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 ...
The Bureau was happy to learn of the innovative efforts made by the competent American authorities for the long-lasting conservation of Chaco Canyon.
Sites: Chaco Culture
Air and Tenere Nature Reserve (Niger)
The Committee expressed concern that the region in which this site is situated has recently been affected by civil disturbance. The Committee 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 competent authorities in Niger, in accordance with the recommendation of the Bureau made at its last session in Paris in July 1992, have requested the Committee to include this site in the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Niger ...
Danube Delta (Romania)
The Committee recalled that when this site was inscribed on the World Heritage List at its last session in Carthage, Tunisia, it requested IUCN and the Secretariat to submit a progress report at its sixteenth session. The Committee was concerned that despite assurances given at its last session by the Representative of Romania, the final steps in the process to establish a legislative framework for this site have not yet been completed. The Committee instructed the Centre to contact the competent authorities in Romania to remind them of the assurances they gave the ...
Sites: Danube Delta
Djoudj National Park (Senegal)
The Committee recalled that the repair of barrages and gates regulating water flow into this wetland area was financed by the World Heritage Fund in 1988. The Committee noted that the parallel wooden planks, held together by clay, which keep the gates dry and resistant to water leaks and seepage to and from the Djoudj River, have been found to be defective, and that the Senegalese authorities had been provided emergency assistance for the purchase of wood to replace the existing planks at an estimated total cost of about US$10,000. The Delegate of Senegal ...
Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal)
The Bureau at its last session held in Paris in July 1992, requested IUCN to provide an up-to-date report on the measures taken by the Senegalese authorities to mitigate the impacts of a road being constructed through this Park. The Committee noted that IUCN's Office for Western Africa, in co-operation with the Senegal National Park Service and the University of Dakar has undertaken a field mission to examine the mitigative measures taken and that the findings of the mission will be reported to the Bureau when it convenes for its seventeenth ...
Sites: Niokolo-Koba National Park
Everglades National Park (United States of America)
The Delegate for the United States of America informed the Committee members of the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew to this site. The hurricane which affected extensive areas in south Florida on 24 August 1992, damaged virtually all large hammock trees and destroyed 20-25% of the royal palms, 25-40% of the pines, 90% of trees where the red-cockaded woodpeckers nested and 70,000 acres of mangrove forests. Despite the extent of the damage caused, the Committee noted with satisfaction that a post-hurricane survey of the area undertaken ...
Sites: Everglades National Park
Chaco Canyon (United States of America)
Following the monitoring report presented by ICOMOS on the status of the Chaco Canyon site, the Committee expressed its warm congratulations to the National Park Service for the work carried out.
Sites: Chaco Culture
Durmitor National Park (Montenegro)
The Committee 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 construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Tara River and the pollution of that river by a large asphalt plant situated upstream along the river. The Committee was informed that the Montenegro 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. In ...
Sites: Durmitor National Park
Garamba National Park (Zaire)
The Committee recalled that at its last session, it deferred taking a decision to remove this site from the List of World Heritage in Danger, due to the uncertainties associated with prevailing civil unrest in Zaire at that time.
The Committee was happy to note that the rhinoceros population in the Park has now increased to 32 individuals and that the state of conservation of the site continues to be stable. Hence, the Committee recommended, in accordance with the request made by the State Party by letter of 26 February 1991, to remove this site from the ...
Sites: Garamba National Park
Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls (Zambia/Zimbabwe)
The Committee 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 Bureau had requested the Centre to contact the States Parties concerned and obtain more information on the proposed dam construction project.
The Director of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management of Zimbabwe has informed the World Heritage Centre that the dam to be built at the Batoka Gorge will flood up to the third gorge which is about 10 km inside the World ...
Mt. Athos (Greece)
The Committee noted that the deforestation in this mixed site could have adverse impacts on the landscape in the area. In response to a request for information from the Centre, the Greek authorities indicated that 25,732 acres of forest in the area were damaged due to a fire in 1990 and this calamity might have been responsible for reports concerning the removal of vegetation. The Greek authorities have, however, pointed out that the natural regeneration of the forest is progressing satisfactorily.
The Committee noted that Mt. Athos is an autonomous region within ...
Sites: Mount Athos
Rila Monastery (Bulgaria)
After the presentation on the Monastery of Rila, the Committee asked the World Heritage Centre to write a letter to the Bulgarian authorities to draw their attention to the necessity for implementing a management plan in co-operation with Church representatives.
Sites: Rila Monastery
Abou Mena (Egypt)
The Committee was apprised of the report presented on the site of Abou Mena following concerns expressed by the Bureau in July 1992. At the request of the Chairperson, the Delegate from Egypt provided all the clarifications regarding allegations on the state of the site in his report, which the Chairperson, upon the suggestion of one of the delegates, requested the Committee to include in the report as an appendix. During the discussion which followed, the Tunisian Delegate asked the Centre to pay special attention to confirming the information received by the ...
