Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo

• Erosion and siltation/ deposition
• Housing (encroachments and urban pressure)
• Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation (tourism pressure -particularly at Portobelo)
• Land conversion
• Management systems/ management plan (absence of a conservation and management plan)
• Fragile state of the property and accelerated degradation by environmental factors, lack of maintenance and limited conservation planning
• Legal framework
• Lack of established boundaries and buffer zones

• Fragile state of the property and accelerated degradation by environmental factors, lack of maintenance and limited conservation planning
• Erosion
• Lack of established boundaries and buffer zone
• Absence of a conservation and management plan
• Encroachments and urban pressure
• Tourism pressure (particularly at Portobelo)
• Insufficient legislation for the preservation of built heritage and regulations combining the two components of the property

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4763 

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4763 

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4763 
Revised in 2019, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/7558 

N/A

On 1 February 2022, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/135/documents, which provides information on the implementation of the corrective measures and progress achieved in 2021 as follows:

• Within the framework of the project financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), several works and projects have been undertaken, among them the restoration project for San Lorenzo Castle, the conservation project for San Jeronimo and San Fernando Fortifications (Portobelo), the conservation project of Santiago Fortifications (Battery and hilltop stronghold) and Old Santiago Fortification (Portobelo) and the visitor centre and natural trails in the Protected Forest of San Lorenzo;
• The integral Management Plan is expected to be tendered in 2022. In the first quarter of 2022, the Ministry of Culture will initiate the international public tender process for the selection and award of the consultancy to the contractor company. The Community Development Plan for Portobelo has been completed and will provide an important input to the Management Plan;
• A formal request for a Minor Boundary Modification (MBM) has been submitted to the World Heritage Centre on 31 January 2022;
• In June 2021, the Inter-Institutional Commission of Portobelo and San Lorenzo, an inter-institutional communication office, was opened with the aim of providing information on the progress of projects;
• Through the Inter-Agency Committee for the Territorial and Urban Development Plan of Portobelo, other projects and actions aiming at improving the quality of life of the residents of Portobelo include the development of a water treatment plan, the sanitary sewerage and drinking water distribution network and the Unique Methodology for Regularization and Mass Titling of Portobelo by the National Authority for Land Titling (ANATI) and the Municipality of Colón;
• The Ministry of Housing, in coordination with other agencies, completed the final draft of the new Land Management Plan for the town of Portobelo, which will include new urban regulations and greater protection for historical monuments, including their buffer zones, and the new area for urban expansion. Implementation is expected during the first half of 2022;
• Actions and projects planned for 2022 include containment works on the slopes of Portobelo; intervention plans for Santiago Battery and Santiago de la Gloria Castle (Portobelo); consolidation works in San Jerónimo and San Fernando Forts (Portobelo) and San Lorenzo, and a project for the improvement of the road to access San Lorenzo Castle;
• The timeframe for the execution of the corrective measures (2019-2023) is not suitable, since a series of events has affected budgetary performance, among them the transition from the National Cultural Institute to the Ministry of Culture, the COVID-19 pandemic, and two hurricanes that occurred in 2020, which have redirected resources. The State Party is working on an updated timeframe and is negotiating with the IADB for an extension of the loan; the draft timeframe under discussion is set to be extended until mid-2025.
• On 17 March 2022, the State Party submitted additional information on the visitor centre and on the consolidation, conservation and restoration works in some of the fortifications in Portobelo and San Lorenzo

The proposed MBM for the establishment of a buffer zone at the property will be examined by the World Heritage Committee under Item 8 of the agenda (Document WHC/23/45.COM/8B).

The financial contribution provided by the IADB has allowed progress in the consolidation, conservation and restoration works and projects undertaken in San Lorenzo and Portobelo. The State Party has expressed its commitment to the implementation of the corrective measures to remove the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger. The reasons put forward to extend the foreseen timeframe can be considered acceptable, but it becomes peremptory that a roadmap and timeframe to reach the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) be agreed between the State Party and the IADB. 

The opening of the Inter-Institutional Commission of Portobelo and San Lorenzo constitutes an important step to ensure open public access to information on the progress of projects. The Community Development Plan for Portobelo is a key step to ensure community inclusion and participation in the management system. The programmes and projects foreseen in the plan are adequate and in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, but it is regrettable that little progress has been made in the elaboration and adoption of the new integral Management Plan for both components of the serial property and their buffer zones. It is noted that the State Party states that the international tender process to decide the consultancy company will be launched soon and that the Management Plan will be completed in 2022. The objectives and specific plans to be included within the integral Management Plan are adequate, although it is advised that specific considerations on the real or potential impact of climate change are included in the sections related to risk management.

The works and projects undertaken to improve the quality of life in Portobelo are commendable. The final draft of the new Land Management Plan for the town of Portobelo is welcomed, since it will allow the implementation of urban regulations, controlling urban expansion and avoiding encroachments that might threat the integrity of the town’s heritage elements. It is expected that the Plan be implemented as planned and that the State Party submit the document to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies. 

The current consolidation and restoration works at San Lorenzo Castle seem to be carried out with high standards and in compliance with appropriate consolidation and restoration criteria so as to not pose adverse impacts on the castle´s authenticity and integrity. It also is noted that this project is only aimed at covering 40% of all existing structures (the remaining 60% will remain for future phases of intervention).

As for the visitor centre at the entrance of San Lorenzo Castle area, it is commendable that the State Party intends to halt the entrance of private vehicles into the protected area and to offer the visitor different attractions besides the Castle, also via the provision of natural trails in the Protected Forest of San Lorenzo. The visitor centre is located inside the Cultural Zone (terrestrial sub zone of 35 ha.) declared by the zoning through the Management Plan of the Protected Forest and Protected Landscape of San Lorenzo (created by the Ministry of Environment´s Resolution DAPVS-0001-2017). However, the overall design and height are rather discordant and disproportionate in relation to its wider setting and surrounding natural landscape. Therefore, it is very likely to pose a significant and permanent adverse impact on its buffer zone and wider setting. In Panama, there are examples of ‘watch tower like’ visitor centres which have been designed to blend in with their natural surroundings. Perhaps, several other design options could have been considered prior to commencing the actual construction works. Even though its construction has already started, and considering that the State Party reports that work on terms of reference for draft regulations to include Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) in World Heritage properties and in national heritage assets is in progress, it would be advisable that the State Party carry out a HIA as soon as possible, in order to fully assess the project's overall impacts and to apply any corrective and/or compensatory measures necessary. Furthermore, the lack of a proper management plan for the property makes it not possible to discern if the visitor centre has been conceived as part of an Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) oriented management plan for this component. Previous Committee decisions have noted with regret that no Management Plan was yet in place. 

The progress achieved in the conservation and restoration works and projects is noted, but it becomes apparent that the state of conservation of the property’s components is still fragile and that most of the factors that justified its inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2012 are still present. Once the extension of the loan is agreed with the IADB, a roadmap and timeframe for actions to be undertaken in the next future would be necessary.