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
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 ...
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 ...
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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 ...
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.
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 ...
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.