Sites: Abu Mena
Olympic National Park (United States of America)
At its last session the Committee was informed by the Delegate of the United States of America of an oil spill off the coast of this World Heritage site. As requested by the Committee at its last session, the US Delegate submitted to the Committee a description of the plan and organization of the emergency response mechanism used to mitigate the negative impacts of the oil spill and a proposed study to make an inventory and monitor affected coastal areas. The Committee was informed that the long-term impacts of the oil spill were unknown. ...
Sites: Olympic National Park
Delos and Delphi (Greece)
The Deputy Director of the World Heritage Centre informed the Committee of the status of the site of Delos, over which the Bureau had expressed some concern in terms of the human resources required for its protection. Following the explanations provided by the Observer from Greece, the Committee took note of the willingness of the Greek authorities to increase the number of guards in spite of the problems involved in attracting employees to an island which is no longer inhabited. On the other hand, concerning the site of Delphi, the Greek Observer reminded the ...
Vatican (Holy See)
The Committee was informed of the various actions undertaken by the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS in collaboration with the Holy See authorities following a certain number of protests concerning a new building on the site of the Hospice of Santa Marta.
The Director of the World Heritage Centre as well as ICOMOS were able to ascertain at the site that the allegations reported mainly by the press were groundless. They commended the spirit of co-operation with which this problem had been approached by the authorities of the Vatican. One delegate congratulated ICOMOS ...
Sites: Vatican City
Ggantija Temples (Malta)
The Deputy Director of the World Heritage Centre brought up the problem of protecting the Megalithic temples of Ggantija and indicated that the report requested of the Maltese authorities on this subject had arrived shortly before the sixteenth session of the Committee. This report shows that the authorities involved have taken the Bureau's concerns into consideration and confirmed the request to extend the site.
Sites: Megalithic Temples of Malta
Ancient City of Damascus (Syria)
The Deputy Director of the World Heritage Centre reported on the information unofficially transmitted to UNESCO expressing concern over the work being done on the western wall of the Mosque of the Omeyyades in Damascus (Syria). When invited by the Chairperson to provide clarification, the Delegate from Syria retraced the history of the Mosque and confirmed that the work in question is being effected on a wall built about twenty years ago to protect the Mosque's inner courtyard from the rain.
The ensuing discussion emphasized the need for the Centre to ...
Sites: Ancient City of Damascus
El Jem (Tunisia)
Regarding the site of El Jem (Tunisia), the Committee was informed of the measures taken at the highest level of Government, as the President of the Republic of Tunisia had transmitted through, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to the concerns of the Bureau, the decisions pertaining to a halt in the construction of any extension to the shopping arcade and to the ban on construction of any permanent structures within the amphitheatre. Concerning this point, the Delegate from Tunisia took the floor to thank the Committee for its interest in heritage at large and ...
Sites: Amphitheatre of El Jem
Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia (Turkey)
The Committee noted with concern the information received on the state of conservation of the site. According to the consultant responsible for evaluation of the site in question, the Turkish authorities and the Ministry of Culture in particular did not seem to be aware of the decisions taken by the Committee in 1985 providing for an extension of the protected area of the Goreme site. According to the consultant's report, this site is undergoing serious changes due mainly to the construction of hotels in the safeguarded ...
Historic Areas of Istanbul (Turkey)
On the subject of Istanbul, ICOMOS found the information provided by the Turkish authorities to be acceptable. However, it would be desirable for ICOMOS to obtain the accompanying plans of the master safeguard plan, which the Centre might request. Given the importance of Istanbul, which, like Goreme, is the subject of a UNESCO international safeguard campaign, the Committee felt it necessary to send a mission there.
Sites: Historic Areas of Istanbul
Quebec Historic Area (Canada)
In response to information conveyed by the press as well as by groups and individuals, the ICOMOS Representative informed the Committee of the task assigned to him by the World Heritage Centre to examine, with the authorities in Quebec, two construction projects (one for the IMAX cinema and one for a naval academy) both on the land located immediately outside the protected area. The ICOMOS report on this matter and the additional explanations given by him gave rise to two statements, the first by the Observer from Canada and the second by the Representative ...
Paris, Banks of the Seine (France)
Concern was expressed with regard to the insertion of a new building in the historic setting of the Banks of the Seine in Paris. Based on a visit to the site and a study of the architectural project, an ICOMOS expert, Mr. Barthelemy, made a favourable report on the project which was approved by ICOMOS and of which the Committee took note.
