Having examined Documents WHC-04/7EXT.COM/5A, WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5B, WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5C, WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5D, and WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5E,
Aware of the need to:
study and reflect on the first cycle of Periodic Reporting;
develop strategic direction on the forms and the format of the Periodic Reports, training priorities and international cooperation priorities; and
to streamline the Committee's consideration of matters raised through Periodic Reporting relating to inscribed properties;
Decides to suspend for one year the commencement of the next cycle of Periodic ...
7 EXT.COM 5A.1
Progress report on the preparation of the Periodic Report for Europe and North America
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5A,
Recalling its Decision 25 COM VII.25-27 at its 25th session (Helsinki, 2001) to examine at its 29th session (Durban, 2005), the Periodic Report for North America,
Notes the report on the progress of such Periodic Report.
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5B,
Recalling its Decisions 24 COM VII.1-4 and 27 COM 20B.I, adopted at its 24th session (Cairns, 2000) and its 27th session (UNESCO, 2003), respectively,
Takes note of the progress made in the implementation of the Regional Programme for the Arab States and in responding to the priority needs identified in the Periodic Report for the Arab States;
Thanks the Dutch Government for supporting the publication of such Periodic Report;
Requests the Director of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to ...
8 COM XIII.37-38
Protection and Management of Properties Included on the World Heritage List: General Issues
37. The Secretariat informed the Committee of two activities being carried out since the sixth session concerning the management of cultural properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. One concerned the preparation of a "Handbook on Managing World Heritage" which deals with the preservation of these properties, ranging from general principles and legal considerations to practical means for carrying out a management programme. The outline was elaborated by an international group of experts during a meeting organised by ICCROM and ICOMOS in 1983 at the suggestion of the ...
39. The Committee took note of document SC-84/CONF.004/7 in which the Australian authorities, at the request of the Bureau at its eighth session, submitted a brief commentary on the judgment of the High Court of Australia regarding Western Tasmanian National Parks. The Committee agreed that the Tasmanian case gave an example of the strength of the Convention, particularly for States Parties having a similar system of Federal Government. The Committee requested the Secretariat to distribute this document to all the other States Parties to the Convention.
Sites: Tasmanian Wilderness
40. The Representative of IUCN recalled that the Committee at its seventh session had encouraged the advisory non-governmental organisations to collect information through their contacts and to inform the Committee on the state of conservation of World Heritage properties. IUCN reported to the Committee on four natural properties as follows:
a) Simen National Park (Ethiopia)
IUCN reported that the National Park personnel had apparently abandoned this park and that the area has been in the hands of armed groups. Although the group had informally assured IUCN that no ...
9 COM XIII.38-39
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Properties: General Issues
38. The Committee thanked IUCN for these comprehensive reports and for regularly providing information on the status of natural properties. It furthermore welcomed the proposal of ICOMOS to submit similar reports, as far as its means would allow, in the near future.
39. Finally, the Committee welcomed document SC-85/CONF.008/INF.2 reporting on the measures taken by Yugoslavia to implement the World Heritage Convention and encouraged other States Parties to prepare such national reports for submission to the Committee.
Djoudj National Park, Senegal: The immediate situation of this Park, which is threatened by a large hydro-agricultural project, has been alleviated by the construction of a temporary canal. The longer term solutions were investigated by IUCN, Unesco, the Senegalese and Mauritanian authorities at a special workshop held in Senegal in July 1985. The main conclusions of this meeting included the agreement to establish the contiguous area to Djoudj in Mauritania known as Diawling as a national park and to eventually nominate this site with Djoudj as a transfrontier World Heritage property. ...
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania: The Tanzanian authorities had organised a commission of enquiry into the management of this property but as yet the conclusion had not yet been made known. However, with the financial support of NORAD (Norway), a major technical workshop was being held in December 1985 to study improving the management of this property. IUCN considered that this progress was positive and indicated that Ngorongoro could perhaps be removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger by 1987.
Sites: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Garamba National Park, Zaire: The representative of Zaire, the President Delegate General of the Zaire Institute for the Conservation of Nature (IZCN), presented the Committee with an up-to-date report on the progress of work undertaken by IZCN and the consortium formed by Unesco-World Heritage, IUCN/WWF and the Frankfurt Zoological Society. The main objective of the project is to safeguard the population of endangered northern white rhinoceros in the park. The project was progressing well and the equipment provided with support of the World Heritage Fund had helped to strengthen the ...
Sites: Garamba National Park
Tai National Park, Ivory Coast: IUCN reported that the situation had not improved since its reports of 1982 and 1984. The Secretariat had written to the Ivory Coast authorities indicating the possibility of nomination to the List of World Heritage in Danger but to date no response had been received. The Committee requested the Secretariat to continue its contacts and inform the Bureau of progress in this respect.
Sites: Taï National Park
Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia: The critical situation of this park, as reported to the Bureau at its 9th session had not altered and IUCN noted that if compensatory measures to re-establish the water regime of this Park were not taken very soon, the property would lose its international importance for migratory wildfowl. IUCN therefore strongly recommended the inclusion of this Park in the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Tunisian authorities had not responded to the Secretariat's request for further information, however, the representative of Tunisia informed the Committee that he ...
Sites: Ichkeul National Park
Los Glaciares, Argentina: Part of this Park was being considered for reappropriation for a settlement scheme by the Province of Santa Cruz and the second phase of this project could result in the excision of a further 20,000 ha which included an important habitat for the humeal deer. The Argentine representative confirmed this report and indicated that this problem was in fact of concern to the central government authorities, who wished to take this matter up with the Provincial Government. The Committee requested the Secretariat to contact the Argentine authorities to obtain more ...
Sites: Los Glaciares National Park
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia: In reply to the Bureau's request for further information on the impacts of the construction of a road on the fringing reef adjacent to Cape Tribulation National Park, the Australian authorities had provided a comprehensive report which outlined a 3 year scientific research programme costing approximately 1 million $ to determine any short or possible long-term damage these reefs. The Committee expressed its satisfaction with this programme although it noted the comment by the IUCN representative that 3 years would be necessary before any ...
Sites: Great Barrier Reef
Pirin National Park, Bulgaria: The construction of a hotel and a ski-resort at the head of the Vihren Valley within this Park was being undertaken, against strong opposition by local conservation groups. The representative of IUCN requested whether an environmental impact assessment had been made for these developments. The representative of Bulgaria confirmed these developments and informed the Committee that she would request the Pirin National Park authorities to provide a full report which she would transmit to the Bureau at its next ...
Sites: Pirin National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada: It was recalled that, when inscribing this property on the World Heritage List in 1983, the Committee had drawn the attention to the harmful consequences of the possible construction of a dam on the Slave River to the natural characteristics of this property. The Committee was informed that the plans for such a dam had been definitively cancelled and expressed its satisfaction to both the Provincial and National Canadian authorities.
Sites: Wood Buffalo National Park
Galapagos National Park, Ecuador: A man-caused fire on Isabela Island in March 1985 had resulted in an international appeal to aid the efforts of the Ecuadorian Government and Park authorities to extinguish the blaze, which had burnt over 30,000 ha. A contribution of US$10,500 from the World Heritage Fund under emergency assistance had been provided, in addition to contributions from WWF-Germany and the United Kingdom and contributions in kind from the Province of Quebec (Canada) and the United States. There had been no serious losses of animal species and it was reported that the fire ...
Sites: Galápagos Islands
Simen National Park, Ethiopia: The management plan for this park, which resulted from a workshop supported by the World Heritage Fund, had been finalised. However, the situation described by IUCN at the 8th session of the Committee in 1984 had not developed further and no further information had been obtained.
Sites: Simien National Park
Durmitor National Park, Yugoslavia: This property had been threatened by the construction of a dam on the Tara River, however, due to public pressure from within and without Yugoslavia, this proposal had been cancelled. The Committee noted its satisfaction that this threat had now been removed and congratulated the Yugoslav authorities on making the best use of the Convention to support efforts to protect this property.
Sites: Durmitor National Park
14. As in previous years, IUCN reported on the conservation of natural properties inscribed on the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger. An information document (CC-86/CONF.003/INF.4) prepared by IUCN presented up-to-date information on some 16 natural properties.
15. The Committee was glad to learn of improvements or of a stabilisation in the previously deteriorating situation of certain properties, notably Djoudj National Park (Senegal), Ngorongoro Conservation area (Tanzania) and Garamba National Park (Zaire) (all inscribed on the List of World Heritage in ...
Sites: Aldabra Atoll Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary Garamba National Park Great Barrier Reef Ichkeul National Park Iguazu National Park Los Glaciares National Park Manas Wildlife Sanctuary Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve Ngorongoro Conservation Area Niokolo-Koba National Park Pirin National Park
10 COM IX.A.18-19
SOC: Mana Pools, Sapi and Chewore Reserves (Zimbabwe) & Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania)
18. The Committee, when learning of the dramatic increase in poaching reported by IUCN for Mana Pools, Sapi and Chewore Reserves in Zimbabwe and for Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania, recognised that this particular problem should also be approached globally, by stemming the illicit trade in wildlife and especially of elephant tusks and rhinoceros horn. In this regard, the Committee requested that its Chairman contact the Secretariat of the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which has been ratified by many States Parties to the ...
16. As concerns the Galapagos Archipelago (Ecuador) the Committee noted with satisfaction the recent addition of the surrounding marine area to the national park and requested the Secretariat to contact the Equatorian authorities encouraging the possible inclusion of this area in the site inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Sites: Galápagos Islands
17. The Committee was greatly concerned with the continuation of the serious threats to Tai National Park (Côte d'Ivoire) and requested the Secretariat to redouble efforts with the national authorities to inscribe this property on the List of World Heritage in Danger and, at the same time, to develop a project, in cooperation with IUCN, to improve the protection of this Park.
