Property: Central Suriname Nature Reserve
Id. N°: 1017
State Party: Suriname
Criteria: N (ii) (iv)
The Committee inscribed the Central Suriname Nature Reserve under natural criteria (ii) and (iv).
Criteria (ii) and (iv): The site encompasses significant vertical relief, topography and soil conditions that have resulted in a variety of ecosystems. This ecosystem variation allows organisms within these ecosystems to move in response to disturbance, adapt to change and maintain gene flow between populations. The site's size, undisturbed state (in general a rare condition in Amazonian forest parks) and protection of the entire Coppename watershed, will allow long-term functioning of the ecosystem. The site contains a high diversity of plant and animal species, many of which are endemic to the Guyana Shield and are globally threatened.
The Delegate of Thailand expressed his concern about potential threats from gold mining and impacts to the integrity of the site. IUCN noted that the site is a pristine area, that the first phase of the management planning has been completed and that a US$ 18 million trust fund to support protection of the site was established, which could serve as a model for other sites.
This Chairperson informed the Committee that the site is Suriname's first inscription on the World Heritage List.