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State of Conservation (SOC)

Serengeti National Park (2007)

UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds
International Assistance granted to the property

Requests Approved: 0 (from1989-1999)
Total Amount Ap proved: 59,500USD

1999 Project Planning Workshop for Strengthening Institutional ...   7,500  USD
1999 UNESCO'S Toyota LandCruisers originally destined for Democratic ...   10,000  USD
1990 Additional contribution towards the purchase of a film-van for ...   12,000  USD
1989 Purchase of a film-van and accessories for Serengeti National Park   30,000  USD
Missions**

No monitoring missions, but various activities under the “Enhancing Our Heritage” project have been undertaken, including a field visit in September 2005. 

Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

a) Potential impacts of a hydro-electric project in Kenya;

b) Poaching.

Corrective Measures
Current conservation issues

A report was received from the State Party in February 2007, providing information on the status of a lodge development in Bilia, as requested by the Committee at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006). The report clarified that because the Bilia lodge development is in a protected area a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is mandatory under Tanzanian law. The Institute of Resource Assessment of the University of Dar es Salaam completed the final EIA report in April 2006, which suggested options for mitigation measures and the report was provided to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN. The lodge is currently under construction. The Serengeti National Park is closely monitoring the construction to ensure that there is no violation of the EIA recommendations, and has not observed any adverse impact of the project on the environment.

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN note that the summary and conclusions of the EIA report, page 19, identify key potential issues of the lodge development to include changes in surface and ground water quality, and incompatibility with the property’s General Management Plan and the Tanzanian National Park’s policies. The World Heritage Centre and IUCN are particularly concerned that the issue of the lodge drawing on limited water resources in a region of water scarcity may threaten wildlife and functioning of the ecosystems. The World Heritage Centre and IUCN note that the EIA report recommends studying these impacts, and would welcome copies of the recommended study reports, in particular those related to water:

(i) detailed hydrological survey to ascertain the quantity of water available in the aquifers before allowing more lodges to drill more boreholes (EIA, page 13)

(ii) detailed study to determine amount of water that will be left for environmental flows (as a result of the expansion of water intake at the Borogonja springs - EIA, page 13)

 

The World Heritage Centre and IUCN would also welcome further information on the mitigation measures to be implemented and a timetable for their implementation and how the park management is ensuring sustainable levels of visitors and preventing overcrowding, particularly in sensitive areas.

The State Party also commented on the value of the General Management Plan of the Park in providing useful guidance in daily operations and management decisions. The managers of the property continue to work closely with the UNESCO-IUCN-UNF Enhancing our Heritage project.

Conclusion
Decision

  • Adopted

  • Draft Decision

31COM7B.10
Link to the decision

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-07/31.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decision 30 COM 7B.7, adopted at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006),

3.Notes with concern the potential impact of lodge development on the water resources in the property;

4.Urges the State Party to ensure that the water resource studies recommended by the EIA studies are carried out as quickly as possible; and to provide copies of these studies to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;

5.Requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2009 with an updated report on the state of conservation of the property including information on water mitigation measures, progress in following the EIA recommendations, and visitor management for examination by the Committee at its 33rd session in 2009.

Draft Decision: 31 COM 7B.10

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-07/31.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decision 30 COM 7B.7, adopted at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006),

3. Notes with concern the potential impact of lodge development on the water resources in the property;

4. Urges the State Party to ensure that the water resource studies recommended by the EIA studies are carried out as quickly as possible; and to provide copies of these studies to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;

5. Requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2009 with an updated report on the state of conservation of the property including information on water mitigation measures, progress in following the EIA recommendations, and visitor management for examination by the Committee at its 33rd session in 2009. 

Serengeti National Park
State Party:
Tanzania, United Republic of
Date of Inscription: 1981
Nomination records (Year): 1980
Category: Natural
Criteria: (vii)(x)
Documents
Original Documents
WHC-07/31.COM/7B
Other Documents
View inscribed site documents, nomination file, reports, decisions, ...
Exports
Word File
SOC Reports
SOC Reports by year
2012
2011
2010
2009
2007
2006
1994
Detailed List of SOC reports
Threats*
Illegal activities
Water infrastructure

* : 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.