Sites: Taï National Park
20. The Director of the Division of Cultural Heritage introduced the document on the monitoring of cultural properties prepared by the Secretariat at the Bureau's request (document CC-86/CONF.003/6). She pointed out that this document recalled the background of this question and the discussions which the Bureau and the Committee had already had on the subject since 1982; it described in particular the system of data collection on natural properties used at present by IUCN, the system of monitoring the state of conservation of cultural properties which ICOMOS had submitted to the ...
15. This agenda item was introduced by the Chairman of the World Heritage Committee, Dr Adul Wichiencharoen (Thailand), who summarized the contents of his report on this subject as reflected in Working Document WHC-95/CONF.204/7 (see note [1] ) and the proposed resolution that had been prepared by him for this General Assembly (WHC95/CONF.204/DR.1). He recalled that the World Heritage Committee, after a long process of consultations, discussions and practical experiences in several States Parties and regions, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, decided, at its eighteenth ...
11 COM VIII.17
SOC: Djoudj National Park (Senegal), Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania) & Garamba National Park (Zaire)
17. The Committee noted with satisfaction that the situation in two of the natural sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger - namely Djoudj National Park (Senegal) and Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania) - had considerably improved in the last year and that IUCN would be proposing that they be removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger in the next two years. The situation of Garamba National Park (Zaire) was also improving but was still critical.
18. The Committee requested its Chairman to write to the authorities concerned for the following natural sites mentioned in the IUCN document in order that progress reports could be submitted to the Committee at its next session: Western Tasmania National Parks (Australia); Mt.Nimba (Cote d'Ivoire/Guinea); Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary (Peru); Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal); Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania).
19. The representative of Tunisia informed the Committee that a Unesco/World Heritage consultant was currently reviewing the sitatirn of Ichkeul National Park which had been mentioned in the IUCN document: he stated that his country would certainly nominate this site to the List of World Heritage in Danger if this way recommended in the consultant's report.
Sites: Ichkeul National Park
20. The Committee noted with satisfaction the efforts of the Yugoslav authorities to reduce water pollution levels in the Skocjan caves.
Sites: Škocjan Caves
21. The Committee noted the very serious problems of poaching in the Mana Pools Complex (Zimbabwe) and noted that the procedure had been started by the Zimbabwe authorities to nominate this property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
11 COM VIII.22
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Natural Properties: Poaching
22. The Committee took note of the IUCN statement on the poaching of rhinoceros in general, and of the declaration of the representative of the Yemen Arab Republic contesting views expressed by IUCN saying that these views did not correspond to the real situation and did not look into the problem in its globality. The Committee requested the Secretariat to continue its cooperation with the Secretariat of the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and particularly to investigate what joint measures could be taken to reinforce the ...
A. Cultural properties
12. The Chairman informed the Committee that, in accordance with the request of the Committee at its 10th session, a working group of the Bureau had been set up to examine the problems raised by the establishment of a system to monitor the state of conservation of cultural properties included in the World Heritage List. The working group had proposed the principles of the system and the procedure to be followed, and had, furthermore, drawn up two draft questionnaires. The, Chairperson of the working group specified that the first questionnaire would be addressed to ...
Sites: Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945) Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda Historic District of Old Québec Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur Pilgrimage Church of Wies Speyer Cathedral Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square
22. The Director of the World Heritage Centre recalled that the Tenth General Assembly examined the monitoring and reporting on the state of conservation of World Heritage properties and that it decided the following (paragraph 31 of the Summary Record of the Tenth General Assembly):
'As a conclusion, the General Assembly decided to continue the debate on the systematic monitoring and reporting on the state of conservation of World Heritage properties at the Eleventh General Assembly of States Parties that will be held in 1997. The General Assembly requested the World Heritage Committee ...
14. The representative of IUCN reported on the status of three natural sites, two of which are inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, as follows:
Manu National Park (Peru): A commercial discovery of natural gas had beenmade next to the park and further exploration work was imminent. This work would bring in many workers and settlers next to the western boundary of the park and could result in encroachments and associated problems. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to contact the Peruvian authorities and to seek* further explanation.
Djoudj National Park (Senegal): The ...
16. The Permanent Delegate of Iran to Unesco made a statement regarding the damages incurred by the Meidan Emam (Meidan Nagh Cheh Jahan) at Isphahan which was hit by a rocket during the recent attacks on Iranian cities. In the Permanent Delegate's opinion, the Meidan Emam should be considered for the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Sites: Meidan Emam, Esfahan
1) Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania)
The Committee was glad to be informed that the conservation status of this property had greatly improved but that the Tanzanian authorities had requested that it be maintained on the List of World Heritage in Danger, particularly in view of the continued threat of poaching. The Committee agreed to maintain this property on the List of World Heritage in Danger but expressed the wish that it be removed from this List in 1989.
Sites: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
2) Djoudj National Park (Senegal)
The Committee was glad to learn that due in part to assistance provided from the Fund, the conservation status of this property had greatly improved. The Committee decided to comply with the request of the Senegalese authorities to remove this property from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
3) Tai National Park (Cote d'Ivoire)
The Committee noted that the natural values of this property had declined due to various illegal activities within the park. The Committee was, however, glad to learn of a forthcoming project financed by WWF, US-AID and possibly with a contribution from the World Heritage which could help mitigate the current situation, and requested IUCN to report back to the Committee at its next session.
Sites: Taï National Park
4) Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras)
The representative of IUCN reported that this property was currently under extreme pressure with the invasion of some 50,000 refugees and settlers into the Reserve. The Committee requested the Secretariat to contact the Honduran authorities to obtain further information and to ask them to consider inscribing this property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
5) Yellowstone National Park (USA)
The Committee noted that an exceptionally large fire had occurred in the Park during 1988 but that no World Heritage values had been lost. The Committee welcomed the proposal of the representative of the USA to provide further information on the results of the review of the fire management policy for wilderness areas and the restoration/recovery plan aimed at showing visitors how Yellowstone was being "reborn".
Sites: Yellowstone National Park
12 COM X.B.34-40
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Cultural Properties: General Issues
B. Cultural Properties
34. At the request of the Chairman, the Secretariat informed the Committee of its observations concerning the results at the present stage of implementation of the experimental monitoring system adopted by the Committee at its eleventh session. The attention of the Committee was drawn to the difficulties of a number of States in meeting the deadlines; a modified timetable was suggested, so as to enable both the Secretariat and ICOMOS to process replies and to report to the Bureau before reporting to the Committee. The Secretariat stated that the results obtained ...
41. The Secretariat informed the Committee of problems that had arisen in the case of the three World Heritage sites. First, in the case of the city of Quebec, two real estate projects had given rise to concern in 1987 and the Canadian authorities had provided a report on the subject. The representative of Canada stated that, although several projects were still under study, the cultural heritage of Old Quebec would be safeguarded and the Committee would be advised of any change in the property.
42. As regards the site of Goreme in Turkey, the Secretariat informed the Committee of an ...
12 COM XVI.73
Other Business: Concerns About the Situation of Architectural Heritage, Both Urban and Rural, in Romania
73. The Secretary-General of ICOMOS read out a telex message from Professor Roberto di Stefano, President of ICOMOS, expressing the grave concern of his Organization about "the situation of architectural heritage, both urban and rural, in Romania". After describing the measures taken by ICOMOS, the message stated that this organization was ready to help the Committee in any way possible. The Committee noted that Romania was not a State Party to the Convention and that when the matter had been raised in the recent 130th session of Unesco's Executive Board, the Director-General had informed ...
The Bureau was glad to learn that, thanks in part to support provided under the World Heritage Fund, the situation of this site had greatly improved. The Bureau re-considered this matter under the agenda item concerning nominations/exclusion from the List of World Heritage in Danger (see paragraph XI.28.C.).
Sites: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
2) Garamba National Park (Zaire)
The joint project to rehabilitate this Park run by the Frankfurt Zoological Society/WWF/World Heritage Fund met with considerable success since no more rhinoceros have been poached in the last 5 years, the rhinoceros population has increased by 50% and a better management regime has been established. The Park recently celebrated the 50th anniversary since its foundation. The Bureau noted this situation with satisfaction and recommended that the property be re-examined in 1990: if the situation continued to show improvement, steps should be taken to ...
Sites: Garamba National Park
The Bureau recalled that IUCN had reported on the deteriorating situation of this site on several occasions and that the Committee had requested the Ivoirian authorities to propose its inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger. It noted that the Secretariat had contacted the Ivoirian authorities, but that only recently a response had been obtained in the form of a request for preparatory assistance in order to prepare a technical cooperation request for an integrated project addressing the need for increased protection of the natural values of this Park and also the ...
Sites: Taï National Park
The Bureau was informed of the project to construct a major highway across the Park, which would be financed by a number of Development Banks. Several impact studies - some contradictory in their conclusions - had been made: the Bureau expressed its preference for the alternative route outside of the Park to the North, which in addition to preserving the natural values of Niokolo-Koba, would serve to link up isolated villages. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to prepare a letter to the highest authority in Senegal recalling this State Party's obligation to protect the natural values ...
Sites: Niokolo-Koba National Park
The Bureau wished firstly to commend the Zimbabwean authorities for their efforts to protect the remaining rhinoceros and elephant populations. The Bureau expressed great concern however over the proposed oil exploration programme, particularly in the light of a very negative report submitted to the Secretariat by the Zimbabwe National Commission for Unesco. The Bureau therefore requested the Secretariat to convey its concern to the highest government authorities of Zimbabwe, as well as to the Director of Mobil Oil Company.
The Bureau learnt of several threats to this site, including a proposal to excise a large section of land for settlement. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to contact the Ecuadorian authorities to express its concern over the proposed excision and to encourage them to draw up a request for technical cooperation to support the elaboration of a revised management plan addressing many of the conflicting issues in the Park. The Bureau hoped that the request for technical cooperation could be submitted in time for examination by the Committee in December 1989.
