State of Conservation (SOC)
Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (2006)
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds
Total amount provided to the property: USD 60,000 within the framework of the IUCN/UNF/UNESCO “Enhancing our Heritage” Project
International Assistance granted to the property
Requests Approved: 0
(from1982-1996)
Total Amount Ap proved: 198,000USD
| 1996 | Conservation strategy and preparation of a management plan for ... | 30,000 USD |
| 1988 | Equipment for Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve | 20,000 USD |
| 1987 | Consultant services, training and equipment for improving the ... | 30,000 USD |
| 1985 | Strengthen protection and management of Rio Platano Biosphere ... | 20,000 USD |
| 1983 | Implementation of protective measures, of training activities and ... | 26,000 USD |
| 1982 | Financial contribution towards ecodevelopment programmes and ... | 67,025 USD |
| 1982 | Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve | 4,975 USD |
Missions**
IUCN missions in 1995 and 2000; UNESCO/IUCN mission in 2003
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
a) Illegal livestock grazing and agricultural intrusions;
b) Illegal logging;
c) Poaching;
d) Invasive exotic species;
e) Management deficiencies;
f) Potential impacts from hydroelectric development project Patuca II.
Corrective Measures
The following benchmarks were proposed by the 2003 IUCN/UNESCO mission and adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004) (28 COM 15A.13):
a) complete the compensation and relocation of the seven families and 32 land owners remaining in the core zone;
b) cancel all Honduras Forestry Development Commission (COHDEFOR) resolutions related to dead wood harvesting in the Olancho, Colón and Atlándida departments;
c) prevent unauthorized activities in the buffer zone, including: agricultural expansion, illegal logging and poaching, specifically by putting into operation permanent and temporary checkpoints located at critical access points;
d) develop inter-institutional work plans that provide clear definitions of the roles and responsibilities of the various public and private entities involved in the Reserve’s management; and
e) disseminate the environmental management plans related to the Ministry of Agriculture’s development strategy within the Sico’Paulaya Valley zone.
Current conservation issues
At the time of preparation of this document, the report requested by the Committee by Decision 29 COM 7A.12 had not been received from the State Party of Honduras.
The IUCN/UNF/UNESCO Enhancing our Heritage Project (EoH), which includes Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve as a pilot site, reported in 2005 the completion of a revised assessment of the values and management problems confronting the property as well as initiation of monitoring programmes focussed on developing management targets to address existing conservation issues. Two staff members have been appointed by the Minister of the Environment of Honduras to support implementation of monitoring programmes using EoH project funding.
IUCN continues to receive reports on continued illegal logging and poaching occurring within the Park boundaries. The southern and western zones of the Reserve are subject to massive illegal extraction of precious wood such as Caoba (Swietenia macrophylla). This problem has been addressed in the report “The illegal logging crisis in Honduras” (available at www.eia-international.org) prepared by the Environmental Investigation Agency with the support of the Centre for International Policy. The report notes that illegal logging is still a serious conservation issue in the Park, impacting its rich wildlife. The report also notes that the illegal activity has extended into the core areas of the Park.
The World Heritage Centre and IUCN are concerned with the continued degradation of the Biosphere Reserve buffer zone. Large areas of the buffer zone, particularly in the Rio Seco watershed to the north and east of the core zone, have been totally degraded by cattle ranching. Although the buffer zone is not included in the World Heritage property, its ongoing degradation might affect the integrity of the property
Conclusion
Decision
30COM7A.15
Link to the decision
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-06/30.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 28 COM 15A.13 and 29 COM 7A.12, adopted at its 28th (Suzhou, 2004) and 29th (Durban, 2005) sessions respectively,
3. Regrets that the report provided by the State Party, as requested by the Committee at its 29th session (Durban, 2005), was received by the World Heritage Centre on June 30th 2006, leaving little time for a thorough review;
4. Notes that the State Party has reported to the World Heritage Centre that it has fulfilled two of the target benchmarks set by the Committee for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger and that progress was made in the implementation of the recommendations of the joint 2003 UNESCO/IUCN mission, as requested by the Committee at its 29th session (Durban, 2005);
5. Requests the State Party to implement, before 2007, the remaining corrective measures proposed by the 2003 UNESCO/IUCN monitoring mission in order to meet the benchmarks set by the World Heritage Committee at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004) for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger:
a) Prevent unauthorized activities in the buffer zone, including: agricultural expansion, illegal logging and poaching, specifically by putting into operation permanent and temporary checkpoints located at critical access points;
b) Develop inter-institutional work plans that provide clear definitions of the roles and responsibilities of the various public and private entities involved in the Reserve's management; and
c) Disseminate the environmental management plans related to the Ministry of Agriculture's development strategy within the Sico'Paulaya Valley zone;
6. Notes with appreciation the formal invitation from the State Party to UNESCO and IUCN, received in the letter of transmission of the report, to carry out a further monitoring mission to the property;
7. Requests the World Heritage Centre and IUCN to undertake a joint mission to assess progress in the implementation of the above noted benchmarks in view of a possible removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger at its 31st session in 2007;
8. Decides to retain the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
30COM8C.2
Link to the decision
