to provide a report on the state of conservation of the site following this meeting. The full report has been made available to IUCN. IUCN will provide a verbal response at the Bureau meeting in April 2002.
Action Required
The Bureau may wish to examine the information from IUCN at the time of its session and may wish to take decisions as appropriate.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2002
In addition to the information provided to the last session of the Bureau, IUCN notes that in response to the lynx crisis, the State Party announced in late March 2002 the launch of an 8 million Euro initiative to save the Iberian Lynx. This will involve: protection and restoration of potential habitat; ending the isolation of the various populations; increasing the number of rabbits and other prey; improve access to water; remove man-made obstacles such as roads; installation of secret cameras; DNA testing for monitoring purposes, and a captive breeding programme.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2002
26 COM 21B.21
Doñana National Park (Spain)
The World Heritage Committee,1. Commends the State Party for its continued efforts towards the conservation of the site, and in particular the initiatives for the Iberian Lynx population;
2. Urges the State Party to give priority to promoting integrated regional land-use planning in order to minimise impacts related to irrigation and road design, construction and management around the site.26 BUR XII.34-35
Doñana National Park (Spain)
XII.34 The State Party informed the Centre via letter that its report would only be available after 15 February 2002. The letter notified the Centre of a meeting on 14 February 2002 of the Joint Committee for the Management of Doñana National Park, and the State Party’s intention to provide a report on the state of conservation of the site following this meeting. The full report provided by the State Party noted that the project for the proposed expansion of the Port of Seville had not been approved and that it is subject to expert review by stakeholders. Furthermore, progress in the consultation process and institutional arrangements for finalising the new Management Plan and the execution of special plans for the protection of the Iberian lynx and the Imperial Eagle (decline of populations due to combination of problems) were noted and that a regional approach is needed. Concerning the illegal water extraction it was stated that actions are taken with the Hydrographical Confederation of Guadalquivir to address this problem. However the Restoration Plan for the Aznalcollar Mine is still to be addressed, as the mine site is releasing a small amount of acid water. Concerning the monitoring of water quality it is noted that water entering the National Park shows minimum levels of pollution. The Restoration Plan requires implementation over a number of years. The Park Administration is exerting increasing control on the Rocío Pilgrimage and environmental education activities are implemented. After the 2nd International Meeting of Project Doñana 2005 (November 2001), a Scientific Committee was created, and a Co-ordinating Commission to link Project Doñana 2005 and the Green Corridor Programme was established. IUCN noted that the situation of the Iberian Lynx has been aggravated, there is a lack of road speed limits and wildlife fatality mitigation infrastructure, and that the pilgrimage is not a single event but a combination of different pilgrimages throughout the year involving 3 - 5,000 people and hundreds of vehicles crossing the site. IUCN considered that these pilgrimages could not be considered "traditional" in the way they are occurring. However, the State Party is making concerted efforts and investing substantial funds to address the range of issues affecting the site.
XII.35 The Bureau commended the State Party for its continued efforts towards the conservation of the site. The Bureau noted with concern a number of issues to be addressed including the Iberian Lynx population and the series of pilgrimages through the Park. The Bureau urged the State Party to give priority to promoting integrated regional land-use planning in order to minimise impacts related to irrigation and road design, construction and management around the site.
The Committee may wish to adopt the following decision:
“The Committee commends the State Party for its continued efforts towards the conservation of the site, and in particular the initiatives for the Iberian Lynx population. The Committee urges State Party to give priority to promoting integrated regional land-use planning in order to minimise impacts related to irrigation and road design, construction and management around the site”.
Spain
* :
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.