Sites: Sangay National Park
The Bureau noted with satisfaction that the two States Parties had recently undertaken measures to coordinate the management and protection of these contiguous parks containing the famous waterfalls. In response to the suggestion of the IUCN representative to encourage the States Parties' acceptance to list these waterfalls under one name on the World Heritage List, the representative of Brazil stated that his government had not changed its position on this matter and that the two sites should continue to be indicated separately on the World Heritage List.
The Bureau noted that the preparatory assistance mission to this site in November 1988 had resulted in the elaboration of a two-year Unesco/UNDP project on evaluating the impact of iron-ore extraction on the natural values of the site and elaborating an integrated management plan which would improve protective measures and encourage socio-economic development of the transition zone. The Bureau nevertheless wished to express its concern about further damage to this site and suggested that this concern be communicated to the World Bank.
Following a request of the Committee on 21 April 1989, the American authorities submitted a report on the fire management policy review and the recovery plan following the 1988 wildfires. The Bureau wished to thank the American authorities for this report and for their offer to make it available for other States Parties.
Sites: Yellowstone National Park
The Bureau noted that this site had recently been invaded by several hundreds of local people which had caused great damage to the park and the loss of several lives. The Indian authorities had sent in the police to halt further destruction, but the problem of illegal encroachment was still not resolved. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to contact the Indian authorities to express its concern over this situation and encourage taking appropriate measures to restore the site.
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
The Bureau was informed by the representative of the Government of Australia of proceedings instituted against it before the Federal Court by the Government of Queensland with respect to the protection of the site of the Wet Tropics of Queensland inscribed on the World Heritage List in December 1988. The judge of the Federal Court is called upon to examine the question whether the ban decided by the Federal Government on commercial forestry operations in the site can reasonably be regarded as appropriate and adapted to the objectives of protecting, conserving, enhancing and rehabilitating ...
Sites: Wet Tropics of Queensland
The IUCN representative also gave reports on the conservation status of Rio Platano (Honduras), Manu National Park (Peru), Ichkeul National Park (Tunisia), Sagarmatha (Nepal), Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada).
13 COM VIII
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Natural Properties: Directory
15. IUCN presented a copy of a draft directory of natural World Heritage sites inscribed to the end of 1988 prepared by the Protected Areas Data Unit (PADU) of the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC). This directory provided the most up-to-date data available for these sites. In June 1989, States Parties with sites inscribed before 1986 had been asked by IUCN to update the data sheets, but responses had to date been received from only 7 of the 28 countries concerned, covering 19 out of 63 sites. The Committee requested IUCN to follow-up with the States Parties whose responses were ...
Tai National Park (Cote d'Ivoire)
The Committee noted an earlier request that the Ivoirian authorities agree to this site's inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger had brought no response. However, the Committee noted that only recently had the Secretariat received a response in the form of a request for preparatory assistance. This preparatory assistance could take the form of a workshop to evaluate the situation and revise a draft of an integrated project to safeguard this site, to be financed jointly by the World Heritage Fund (technical cooperation) and extra-budgetary ...
Sites: Taï National Park
Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras)
The Committee noted IUCN's concerns about the integrity of this site and asked that IUCN provide further information when the report from the national conservation authority is received.
Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal)
The Committee recalled that there was a project to construct a major highway across the Park which would greatly jeopardize its natural values, and that the Bureau had expressed its preference for an alternative route outside the Park. On 1 August 1989, in accordance with the Bureau's recommendation, the Director-General of Unesco had written to the President of Senegal, His Excellency A. Diouf, informing him of the Bureau's preference for the alternative route. The Secretariat indicated to the Committee that, at a meeting held in Dakar on 14 November ...
Sites: Niokolo-Koba National Park
Mana Pools, Sapi and Chewore Reserves (Zimbabwe)
The Committee noted with satisfaction the incorporation of environmental safeguards into the agreement signed on 4 December 1989 between the Government of Zimbabwe and Mobil Oil relating to oil exploration in this site. The Committee decided to commend Zimbabwe on the action taken and to urge that it monitor the effects of the exploration closely. The Committee requested the Zimbabwean authorities to inform the Secretariat in the event that oil extraction might proceed later as this could significantly affect the site's ...
Ichkeul National Park (Tunisia)
The Committee decided to encourage Tunisia in its efforts to seek financial resources to undertake activities such as the building of the Tindja sluice and two other drainage canals to ensure maintenance of the integrity of the wetlands critical to the values of this site. At the same time, the Committee agreed that the Tunisian authorities should be congratulated on improvements to the site's management consequent on completion of the visitors' centre, institution of controls on cattle grazing and additional ...
Sites: Ichkeul National Park
Sangay National Park (Ecuador)
The Committee noted that the Bureau had requested the Secretariat to contact the Ecuadorian authorities over possible excision of land from the park and to propose a request for technical cooperation to support a revised management plan. The Committee decided to ask the Secretariat to continue its efforts in these directions.
Sites: Sangay National Park
Manu National Park (Peru)
The Committee noted that the possibility still existed for future oil and gas exploration which could prejudice the integrity of this site.
Sites: Manú National Park
Mount Nimba (Côte d'Ivoire/Guinea)
The Committee noted the decision of the World Bank not to provide funds to Guinea for proposed iron-ore mining which would prejudice this site. It noted that this decision was made on economic grounds. The Committee requested the Secretariat to contact the authorities of the Cdte d'Ivoire and Guinea on this matter to encourage them to take the concerns of the Committee into consideration and preserve the integrity of the site.
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
IUCN reported on the invasion of this site in February 1989 by the Bodo tribespeople. IUCN reported that it had been consulting with the Indian authorities, and it had been informed that measures were being taken to resolve this problem. The Committee decided to ask the Secretariat to follow up the situation with the Indian authorities.
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Yellowstone National Park (USA)
The Committee noted with appreciation the availability to other States Parties of the fire management review and the fire recovery plan obtainable from the Director of the U.S. National Park Service.
Sites: Yellowstone National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada)
The Committee noted the report of IUCN and the clarification made by the Canadian delegation on the environmental assessment now proceeding into disease in the park's hybrid buffalo herd and the external threat which may result from proposed industrial development upstream from the park. The Committee noted the commitment of the Canadian delegation to maintain the site's integrity and asked that IUCN continue to contact the Canadian authorities and report back to the Bureau at its next ...
Sites: Wood Buffalo National Park
Fiordland National Park (New Zealand)
The Committee noted developments in relation to possible ownership changes to the hydro-electric scheme existing in this site when it was inscribed. The Committee decided to commend New Zealand on its initiative to give statutory authority to the independent "Guardians" group in its efforts to ensure that any changes in ownership of electricity generation in the park will not threaten its integrity as a World Heritage site.
Everglades National Park (USA)
The representative of IUCN informed the Committee of a law suit that had been brought to bear against offenders to the integrity of this site. In addition, the representative of the U.S. informed the Committee of additional efforts to protect this site, notably the allocation by the U.S. Government of US$32 million to purchase over 43,000 ha of wetlands next to the Park which would help mitigate some of the problems related to the quality and quantity of freshwater entering the park. The Committee wished to commend the U.S. authorities for this initiative ...
Sites: Everglades National Park
17. As concerns the Wet Tropics of Queensland (Australia), the representative of IUCN informed the Committee that the Director-General of IUCN, after hearing the Bureau's concern regarding the participation of an IUCN expert as a witness in a national legal proceeding involving the conservation of a World Heritage site, had informed the Australian authorities that it would not be appropriate for IUCN to appear in the proceedings of a court case in a State Party. The observer of Australia then informed the Committee that following the recent elections in Queensland and the change in the ...
Sites: Wet Tropics of Queensland
13 COM IX.18
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Cultural Properties: General Issues
18. At its 12th session, the Committee had decided that the results of the second phase of the system of monitoring the state of conservation of cultural properties would be presented at its 14th session in 1990. The Committee at its present session, however, took note of the very low number of replies to the questionnaires reported by the Secretariat. It considered that the system underway was both cumbersome and not fully satisfactory, especially in comparison to the system for monitoring natural sites, and that the system did not enable the Committee to assume this important function ...
19. The Committee noted that following an earthquake at Tipasa in Algeria, a preliminary mission by a member of the Secretariat had been completed which reported that some damage had occurred. An emergency assistance request had been submitted to the Secretariat which is continuing to cooperate with the managers of the property.
Sites: Tipasa
20. The Committee was also informed of the collapse of the roof of one of the temples in Patan in the Valley of Kathmandu. Emergency assistance had been immediately granted to the Nepalese authorities concerned.
Sites: Kathmandu Valley
21. The delegate from Canada informed the Committee of his concern in learning of the tree felling which had taken place last winter in the Park of Versailles, which, together with the Chateau, is inscribed on the World Heritage List. He drew the Committee's attention to the danger of separating the responsibilities for cultural and natural resource management in the case of a property where a balance between architecture and the surrounding landscapes is essential. ICOMOS shared these concerns and considered that a tree regeneration plan inappropriate to a protected historical park ...
22. The same delegate informed the Committee of his concern over the announcement of a universal exhibition in Venice. The fragile structures and the limited space of this town, inscribed together with its lagoon on the World Heritage List in 1987, made Venice extremely vulnerable to the effects of mass events. The Secretariat informed the Committee that the Director-General had already written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy requesting more details on this project. The Committee decided to launch the following appeal:
The World Heritage Committee, meeting for its 13th ...
Sites: Venice and its Lagoon
47. The Committee noted the intention of the Greek authorities to organize as soon as possible in Greece an international colloquium of experts to examine the conservation projects for the monuments in Mystras and that they would not undertake any restoration work on the site until the publication of the proceedings of the colloquium.