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined the state of conservation reports of properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger (WHC-06/30.COM/7A and WHC-06/30.COM/7A.Add.Rev),
2. Maintains the following properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger:
• Afghanistan, Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Decision 30 COM 7A.22)
• Afghanistan, Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley, (Decision 30 COM 7A.23)
• Azerbaijan, Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower (Decision 30 COM 7A.29)
• Benin, Royal Palaces of Abomey (Decision 30 COM 7A.16)
• Central African Republic, Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.1)
• Chile, Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (Decision 30 COM 7A.31)
• Côte d'Ivoire, Comoé National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.2)
• Côte d'Ivoire / Guinea, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Decision 30 COM 7A.3)
• Democratic Rep. of the Congo, Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Decision 30 COM 7A.8)
• Democratic Rep. of the Congo Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.6)
• Democratic Rep. of the Congo Virunga National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.7)
• Democratic Rep. of the Congo Garamba National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.4)
• Democratic Rep. of the Congo Salonga National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.5)
• Egypt, Abu Mena (Decision 30 COM 7A.19)
• Ethiopia, Simien National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.9)
• Honduras, Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Decision 30 COM 7A.15)
• India, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Decision 30 COM 7A.13)
• Islamic Republic of Iran, Bam and its Cultural Landscape (Decision 30 COM 7A.25)
• Iraq, Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Decision 30 COM 7A.20)
• Jerusalem, Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (Decision 30 COM 7A.34)
• Nepal, Kathmandu Valley (Decision 30 COM 7A.26)
• Niger, Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Decision 30 COM 7A.10)
• Pakistan, Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (Decision 30 COM 7A.27)
• Peru, Chan Chan Archaelogical Zone (Decision 30 COM 7A.32)
• Philippines, Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (Decision 30 COM 7A.28)
• United Republic of Tanzania, Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara (Decision 28 COM 7A.17)
• United States of America, Everglades National Park (Decision 30 COM 7A.14)
• Venezuela, Coro and its Port (Decision 30 COM 7A.33)
• Yemen, Historic Town of Zabid (Decision 30 COM 7A.21)
Draft Decision: 30 COM 7A.15
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-06/30.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 28 COM 15A.13 and 29 COM 7A.12, adopted at its 28th (Suzhou, 2004) and 29th (Durban, 2005) sessions respectively,
3. Regrets that no report was provided by the State Party on the progress made in relation to the benchmarks set by the Committee for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger and the implementation of the recommendations of the joint 2003 UNESCO/IUCN mission, as requested by the Committee at its 29th session (Durban, 2005);
4. Expresses its utmost concern about reports on continued illegal logging in the property;
5. Reiterates its request to the State Party to implement without further delay all corrective measures in order to meet the benchmarks set by the World Heritage Committee at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004) for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
6. Requests the State Party to invite a joint UNESCO/IUCN mission to assess the state of conservation of the property and in particular progress made in meeting the benchmarks set by the Committee and implementing the remaining recommendations of the joint 2003 UNESCO/IUCN mission;
7. Further requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre with an updated report by 1 February 2007 on the state of conservation of the property, specifically on progress made in relation to the benchmarks set by the Committee for a removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, along with a timeframe for their achievement, as well as progress made on the implementation of the remaining recommendations of the joint 2003 UNESCO/IUCN mission, for examination by the Committee at its 31st session in 2007;
8. Decides to retain the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve
HondurasDocuments
Original Documents
WHC-06/30.COM/7AOther Documents
View inscribed site documents, nomination file, reports, decisions, ...
Exports
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Detailed List of SOC reports
Threats*
Inscription on the Danger List
Year: 2011Threats to the Site:
a) Illegal logging;
b) Illegal occupation;
c) Reduced capacity of the State Party;
d) General deterioration of law and order and the security situation in the region.
Threats to the Site:
At both its 19th and 20th sessions, the World Heritage Committee heard reports of commercial and agricultural intrusions into the site, threatening the World Heritage values for which it had been inscribed. The advancing agricultural frontier at the west side of the reserve, pushed by small farmers and cattle ranchers, is already reducing the reserve's forest area. The southern and western zones of the Reserve are subject to massive extraction of precious wood such as Caoba (Swietenia macrophylla). Uncontrolled commercial hunting of wild animals is also practised. The introduction of exotic species is threatening to undermine the complex ecosystem of the Reserve. The absence of any management plan and the fact that there is almost no park staff to manage the 525,100 ha site has compounded the problem.
An eleven-point corrective action plan, recommended by a 1996 IUCN conservation status report, has been endorsed by the Minister for the Environment of Honduras and the elaboration of a management plan for Rio Platano is being carried out with a World Heritage Fund contribution, as part of a large-scale project for strengthening the conservation of the site financed by the German GTZ-KFW.
A hydroelectric development project, Patuca II, is currently proposed for implementation near the reserve with potential negative impacts on the site. According to reports, the Government is promoting the rapid implementation of this project. Matters are further complicated by the fact that communications with relevant authorities in Honduras have become difficult following recent damages caused to the country's infrastructure by Hurricane Mitch.
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
