Iguazu National Park
Factors affecting the property in 1993*
- Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
- Input of excess energy
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Administration of the falls (Argentina);
- Sound pollution (helicopters)
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1993
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 1993**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1993
The Committee, at its fifteenth session held in Carthage, Tunisia, in December 1991, noted that eight helicopters regularly overflew the waterfall area and that local conservation groups opposed the use of the area by helicopters since it contravened legal regulations for air traffic control over protected areas. The Bureau was informed, at its sixteenth session in July 1992, that the Argentine National Park Administration and the Air Force were making efforts to establish an agreement to regulate the use of air space over the Iguazu National Park by helicopters. Until such time as an agreement will be drafted and finalized, the existing norms for use of air space between surface level and 1.12 km will be strictly enforced. Violation of these regulations by an helicopter operator is punishable by cancellation, for six months, of the permit to use the National Park area.
The Centre, in its letter dated 14 August 1992 to the Argentine authorities, suggested that they provide information on progress achieved in the joint efforts of the Argentine National Park Administration and the Air Force to establish the afore-mentioned agreement for submission to the seventeenth session of the Bureau and received information (letter of 15 February 1993) that satisfactory progress was being made and endorsement and support of influential persons, including the President of Argentina, and the Chief State Mayor of the Iguazu Falls area, had been forthcoming. Existing regulations continue to be strictly enforced while the agreement is being drafted and finalized.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1993
17 BUR VIII.2
Iguazu National Park (Argentina)
The Bureau recalled that the Committee, at its fifteenth session held in Carthage, Tunisia, in December 1991, noted that eight helicopters regularly overflew the waterfall area and that local conservation groups opposed the use of the area by helicopters since it contravened legal regulations for air traffic control over protected areas. The Bureau was satisfied to note that the efforts of the Argentine National Park Administration and the Air Force, to establish an agreement to regulate the use of air space over the Iguazu National Park by helicopters is proceeding. The Bureau urged the Argentine authorities to expedite its finalization and until such time to enforce existing air space regulations in that area.
Argentina
* :
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.