13 COM XVI.48
Other Business: International Colloquium on the Theme "Restoration Methods for Ruins and Archaeological Ensembles"
48. The Committee welcomed the intention of ICCROM and ICOMOS to jointly organize in 1990 an international colloquium on the theme "Restoration methods for ruins and archaeological ensembles".
19. The IUCN Regional Councilor for Europe informed the Bureau that the series of measures to prevent the increasing siltation of the Bay, as announced by President Mitterrand in 1983, had not yet been taken. The salt marshes were currently encroaching upon the Bay at a rate of 30 ha per year which, according to previous studies, could mean that Mont Saint Michel would no longer be an island by the end of 1991, thereby degrading the natural setting of the cultural monuments of Mont Saint Michel. In addition, the authorities responsible for the development of the region, namely the two ...
22. The Bureau recalled that at the time of the inscription of this site on the World Heritage List in 1981, the Committee was aware of the pending threat to exploit the rich iron ore deposit situated in the northern part of the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve in Guinea. A project now existed which was of great interest to the steel industry for Europe, Japan and the United States, and which was to be financed essentially by mining consortia from France, Japan and the United States. It would involve the extension of an existing railway from the Liberian side of Mount Nimba, the ...
29. The Bureau was concerned that the site was being degraded by unregulated tourism and water pollution and hence requested the Secretariat to contact the Turkish authorities and request them to (a) declare this site a national park as soon as possible, as the Committee had recommended at the time of its being listed in 1988; and (b) host a national workshop for discussing the various threats faced by this site in order to develop a management plan for the site.
30. The Bureau also noted information pertaining to the state of conservation of Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park (United ...
Sites: Hierapolis-Pamukkale
The Bureau noted that, following the distribution of the report of the thirteenth session of the Committee, the Secretariat had received advice by the Australian authorities that, although it was not strictly correct to say that legislation had been passed to revoke all mining rights within the World Heritage site, they guaranteed that no activity would take place which might threaten the world heritage values of the Tasmanian Wilderness.
Sites: Tasmanian Wilderness
The Bureau noted the need to review the original boundaries of this site. Several Indian Reserves, included in the original nomination had since then been degraded by coal mining and road construction projects and were not being managed for conservation objectives. The lack of definition of conservation areas had resulted in a native resident, who attempted to prevent illegal hunting, being recently shot and killed. The Bureau recommended that the Chairman contact the Costa Rican authorities to express condolences to the affected family on behalf of the Committee. The Bureau also ...
The Bureau noted that the Chairman had approved US $7,500 under preparatory assistance for drawing up a technical co-operation project for buffer zone development which could benefit local people resident around this park. In the meantime, however, the Bureau was concerned about reports of heavy commercial poaching in the area, particularly on Maxwell's duikers. The Bureau was informed that a meeting is scheduled to be held in Abidjan, Côted'Ivoire, on 27 June 1990, with Unesco, UNDP and several national agencies, at which proposals for launching a pilot project for the conservation ...
Sites: Taï National Park
The Bureau was specifically concerned with the capturing of about 40,000 sharks, using locally captured sea-lions as baits, in the marine waters surrounding the Galapagos world heritage site. Although the capture of sharks had been temporarily halted following protests from international agencies, the effectiveness of the ban was uncertain. The Bureau recalled that preparatory assistance from the World Heritage Fund had been provided in 1987 for nominating the marine areas surrounding the Galapagos National Park for inclusion as part of the world heritage site but noted that no such ...
Sites: Galápagos Islands
The Bureau noted with satisfaction that, as requested by the Committee at the time of the inscription of this site in 1981, the American authorities had completed amendments to the legislation and added a coastal strip and a number of offshore rocks and islands to the park. The Bureau commended the American authorities for their effective implementation of the recommendations of the Committee and requested that the extensions to the park be formally proposed for inclusion in the World Heritage List. The Bureau, however, noted with concern the negative impacts of the 'Nestucca Oil Spill' ...
Sites: Olympic National Park
The Bureau recalled that this site had been invaded by people belonging to the Bodo tribe about a year ago and was concerned to note that the reserve was still occupied and that illegal removal of vegetation and poaching of animals continued. The local staff also seemed to have abandoned the park. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to continue its efforts to obtain a report on the state of conservation of this site from the Indian authorities before the forthcoming session of the World Heritage Committee. On the basis of the information received the Committee may wish to recommend that ...
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
The Bureau was informed that a US $30 million irrigation project, to be implemented with the assistance of a Japanese company and the Asian Development Bank, could divert about 75 per cent of the waters of the Rapti River which forms the northern boundary of the park and that no study on the environmental impact of this irrigation project had so far been undertaken. The Bureau recalled that a sum of US $80,000 had been provided during 1988-1989 from the World Heritage Fund for this site and was concerned whether the implementation of these projects was effectively ensuring the ...
Sites: Chitwan National Park
The Bureau recalled that when this site was entered on the World Heritage List at the twelfth session of the Committee, in Brasilia (Brazil), in December 1988, the Committee had noted that the integrity of the site was under serious threat but had definite prospects of rapid amelioration through the implementation of a 10-year project costing US $27 million to be financed by EEC. Hence, the Committee, at its twelfth session requested IUCN to monitor progress in the implementation of the EEC project and report on the extent to which the protection of the integrity of this site had ...
The Bureau recalled that during 1989, both the Bureau and the Committee had expressed concern regarding the proposed construction of a major highway, based on an existing track, across the park, which could greatly jeopardize its natural values. Following the Committee session in December, President Diouf of Senegal had written to the Director-General of Unesco assuring Senegal's commitment to safeguarding the natural heritage of this site. The representative of Senegal informed the Bureau that since President Diouf's letter, a decree had been promulgated creating a technical committee ...
Sites: Niokolo-Koba National Park
At its thirteenth session, in December 1989, the Committee had expressed concern regarding the felling of trees in the park of Versailles Palace. The French observer informed the Bureau that, since that time, violent storms had devastated the park, bringing down more than 1,200 trees which, most fortunately, had not damaged in their fall any of the sculptures or buildings. The French observer added that the administration of both the park and the buildings at Versailles was now under the responsibility of a single department, which, together with all the other parties concerned, was ...
In the course of its fourteenth session the Bureau was informed of the Italian authorities' decision not to confirm the proposal to have Venice selected as the site of the Universal Exhibition for year 2000. The members of the Bureau welcomed the news and expressed great satisfaction at the decisive role played by the Committee in that regard
Sites: Venice and its Lagoon
One member of the Bureau expressed concern about the state of conservation of the Kathmandu Valley monuments. The Secretariat informed the Bureau that assistance had been granted as a matter of urgency to the Nepalese authorities so that they could carry out the necessary conservation works, which had already been started. The Bureau asked for a report to be made to it on that site in December, in the context of the monitoring report.
Sites: Kathmandu Valley
One member of the Bureau expressed concern regarding the project for the development of the Pyramids Plateau in Egypt, which included the building of a great wall between the archaeological area and a village settlement and the fitting out of an open-air 'Son et Lumiere' theatre. The Bureau shared the concern expressed that the construction works might endanger that unique site; it therefore asked the Secretary to send a letter to the Egyptian Minister of Culture drawing his attention to the need to preserve the integrity of that site, which had been included in the World Heritage List. ...
14 COM VIII.19-24
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of World Heritage Cultural Properties and Related Technical Problems
19. The Committee congratulated the Secretariat on the quality of its report on the monitoring of the state of conservation of world heritage cultural properties. It noted the various situations brought to its attention and was particularly pleased to see that the Director General of Unesco had informed Egyptian authorities of the concerns expressed by the Bureau at its fourteenth session in June 1990 regarding planned construction work in the pyramid fields from Giza to Dahshur, Egypt. In this connection, the Committee confirmed that it wished to examine, in due time, the master plan ...
Royal Chitwan National Park (Nepal)
The Committee noted with satisfaction that, following the concerns expressed by the Bureau in June 1990 about the possible impact of an irrigation project whereby as much as 75 percent of the waters of the Rapti River would be diverted, the said project was reassessed by the Asian Development Bank and the Government of Nepal and that it would probably be modified significantly to minimize its negative impact on the environment.
The Committee requested the Secretariat and IUCN to monitor the progress of this issue until a final decision is reached and ...
Sites: Chitwan National Park
Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park (Central African Republic)
The Committee took note of IUCN's concerns about the integrity of this property, which is still threatened by heavy poaching despite an EECfinanced project to restore the park. The Committee also noted that a preliminary report on the implementation of this project should be available within one year and requested the Secretariat and IUCN to continue to monitor the state of conservation of this property.
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire)
The Committee took note of the information supplied by IUCN concerning the Mount Nimba mining project and the fact that this project, according to IUCN, would threaten the intrinsic value and integrity which had justified the inscription of this property on the World Heritage List. The IUCN General Assembly, which had just ended in Australia, adopted a resolution urging the Guinean authorities not to allow this project and to implement a development plan for the region which would insure the protection of the site.
The Guinean ...
Niokola-Koba National Park (Senegal)
The Committee noted with satisfaction that, in response to the concerns expressed by the Bureau, a comparative environmental impact study of the two road project proposals (through and north of the Park) had been conducted with the financial support of the World Heritage Fund. The study had only just been completed and its results were not yet available for submission to the Committee. The Secretariat will transmit the results to the Bureau at its next session.
Sites: Niokolo-Koba National Park
Hierapolis-Pamukkale (Turkey)
The Committee noted with satisfaction the information provided by the Turkish observer concerning the problems of management identified by IUCN. The site had now been designated as a special protected area and the preparation of a new management plan would be discussed at a workshop to be held in 1991 and for which financial assistance may be sought from the World Heritage Fund.
