Tipasa

• Natural degradation caused by littoral erosion, marine salt and vegetation covering part of the inscribed sectors
• Deterioration of the remains due to vandalism, theft and uncontrolled visitation causing accumulation of rubbish
• Urbanisation on the outskirts of the property where, in the absence of a defined buffer zone, illegal construction provokes land disputes
• Lack of capacities for site conservation, unsuitable restoration techniques, and poor conservation conditions for the archaeological remains
• Proposed port development
• Management activities

Total amount granted: USD 9,564 from the Italian Funds-in-Trust

On 29 November 2018, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/193/documents/. Progress in a number of conservation issues addressed by the Committee at its previous sessions is presented in this report, as follows:

• The Ministry of Culture’s National Office of Management and Exploitation of Protected Cultural Properties (OGEBC) has undertaken the rehabilitation or replacement of the perimeter security fences at the three components of the World Heritage property. Guardhouses and secondary access points have also been created, and lifebuoys have been placed at high-risk zones. The OGEBC is also carrying out studies for signage as well as peripheral lighting. Some of these projects have been completed and some are in progress;
• The Ministry of Culture has established in Tipasa the first Algerian mosaic conservation and restoration workshop, which has been operational since June 2018. The establishment of this workshop was made possible through partnerships with the Getty Foundation, ICCROM, and others;
• A study on the development of an updated Management Plan for the Tipasa archaeological site has been launched. The Plan (completion date unspecified) will include an inventory of the values of the property, the attributes that underlie its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and the factors that might affect its state of conservation and/or integrity. It will also propose concrete actions for the property’s conservation, development, and improvement;
• A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for the port development project was resumed and was completed in September 2018. It is currently under review by the OGEBC and the Ministry of Culture;
• The project to reinforce the cliff is currently on hold. The State Party advises that a reinforcement proposal was forwarded to the World Heritage Centre in April 2018 for review, and that an expert mission aimed at examining less aggressive reinforcement solutions that would better integrate with the cliff’s natural environment would be needed;
• An additional 16 security guards were recruited during 2017-2018, bringing the total to 85. Four security officers were also recruited, in addition to two archaeologists (bringing the total to six) and an architect specialized in heritage.

The State Party has outlined the progress made in improving the safety, security, monitoring, maintenance, and documentation of the property, all of which represent positive steps. While the proposed solar panel lampposts have been reduced in size, they seem to form a very dense grouping around the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania. It is recommended that this planned intervention be reviewed to ensure that the most appropriate solution is implemented. It is also recommended that the Committee encourage the State Party to continue the implementation of the Plan for the Protection and Development of Tipasa Archaeological Sites (PPMVSA) and the guidelines for monitoring the urban development around the property, following the approach of the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape Recommendation, including any visual impacts on the OUV of the property.

The establishment of a mosaic conservation and restoration workshop is a noteworthy step that would improve capacities of the State Party, particularly for the property. A study on the development of an updated Management Plan is underway, though no timeframe has been provided.

The completion by the State Party of a final version of the HIA for the port development project is welcomed and should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review. The main issues in the port development project are related to the protection of the shore from large storm waves and future rising sea levels. They are also related to the issue of integration of protective works and port structures in a way that is more in harmony with the natural landscape. A revision of the landscape project is also recommended, particularly regarding the choice of materials, in order to ensure integration within the property.

It is recommended that the Committee reiterate its request to the State Party to take into consideration the full range and substance of the recommendations made in the April 2017 Advisory mission report.  This includes the submission of the final version of the HIA for the port development project, integrating the landscaping of the jetty built between 2006 and 2009 with the port development project, continuing the suspension of work on an embankment wall at the foot of the cliff pending further reflection, and organizing an expert meeting to examine experiences at other World Heritage properties with issues similar to those of Tipasa. It is also recommended that the Committee request the State Party to reconsider the mission’s recommendation to extend the buffer zone to the maritime domain, which the State Party noted was rejected because of the wish to consider the maritime area as an “integral conservation area.” Recommendations concerning the protection of “Crique” beach should also be taken into account.

Concerning the cliff to the west of the port, the studies carried out thus far at the instigation of the State Party are insufficient to elaborate an adequate mitigation strategy. The embankment project for the prevention of landslides should be based on a clear geomorphological model with reliable soil and rock geotechnical information, and a stability study. The appearance of the planned stepped and planted wall should be further clarified by means of detailed illustrative material. Design and implementation should be preceded by archaeological surveys.

As for the problem of rainwater stagnation on the archaeological remains, an exploratory project is scheduled in 2019. The 2017 mission recommended conducting archaeological surveys to identify the old water drainage systems and to explore the possibility of making them operational as a first step in addressing this problem.