Sites: Hierapolis-Pamukkale
Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada)
The Committee noted with satisfaction the information provided by the Canadian representative concerning the various threats to this asset which had been identified by IUCN. First, concerning the diseased bison suffering from brucellosis and tuberculosis, the Canadian representative stated that solutions other than the wholesale slaughter of all the herds were being sought in consultation with all the parties concerned, and that the approach now preferred would consist in eliminating only diseased animals and placing the remaining herds under ...
Sites: Wood Buffalo National Park
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
The Committee was concerned to note that the reserve was still occupied by Bodo Tribesmen, and that poaching and illegal removal of vegetation was continuing. The Committee expressed the view that this property met the criteria for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger and instructed the Secretariat to suggest to the Indian authorities that they consider such an inscription.
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Keoladeo National Park (India)
The Committee noted that the state of conservation of these wetlands, which are also a Ramsar site, had formed the subject of a detailed report prepared under the Ramsar Convention which indicated that the site was threatened by the invasion of Paspalum grass and insufficient water delivery, leading to a decline in the number of migrating Siberian Cranes. Despite a number of corrective measures, the situation remains one of concern and the Committee requested IUCN to continue monitoring the state of conservation of this ...
Sites: Keoladeo National Park
Galapagos (Ecuador)
The Committee noted that this site was facing two separate threats: on the one hand, Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese fishermen last year captured some 40,000 sharks in the waters adjacent to the site; this intensive fishing was halted following protests by international organizations, but the effectiveness of the ban was uncertain; on-the other hand, tourist pressure on the park has increased considerably to a level far beyond the park's estimated visitor capacity.
The Committee was pleased to note that remedial measures to counter these threats were being considered; ...
Sites: Galápagos Islands
Olympic National Park (U.S.A.)
The Committee noted with satisfaction that the USA authorities had proposed the addition of the Pacific coastal strip to the property inscribed in 1981, in accordance with the request made by the Committee.
Sites: Olympic National Park
Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park (U.S.A.)
The Committee was pleased with the progress noted by IUCN in the state of conservation and in the management of this property.
Canadian Rocky Mountains Parks (Canada)
The Committee noted with satisfaction that the Canadian authorities had proposed the addition of Mount Robson, Hamber and Assiniboine Provincial Parks to the property originally inscribed in 1984, as requested by the Committee.
La Amistad/Talamanca Range (Costa Rica)
The Committee noted the need to review the original boundaries. of this site in order to exclude those areas not of outstanding universal value and extend the site to include the expanded Talamanca and Chirripo National Parks. The Committee asked the Secretariat to suggest to the Costa Rican authorities that they set the new boundaries of this property in response to IUCN's suggestion.
Garamba National Park (Zaire)
The Committee was pleased with the significant improvement in the state of conservation of this property, which the Zairian authorities were preparing to ask be taken off the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee wished to continue to be kept informed of the state of conservation of this property, which was the focus of a major rehabilitation project supported by a consortium of donors including the World Heritage Fund.
Sites: Garamba National Park
Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Zaire)
The Committee expressed concern about the proposed construction of a highway along the existing line of a little-used old colonial road that crosses this park. If built, this highway would be the main link between the densely populated regions of the Great Lakes of Central Africa and the navigable part of the Zaire River. The Committee noted the existence of an alternative route to the north of Kahuzi-Biega and asked that a comparative study of the two routes be conducted. The Committee instructed the Secretariat to inform the Zairian authorities and ...
Sites: Kahuzi-Biega National Park
26. As the Bureau requested during its last session, the French representative reported on the siltation problems at Mont St. Michel and its Bay. The Committee noted with satisfaction the planned siltation control works, including the demolition of the dike providing access to Mont St. Michel and its present parking facilities and the replacement of this dike with a bridge that will reestablish water circulation. The Committee wished to encourage the French authorities to implement these projects as soon as ...
27. The representative of Senegal informed the Committee that a bilaterally financed project would be carried out at the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary to improve the management of this property and enhance the control of water levels.
Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras)
The Committee noted that the Honduran authorities had submitted to the Secretariat a nomination of this property to the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee was unable to make a decision on this nomination, however, in the absence of any request for international assistance for this property pursuant to article 11.4 of the Convention. The Committee consequently urged the Honduran authorities to prepare and submit such a request as soon as possible.
31. The Bureau recalled that the Committee, at its last session, expressed serious concerns regarding the infection of the remaining 3,200 bison in this Park by brucellosis and tuberculosis, as well as with logging operations. The Bureau was informed of a longer term threat to the integrity of the site caused by activities upstream along the Peace/Athabasca Rivers, which include the expansion of pulp mills, logging operations and dam construction resulting in water pollution and loss of water quality, changes in the flooding regime and the gradual drying-up of the Athabasca delta. The ...
Sites: Wood Buffalo National Park
The Bureau was pleased to note that the Australian Cabinet has decided not to allow mining at Coronation Hill, located in an area that is being considered for nomination as an extension to this World Heritage site as part of Stage III of the expansion. The Australian observer informed the Bureau that the proposed Stage III of the extension of Kakadu National Park would add approximately another 6,000 sq.km to this site and wished to know whether or not the nomination of this extension needed to follow the procedure to submit a new nomination. The Bureau recalled that each of the stages I ...
Sites: Kakadu National Park
The Bureau recalled that the Committee, when it inscribed this site on the World Heritage List in 1988, requested IUCN to submit a progress report in 1991 on the implementation of an effective management regime. The Bureau noted that although a management agency has been set up, the Director and staff were only recently appointed and that the management planning process has been delayed and no additional funds for field management activities have been provided. The Bureau was also concerned about the pace of tourism development and a proposal for a hydropower development project which ...
Sites: Wet Tropics of Queensland
The Bureau recalled that these two sites cover the same waterfall area which extends across the two countries. The Bureau was concerned that, for tourist purposes, eight helicopters now simultaneously overfly the falls causing serious acoustic disturbance in an otherwise natural setting, and that more than 7,000 visitors have registered complaints. The Bureau also noted that local non-governmental organizations are opposing the use of helicopters as an inappropriate activity that contravenes legal air traffic regulations for flights over protected areas. The Bureau requested the ...
The Bureau noted with satisfaction that a major expansion of this site, to include a large area of the Rhodope Mountains, is now under consideration by the Bulgarian authorities. The Bureau wished to encourage the Bulgarian authorities to proceed with the extension of Pirin and to consider submitting a revised nomination of the expanded site. The Bureau also noted the comment of the IUCN representative to the effect that there was great potential for establishing a transborder site with Greece by including areas ajacent to Pirin in Greece. If established this transborder park could be one ...
Sites: Pirin National Park
The Bureau noted that in order to accommodate the exploitation of some of the gas deposits under this site which are privately owned, the boundaries of this site have been modified to excise 1,415 acres and add 1,478 acres of higher geological value. Although the Bureau was satisfied with the fact that this swap met the approval of the Provincial Parks Branch of Alberta and the slanted drilling technology to be employed will not have adverse impacts on the integrity of the site, the Bureau observed that drilling of any wells inside the Park would cause greater concern. The Delegate of ...
Sites: Dinosaur Provincial Park
The Bureau noted with concern that despite a large-scale EEC project, this Park still had no management plan; it continued to be poached intensively, though there had been an appreciable reduction of poaching, particularly of elephants. The loss of six wardens, killed by poachers early in the year, was a regrettable occurrence; the Bureau wished to offer its condoleances to the victims' families. The Bureau also recommended that a management plan be elaborated and that this aspect of the EEC project be implemented as soon as possible. Activities connected with tourism should be integrated ...
The Bureau was pleased to note that as requested by the Committee at its last session, the Panamanian authorities have agreed to the inscription of this transborder national park as a single site on the World Heritage List. The Bureau urged the Costa Rican authorities to clarify their position to the Secretariat on this matter. The Bureau recalled that during its last session in Banff, the Committee also requested the Costa Rican authorities to revise the boundaries of the La Amistad National Park within their country in accordance with the recommendations made by IUCN. The Bureau noted ...
The Bureau noted with satisfaction that a plan to develop the infrastructures of this Park, funded by the World Bank in the amount of 500 million CFA Francs, was under way. In particular, it should make it possible to improve surveillance and combat local poaching. The Bureau also noted that the Côte d'Ivoire wished to set up a research station for the purpose of studying the ecosystems of the Park and helping to monitor the management of the site; the Bureau recommended that the Secretariat seek bilateral and multilateral funding to this end and that this effort to promote research ...
Sites: Comoé National Park
The Bureau noted with satisfaction that this Park benefitted from strong support of German and WWF co-operation for research and conservation of the site, and in the future, incorporation of its peripheral zones in an integrated development plan. But the site was under threat from poachers and from the arrival in the area of refugees from Liberia. Consequently the Bureau wished to encourage the Côte d'Ivoire's partners to back up the existing project by making use of the work already done by the Tai research station in the context of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere project ...
Sites: Taï National Park
The Bureau recalled that this site was one of the first natural areas to be inscribed on the World Heritage List. It was abandoned by the staff of the Wildlife Conservation Organization in 1985 due to civil unrest in the area. Since then there are no reliable reports of its condition. A new government is now being formed and hence the Bureau requested that the Secretariat contact the Permanent Delegation for Ethiopia in UNESCO in order to develop mechanisms to obtain an assessment of the present status of this site.
Sites: Simien National Park
The Secretariat had indicated that it had received, and passed on to the French authorities, another letter from a French association for the protection of the environment drawing attention to potential dangers to this site arising from two projects: the construction of an industrial pig farm and the opening of a leisure park. In reply, the French observer assured the Bureau that neither of these two projects had been authorized, and that the extension and protection of the Mont Saint Michel site was under way at the national level. The Bureau took note of these assurances with ...
The Bureau took cognizance of the IUCN report on the plan to exploit an iron ore deposit which, though situated outside the Nature Reserve proper, nevertheless lay within the site inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981. The Bureau also noted the remark of a Guinean observer who recalled the commitments contained in the new management plan of the Mont Nimba Biosphere Reserve which the Guinean authorities had recently sent to the Secretariat, and the efforts made by those authorities to reconcile development problems with the conservation requirements of the area. The Bureau recalled ...
The Bureau recalled that the Honduran authorities had requested the Committee, at its last session, to include this site in the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee had suggested at that time that the Honduran authorities submit a request for international assistance from the World Heritage Fund. The Bureau noted that such a request had not yet been received and urged the Secretariat and IUCN to work through national MAB and IUCN networks in order to bring forward a request for the consideration of the Committee at its forthcoming session.
The Bureau noted with concern that the integrity of this site continues to be threatened by the invasion of a resistance movement which has burnt buildings, destroyed bridges, killed a number of park guards, looted most Park facilities, poached numerous rhinos, elephants, tigers and other wildlife, removed valuable trees and depleted fish stocks in the Manas River. The Bureau recalled that the Indian authorities were requested by the Committee, in 1989 and in 1990, to nominate this site to the List of World Heritage in Danger. Although the Bureau acknowledged that the survey of the ...
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Since this site was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1988, IUCN, in co-operation with the Direction des Parcs Nationaux du Senegal (DPN) and the Netherlands Research Institute of Nature Management, has prepared an up-date of actions on the management plan with special emphasis on the interactions between the Park and the surrounding communities. IUCN's Regional Office in Dakar, Senegal, organized a Wetland Management Training Course, from 4-15 March 1991, for twelve students from Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Senegal, as part of IUCN's Wetland Programme activities, ...
The Bureau noted that its recommended study of the ecological and socio-economic impacts of the traces of the two roads -across or around the Park - had been successfully carried out by an independent team which had reached the following conclusions: though both roads would adversely affect the integrity of the Park, the road across it would be less damaging in the long term, provided that a number of accompanying measures (specified in detail) were taken before, during and after the work. The Bureau expressed its concern regarding the potential consequences on the integrity of the site ...
Sites: Niokolo-Koba National Park
The Bureau recalled that the integrity of this site was threatened by intensive poaching of its elephant and rhino populations during the 1980s. The Bureau was concerned by a proposed plan of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to open a route through this reserve to drive cattle from the north to the south of Tanzania. Livestock from northern Tanzania carry several bacterial and viral diseases which are easily transmitted to wildlife. The Bureau noted that IUCN's specialist veterinary group have outlined a number of conservation risks of opening the proposed route, and ...
Sites: Selous Game Reserve
The Bureau was informed that this site was threatened by a proposed hydropower project which would affect water quality in the Tara River and flood a portion of the Tara Canyon, which is one of this site's World Heritage values. The Bureau was also concerned that the Government of Montenegro, who have authority over the Park, is constructing a large asphalt plant upstream beside the Tara River which is already causing some water pollution. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to contact the Yugoslav authorities in order to clarify the current status of plans for the development of the ...
Sites: Durmitor National Park
The Bureau was concerned that this Park has been abandoned by the staff due to the civil unrest in the region and that destruction of forests and park facilities, hunting of bears and dynamite fishing were occurring due to lack of any supervision of the Park. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to convey its concern to the Yugoslav authorities and urge them to seek a speedy solution to the problem. The Bureau also suggested that if the situation in the region improved in the immediate future, then the Yugoslavian authorities be requested to invite a joint IUCN/UNESCO mission to assess ...
Sites: Plitvice Lakes National Park
The Bureau was pleased to note that two more rhino calves were born in this site and the rhino population has now risen to 28, almost double that of 1985 when the site was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Bureau was satisfied that the budget for this site has increased by 400% and that as suggested by the Committee at its last session, the Zairois authorities have requested that this site be removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Bureau recommended that the Committee recognize that the small rhino population is still vulnerable and therefore continue ...
Sites: Garamba National Park
Since the last session of the Committee, IUCN has conducted an impact study and recommended that the proposed new road not go through the park but be re-routed around the northern boundaries of the park. The Bureau noted that the study is now being reviewed by the donor financing the road-construction project (KFW and the GTZ of Germany) and that the project also has several implications for the ecology of the region. The Bureau requested IUCN and the Secretariat to follow the progress and submit a report at the next session of the Committee.
Sites: Kahuzi-Biega National Park
15 COM VII
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Cultural and Related Technical Problems
18. The monitoring report presented by the Secretariat dealt with the following sites: Xanthos-Letoon (Turkey), the City of Valletta (Malta), Shibam (Yemen), National Historical Park - Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers (Haiti), Kathmandu Valley (Nepal), Moenjodaro (Pakistan), and the Madara Rider (Bulgaria). Monitoring visits had been made to seventeen sites by an expert who was in charge of coordinating action for the preservation of 115 Mediterranean sites within the framework of the UNEP - Barcelona Convention. These visits had yielded a wealth of information and documentation which ...
27. Special attention was given by the Committee to the dangers threatening the World Heritage sites during armed conflict. The Secretariat informed the Committee of the situation of the historical City of Dubrovnik. It also announced the decision of the Director-General to launch an international campaign for the restoration of Dubrovnik.
28. Aware of the fact that it represents 123 States, including Yugoslavia, which are signatories of the Convention, the Committee expressed deep concern about the armed conflict, devastating a region that comprises several sites inscribed on the World ...
Sites: Old City of Dubrovnik
15 COM VII
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Cultural Properties: Situation in Iraq and Future
31. Two other observers drew the attention of the Committee to the situation of the cultural heritage in Iraq. One of them requested UNESCO to send a mission to Iraq in order to evaluate the restoration work required on the sites damaged by war. The Secretariat informed the Committee that the Director-General of UNESCO was ready to send an intersectoral mission to Iraq as soon as he receives the agreement of the United Nations Security Council.
32. The Secretariat announced that following a Resolution of the General Conference, a report would be prepared concerning the possibilities for ...
15 COM VIII
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Natural Properties and Related Technical Problems: Overview
34. The Committee was satisfied with the joint efforts of the Secretariat and IUCN to provide information on the status of conservation of an increasing number of natural and mixed World Heritage sites. The Committee was informed of the co-operation between UNESCO, UNEP and the World Tourism Organization (WTO) in organizing an international workshop on the sustainable development of tourism in the World Heritage site of Mount Huangshan, China, in October 1991, and of plans for extending this co-operation in 1992-93 to develop guidelines for tourism development for managers of World ...
Wet Tropics of Queensland (Australia)
When this site was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1988, the Committee requested IUCN to provide a report on the status of conservation in 1991. The Committee noted that IUCN had gathered some information but, as requested by the representative of IUCN, deferred the submission of this monitoring report until 1992, to accommodate the findings of a proposed field visit to this site next year.
Sites: Wet Tropics of Queensland
Iguazu National Park (Argentina) and Iguaçu National Park (Brazil)
The Committee noted that eight helicopters simultaneously overfly these adjacent sites which cover the same waterfall area. Over 7,000 visitors had registered complaints and local conservation groups are opposed to the use of helicopters in the area because it contravenes legal regulations for air traffic over protected areas. The Brazilian Delegate informed the Committee that a working group had been established to study the matter with a view to introducing more stringent regulatory measures for helicopter ...
Pirin National Park (Bulgaria)
The Committee noted that the Bulgarian authorities were considering a major expansion of this site to include the area of the Rhodope Mountains and recognized the potential for establishing a transfrontier site with Greece that could be one of the most outstanding sites of Europe. The Committee encouraged the Bulgarian authorities to proceed with the extension of Pirin National Park and submit a nomination for the extension of the site. The Committee also requested the Secretariat to contact the Greek authorities to obtain their views on the possibilities ...
Sites: Pirin National Park
Srebarna Biosphere Reserve (Bulgaria)
The Committee was concerned to note that the water quality and balance in this small World Heritage site (600 ha) has deteriorated to such an extent that the site is no longer ecologically viable; large colonies of water birds, except for the Dalmation Pelican, are absent, and many of the passerine species have emigrated or occur only in low numbers. The Committee recognized that most problems were attributable to the slow drying of the lake bed, exacerbated by upstream development projects, impacts of nearby pig farms and a rise in the wild boar ...
Sites: Srebarna Nature Reserve
Dinosaur Provincial Park (Canada)
The Committee noted that IUCN agreed, in principle, to deleting 1,415 acres of privately owned land comprising natural gas deposits from this site and including 1,478 acres of higher geological value as compensation. The Committee noted that the technology used to drill gas wells had low impacts but pointed out that it would be concerned if the drilling extends to sites within the World Heritage property. The Canadian Delegate informed the Committee that the maps of the area clearly showed that the sites which will be drilled are outside the Park ...
Sites: Dinosaur Provincial Park
Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada)
The Committee recalled that logging was permitted within this site and that as many as 3,200 of the Park's bison population were affected by brucellosis and tuberculosis. The Committee was satisfied to note that forestry regulations are now more strictly enforced by the Canadian Park Service personnel and that negotiations are underway to terminate logging rights before their official expiry in the year 2002. The Committee recognized that the large size of a site is no longer a guarantee for the conservation of this site and development activities in ...
Sites: Wood Buffalo National Park
Talamanca-La Amistad (Costa Rica/Panama)
The Committee was pleased to note that in accordance with its request the authorities of Costa Rica and Panama had agreed to a single listing of this site. The Committee was satisfied that the Costa Rican authorities had agreed to the IUCN recommendation to delete three Indian reserves and add one forest and wildlife refuge. In accordance with another IUCN recommendation, the Committee urged the Costa Rican authorities to delete four additional Indian reserves in the north-eastern Atlantic sector and provide to the Secretariat a map showing the ...
Sangay National Park (Ecuador)
The Committee was satisfied to note that the Secretariat, based upon the information provided by IUCN, had sought clarification on the construction of an eight-kilometre highway through this Park. The Committee was pleased to note that the Sub-Secretariat of Forestry and Natural Resources in Ecuador had been able to halt the construction of this road until environmental impact studies are completed. The Committee complimented the Ecuadorean authorities for taking timely action and requested the Secretariat to remind them of the. possibilities for obtaining ...
Sites: Sangay National Park
Mt.Nimba Nature Reserve (Côte d'Ivoire/Guinea)
The Committee recalled that the Bureau at its last session requested the Guinean authorities to submit a new file stating the boundaries of the property receiving adequate protection, and the long-term guarantees for that protection. The Committee was glad to note that such a file had been submitted by the Guinean authorities and that IUCN had undertaken a field mission to evaluate the information provided in that file.
The Committee noted that the proposed iron-ore mining site was within the boundaries of the Mt.Nimba Nature Reserve ...
Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras)
The Committee noted that there had been a recent change in the national agency responsible for the management of this site. The Vice-President of Honduras requested the Committee at its last session to include this site in the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee was informed that the new management authority would submit to the Secretariat a request for international assistance in order to enable the Committee to consider including this site in the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
The Committee recalled that this site had been threatened by the invasion of the Sanctuary by the people of the Bodo tribe in 1989. The Committee was concerned that there had been no response from Indian authorities to its recommendation, made in 1989 and 1990, to nominate this site to the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee noted that a survey undertaken by WWF of the surrounding villages might lead to a more co-operative approach to management in the future and a programme for implementing corrective measures has been suggested by members of ...
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Royal Chitwan National Park (Nepal)
The Committee was pleased to note that the Irrigation Department and the Nepal Planning Commission have formally dropped their plans for a US$30 million irrigation project to divert the Rapti River which would have seriously threatened the integrity of this Park. A study undertaken by the Government of Nepal and the Asian Development Bank, following the intervention of the Committee, showed the project was environmentally unacceptable and its economic benefits to be doubtful. The Committee commended the Nepalese authorities for taking decisive action ...
Sites: Chitwan National Park
Djoudj National Park (Senegal)
The Committee recalled that this site was taken off the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1988, and since then had been the location of a training course from 4-15 March 1991 on Wetland Management, jointly organized by the National Parks Service of Senegal, IUCN's Wetland Programme and the Netherlands Research Institute for Nature Management.
Garajonay National Park (Spain)
The Committee was informed of a road construction project, funded by EEC as part of a large-scale integrated development scheme for the Island of Gomera. If completed, the road would have had serious impacts on the World Heritage site. The Committee was informed that apparently this threat had now been mitigated. Nevertheless, the Committee asked the Secretariat to write to the Spanish authorities and the EEC emphasizing the need for noninterference with the integrity of this or any other World Heritage site in the implementation of such development ...
Sites: Garajonay National Park
Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania)
The Committee was glad to be informed that a proposal to open a route through this Park to drive cattle from the north to the south of the country had been abandoned by the Tanzanian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. If implemented, this project would have exposed the wildlife of Selous to bacterial and viral infection from the cattle and resulted in additional problems such as bush fires, dispersion of cattle, increased poaching and vegetation changes. The Committee commended the Tanzanian authorities for having dropped plans to open the ...
Sites: Selous Game Reserve
Olympic National Park (United States of America)
The Delegate of the United States of America informed the Committee that on 22 July 1991, a Japanese fishing vessel and a Chinese freighter collided off the Olympic Peninsula resulting in a spill of 70,000 gallons of oil. Coastal areas impacted by the oil spill include those within the National Park. An estimated 40-60% of the beaches were affected by the oil spill with short-term effects seen in the loss of sea birds, sea otters, bald eagles and other beach scavengers. These effects appear to have lessened and have been documented through ...
Sites: Olympic National Park
Durmitor National Park (Yugoslavia)
The Committee was concerned about proposals for the construction of a hydro-electric dam on the Tara River which would flood the Tara Canyon and affect water quality of the River. A large asphalt plant upstream was already causing pollution of the river. The Committee recommended that the Yugoslavian authorities provide information on their plans to build a dam along the Tara River and the status of the asphalt plant and a description of their environmental impacts.
Sites: Durmitor National Park
Plitvice Lake National Park (Yugoslavia)
The Committee expressed deep regret and concern regarding the effects of the civil unrest in the country on the status of conservation of this site. The Park has been abandoned by staff and there is no control of activities inside the Park. The Committee was appreciative of the various appeals launched by the Director-General of UNESCO for peace in the area and expressed the hope that conditions will return to normal soon to permit a joint UNESCO/IUCN mission to review damage and plan rehabilitation ...
Sites: Plitvice Lakes National Park
Garamba National Park (Zaire)
The Committee was glad to learn that the rhino population in this Park had increased to 31 and the local management capacity and budget have increased substantially. Poaching has also been brought under control. The Minister for Environment and Nature Protection of Zaire, by his letter of 26 February 1991, requested the removal of this site from the list of World Heritage in Danger. Although the Bureau at its last session in June 1991 recommended the removal of this site from the List of World Heritage in Danger, the Committee took note of the fact that in ...
Sites: Garamba National Park
Kahuzi Biega National Park (Zaire)
The Committee was glad to note that the Government of Zaire and the German Ministry for Co-operation (BMZ) have dropped plans to construct a road through this Park. The Committee commended the Government of Zaire for its decision and encouraged the BMZ to continue its technical co-operation to strengthen protection of the Kahuzi Biega National Park.
Sites: Kahuzi-Biega National Park
Simien National Park (Ethiopia)
The Committee recalled that this Park was abandoned by its staff in 1985 due to civil unrest in the area. The Committee was happy to note that the site had once again become accessible. On the basis of a report submitted by the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Organization, the Committee was informed that all field stations and other infrastructure of the Park had been destroyed. The Committee recognized the need to begin reconstruction work and noted the possibilities for involving local people in this regard. In the light of the urgency to undertake ...
Sites: Simien National Park
The General Assembly,
Having examined documents WHC-05/15.GA/7 et WHC-05/15.GA/INF.7,
Takes note of the report and warmly welcomes the Vienna Memorandum adopted by the International Conference “World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture” (Vienna, 2005);
Based on the Vienna Memorandum, adopts the Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes, as amended by the General Assembly.
32. The Bureau noted that a proposal to construct a dam across the Batoka Gorge could flood some parts of this transfrontier World Heritage site and that the World Heritage Centre has informed the group of consultancy engineers who are undertaking an environmental impact assessment of the dam construction project of potential threats to the integrity of this site. The Bureau requested the World Heritage Centre to contact the States Parties concerned and obtain more information on the proposed dam construction project for submission to the Committee in December 1992.
33. The Bureau took ...
The Bureau recalled that the Committee, at its last session, had noted that eight helicopters simultaneously 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 over protected areas. At its last session, the Committee was informed that the Brazilian authorities had established a group to study the matter and had requested the Secretariat to contact the Argentine authorities to obtain lir information on the steps taken by them. The Brazilian authorities have, by their letter of 5 ...
The Bureau noted that, as requested by the Committee at the time of the inscription of this property on the World Heritage List in 1988, IUCN had undertaken a mission to the site. The Bureau learnt with satisfaction that despite a slow start, the management of the Wet Tropics area had achieved much progress last year, particularly with respect to:
(a) establishing a headquarters and appointment of staff; (b)drafting of legislation; (c) preparing of management plans andsite plans; (d) carrying out a number of policy-relevant studies; (e) setting-up advisory committees and a management ...
Sites: Wet Tropics of Queensland
The Bureau recalled that the Committee, at its last session, recommended that the Bulgarian authorities nominate this site for inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger because this small (600 hectare) World Heritage site had lost much of its ecological viability. The Bureau was informed that IUCN had undertaken two missions to Bulgaria since the last session of the Committee and that although the site's importance as a Ramsar site and a Biosphere Reserve, in particular within a European context, could still be retained with the implementation of specific remedial actions, its ...
Sites: Srebarna Nature Reserve
The Bureau was in agreement with the proposal of the Canadian authorities to delete 423 hectares, where petroleum and natural gas exploration will take place, and add 2,133 hectares of significantly higher conservation value to this site. In effect, the proposed modification of the boundaries of the site has resulted in a net gain of about 1,700 hectares in the total area of this Park. The Bureau recommended that the Committee register the report and the map provided by the Canadian authorities describing the revised boundaries of this World Heritage site.
Sites: Dinosaur Provincial Park
The Bureau was informed of progress achieved by the Canadian authorities in addressing threats to the conservation of this, Ripe site. The Bureau congratulated the Canadian authorities for the programme of action they have set in motion for its conservation. However, the Bureau was in agreement with the fact that safeguarding the World Heritage values of this site require continuous action over the long-term and requested the World Heritage Centre and IUCN to monitor the state of conservation of this site to report to the Committee any problems that may arise.
Sites: Wood Buffalo National Park
The Bureau recalled that when this site was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1988, several members of the Committee had registered their reservations as to its state of conservation and several threats to its integrity. The Bureau was concerned that despite assurances given to the Committee at the time of its inscription and the US$27 million EEC project in the region, the deterioration of the property had continued and this site still does not have a management plan. The Bureau took note of the intention of the President of the Central African Republic to transfer the management ...
The Bureau commended the Panamanian authorities for preventing 59,000 hectares of La Amistad National Park being released for oil exploration.
The Bureau noted that the Costa Rican authorities have not responded to the Secretariat's letter of 6 February 1992, requesting them to consider revising the boundaries of the Talamanca-La Amistad Reserves by deleting four Indian Reserves in the north-eastern Atlantic sector and submit a map showing the new boundaries of the site. Furthermore, the Bureau was also informed by the representative of IUCN that earlier plans to construct a road through ...
The Bureau noted that the Croatian authorities have officially informed UNESCO that they will abide by the obligations of the World Heritage Convention and requested that a joint UNESCO/IUCN mission be undertaken to assess the impacts which unrest in the region has had on the state of conservation of Plitvice Lake National Park. The Bureau recommended that the Committee, as requested by the Croatian authorities, inscribe Plitvice Lake National Park on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Bureau also decided to set aside an amount upto US$30,000 as emergency assistance to enable the ...
Sites: Plitvice Lakes National Park
The Bureau was satisfied to note that the Sub-Secretario Forestal y Recursos Naturales y Renovables which is responsible for the management of this site has been successful in halting a proposed road construction project in order to bring together the relevant provincial and national agencies to discuss the environmental impact of the project and plan mitigating measures. In this regard, the Bureau commended the Ecuadorean authorities for having obtained official approval for including substantial areas south of the World Heritage site into the National Park. The Bureau, however, was ...
Sites: Sangay National Park
The Bureau was informed that the employees of this World Heritage site recently staged a four-week strike demanding higher salaries and other improvements of their working conditions. The Bureau also noted that a draft tourism and conservation plan for Galapagos is now being finalized and the Master Plan for the management of the Park would have to be revised in the light of the strategies and programme of actions foreseen in the tourism and conservation plan. The Bureau recommended that the World Heritage Centre contact the Ecuadorean authorities and request them to consider undertaking ...
Sites: Galápagos Islands
The Bureau noted with satisfaction that the Ethiopian authorities have submitted a rehabilitation project for this site. This project is now being implemented with US$50,000 approved by the World Heritage Committee.
Sites: Simien National Park
The Bureau recalled that the Committee at its last session concluded that the reduction in the size of this site proposed by the Government of Guinea in order to exclude areas that would be impacted by a proposed iron-ore mining project, posed a major threat to its integrity. Taking into account that the site also faced several other threats, the Committee, at its last session recommended that the Governments of C6te d'Ivoire and Guinea nominate this site for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Bureau noted with satisfaction that experts of Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea, ...
The World Heritage Centre informed the Bureau that the damage caused by the invasion of this Sanctuary by militants from the Bodo tribe in Assam, India, was estimated to be about 50 million Indian rupees (about 1.6 million US dollars). Although considerable damage was done to the Park infrastructure, the habitat in the inaccessible parts of the Sanctuary still remained intact. The Bureau, while noting that the conditions for introducing normal management and administration regimes for the site may be improving, was nevertheless concerned that a full assessment of damage had not been made ...
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
The Bureau expressed concerns that the region in which this site, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1991, is situated has recently been affected by armed unrest. The Bureau was informed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Niger had requested the Director-General of UNESCO to launch an appeal for the protection of this site. The Bureau recommended that the World Heritage Centre contact the authorities in Niger and obtain more information on the impact the armed unrest in the region has had on the state of the conservation of the site and request them to nominate ...
The Bureau was informed by the representative of IUCN that the vegetation cover in this mixed site has been destroyed and could have adverse impacts on the landscape in the area. The Bureau requested the World Heritage Centre to contact the Greek authorities and obtain verification of this information and to request them to invite a mission to examine the state of conservation of this site.
Sites: Mount Athos
The Bureau recalled that an environmental impact study had found that the construction of a road through this National Park was preferable to the alternative of routing the road along the periphery of the Park because the route inside the Park could be better patrolled by Park staff. The Bureau noted that although the construction of the road had begun, work on the road has been temporarily suspended due to the beginning of the rainy season. The Delegate of Senegal informed the Bureau that the National Park Service had established several points, including one at Niokolo-Koba, to monitor ...
Sites: Niokolo-Koba National Park
The Bureau was pleased to note that the English version of the "Preservation and Management Plan" for this mixed site, prepared with financial assistance from the World Heritage Fund, has been published. The observer from Turkey informed the Bureau that the implementation of the Plan has begun and a project to remove some of the hotels and associated infrastructure which were threatening the integrity and authenticity of the site will soon commence and that the Turkish authorities hope to request international assistance from the World Heritage Fund to meet part of the costs of ...
Sites: Hierapolis-Pamukkale
The Bureau noted that the authorities responsible for the management of this site had submitted to the Secretariat several reports on the potential impacts of the proposed hydroelectric dam construction on the Tara River and the pollution of that river by a large asphalt plant situated upstream along the river. The Bureau was informed by the representative of IUCN that the Yugoslav authorities maintained that the two problems mentioned above had minimal impacts on the conservation of Durmitor and that necessary measures to mitigate those impacts were being taken. However, the Bureau ...
Sites: Durmitor National Park
The Bureau was happy to note that the rhinoceros population in the Park has now increased to 32 individuals due to an increase in the budget and personnel and that the state of conservation of the site continues to be stable. Hence, the Bureau recommended that the Committee, in accordance with the request made by the State Party by letter of 26 February 1991, delete this site from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Sites: Garamba National Park
48. The Bureau took note of document CLT-92/CONF.003/02 and commended the efforts of the Director-General of UNESCO for the safeguarding of the cultural heritage of Dubrovnik, particularly:
- his joint appeal together with the United Nations Secretary General for a return to peace and the protection of cultural heritage;
- his appeal to the various UNESCO missions to the different parties involved in the conflict with the aim of enforcing the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Event of Armed Conflict (The Hague, 1954) and the World Heritage ...
Sites: Old City of Dubrovnik
The Bureau was happy to learn that the restoration work on the monuments at Arles (France) was continuing, thanks to participation of the Ministry of Culture, and also with important contributions from the municipal authorities and the World Monuments Fund.
The Bureau also noted with satisfaction the continuing efforts of the persons responsible for the conservation of the archaelogical site of Kerkouane (Tunisia), to reinforce the cliff which is being eroded by waves.
The Bureau took note of the information provided by the World Heritage Centre on the site of the Pont du Gard (France). It appears that the development activities at the site do not endanger its authenticity but seem to help re-establish it, as an existing electricity line will be buried.
With regard to the state of conservation of the monuments of Goreme (Turkey), the Bureau noted the willingness of the national authorities to continue the restoration of the site and requested the World Heritage Centre to prepare, in consultation with the responsible Turkish authorities and specialists, a more detailed dossier concerning tourist developments which may be detrimental to the visibility of the monuments.
The Bureau noted with concern the dangers threatening the conservation of the site because of its fragility and the increasing flow of pilgrims, as well as a possible reconstruction of the church over the saint's tomb. The Bureau requested the World Heritage Centre to draw the attention of the competent national authorities to these matters and request their assurances to take all action necessary for conserving this site.
Sites: Abu Mena
The Bureau noted that the restoration work was continuing and that the archaeological activities were limited to excavation connected with the installation of an electric line. The Bureau was concerned that the means and human resources to ensure the protection of the site was not yet in place.
Sites: Delos
The Bureau was satisfied with the positive assessment of the state of conservation of the monuments and expressed its wish that the national authorities take measures to strengthen the protection of this site.
Despite the fact that it was aware of the efforts of specialists and the Tunisian authorities for conserving this site, the Bureau was, however, concerned about the modifications which affected the environment of the site and requested the competent authorities to take urgent measures necessary to reestablish the harmony of the site and its surroundings, halt all new constructions in the immediate environs and demolish the shopping arcade constructed on one side of the amphitheatre. If it is not possible to demolish the arcade, then it would be desirable to conceal it with a hedge. ...
Sites: Amphitheatre of El Jem
The Bureau took note with satisfaction that the urban development plan of the town had been modified and wished to obtain more information regarding the new plan from the competent Turkish authorities.
Sites: Historic Areas of Istanbul
The Bureau expressed its concern regarding the protection of Megalithic temples and requested the World Heritage Centre to draw the attention of the competent Maltese authorities to the necessity of establishing a larger buffer zone with better legal protection. A report on the information received will be submitted to the Committee at its next session, particularly in the light of a proposal for extension of this site presented by the Maltese authorities this year.
Sites: Megalithic Temples of Malta
The Bureau was concerned by the construction project inside the Vatican City of a concrete building of several floors in the place of the old Hospice de Santa Marta, the demolition of which was undertaken on 1 June 1992.
The breach in the Leonin Wall that appeared during this work constitutes a danger to the integrity of this fortified ensemble. Moreover, because of its co-visibility with the dome of Saint-Pierre, the height of the planned building would cause irreparable damage to the urban landscape of Rome, as well as to the Vatican City.
The Bureau recommended that the World ...
Sites: Vatican City
The Bureau took note with satisfaction of the safeguarding activities undertaken by UNESCO for Cambodian heritage. The Organization had already started this work before the signature of the peace treaty. Since then, Cambodia has adhered to the Convention and the Bureau considered it to be its duty to participate actively in the restoration and conservation of Angkor.
A member of the Bureau underlined the fact that the inscription of this site on the World Heritage List was a matter of genuine urgency. In fact, following the war which devastated this country, the protection of the site ...
Sites: Angkor
The representative of ICOMOS reported to the Bureau on the cultural sites he had monitored. A more detailed report accompanied by slide projections will be made during the Santa Fe session in December 1992 for all the cases mentioned. The properties in question are: Kizhi Pogost (Russian Federation), Monastery of Rila (Bulgaria), Budapest (Hungary) and Stonehenge (United Kingdom). With regard to the site of Stonehenge, the ICOMOS Representative mentioned the problem of tourist pressure and the deviation of the road A-344. A more detailed report will be submitted at the next session of the ...
The Bureau was informed of the building proposals in the buffer zone along the Saint-Lawrence River and the impact they would have on the views to and from the River. ICOMOS was critical about the consultation process and the design and specifically of the failure of the many levels of government to work together. The Bureau also learnt that four other prominent persons in Quebec had expressed similar concerns. The Bureau noted with concern the incompatibility between such activities and the aspiration of Quebec City concerning the World Heritage Cities Secretariat. The creation of an ...