Sites: Paris, Banks of the Seine
Budapest, the Banks of the Danube (Hungary)
After having analyzed the characteristics of the construction project for the French Institute of Culture building in Budapest, the ICOMOS Representative emphasized the doctrinal considerations involved in inserting contemporary architecture in historic quarters, and the necessity to avoid pastiche or "kitch". He proposed that no action should be taken with regard to this project.
Historic Centre of Rome (Italy)
The ICOMOS Representative informed the Committee of the state of the Rome Colisseum which is suffering both from air pollution due to the proximity of a road and from vibrations caused by the subway. At present financial support from the Banco de Roma is enabling conservation work of the monument to ensure its safeguard.
The Delegate of Italy intervened to thank ICOMOS for the scientific information presented to the Committee and which recalled the usual problems dealt with concerning catastrophes, but in this case the problem of the Colisseum is the ...
Kathmandu Valley (Nepal)
Upon the initiative of ICOMOS, the report pertaining to the Valley of Kathmandu was submitted to the attention of the Committee. This site is the subject of a UNESCO international safeguard campaign and, as the ICOMOS Representative pointed out, numerous reports have been written about it for the past twenty years. Moreover, following an ICOMOS seminar held recently in Nepal on wood conservation, the ICOMOS Representative was able to confirm previously identified obstacles posed by the protection of sites in the Kathmandu Valley. He expressed his concern for the ...
Sites: Kathmandu Valley
Kizhi Pogost (Russian Federation)
With the help of slide illustrations, the ICOMOS Representative introduced the status of the site of Kizhi Pogost, explaining the nature of the problems and the manner in which urgent problems were determined. This presentation was followed by a discussion during which several technical questions were raised. The Committee decided to support the coordination effort undertaken by ICOMOS for this site, and requested that a report be provided during the next meeting of the Bureau in view of implementing an assistance project. The Committee adopted the ...
Sites: Kizhi Pogost
Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites (United Kingdom)
Concerning Stonehenge, the ICOMOS representative provided all the details on the management of the site as well as on the anticipated projects for improvement, including that of a museum site. The ICOMOS recommended to the World Heritage Centre to write to the authorities in the United Kingdom in order to support the measures undertaken for the management of Stonehenge.
Hadrian's Wall (United Kingdom)
Bringing up the point pertaining to Hadrian's Wall, the ICOMOS Representative indicated to the Committee that ICOMOS is taking the necessary steps to monitor all actions undertaken near this site and will keep the Committee informed. These include projects for opencast coal mining and for a long-distance footpath.
City of Bath (United Kingdom)
The Committee noted with satisfaction the model plan drawn up for the City of Bath. The World Heritage Centre was asked to write to the authorities in the United Kingdom to this effect.
Sites: City of Bath
Tipasa (Algeria)
Mr. Beschaouch indicated that he had personally ascertained the status of the site of Tipasa in Algeria during a visit in October 1992. This site had suffered the effects of an earthquake in October 1989 and emergency assistance had been granted by the Fund.
The remedial works had been completed in good conditions and a safeguard plan elaborated. He asked the Committee to recommend application of the safeguard plan in order to ensure the integrity of the site. The Committee adopted this proposal. Furthermore, Mr. Beschaouch raised the question of training of scientific ...
Sites: Tipasa
Tyr (Lebanon)
Concerning the site of Tyr, the Committee requested, at the suggestion of Mr. Beschaouch, that a report be provided during the next meeting of the Bureau on the project carried out by the Lebanese authorities and UNESCO, specifically from the standpoint of the international safeguard campaign.
Sites: Tyre
Ksar of Alt-Ben-Haddou (Morocco)
Mr. Beschaouch brought to the attention of the Committee information pertaining to a project implemented jointly by UNDP, UNESCO (World Heritage Centre) and the Moroccan authorities on the site of the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou (Morocco) and pointed this out as a positive example, and the Committee took note of this.
Sites: Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
Galapagos National Park (Ecuador)
The Committee was informed that the employees of this World Heritage site staged a four-week strike during may-June 1992, demanding higher salaries and other improvements of their working conditions. The Committee also noted that a draft tourism and conservation plan for Galapagos is now being finalized and the management plan of the Park would have to be revised in the light of the strategies and programme of action foreseen in the tourism and conservation plan.
The Committee noted with satisfaction that the Galapagos National Park authorities, in ...
Sites: Galápagos Islands
Wet Tropics of Queensland (Australia)
The Committee noted that, as requested at the time of the inscription of this property on the World Heritage List in 1988, IUCN had undertaken a review mission to the site. The Committee learnt with satisfaction that despite a slow start, the management of the Wet Tropics area had achieved much progress, particularly with respect to:
(a) establishing a headquarters and appointment of staff; (b) drafting legislation; (c) preparing management plans and site plans; (d) carrying out a number of policy-relevant studies; (e) setting-up advisory committees ...
Sites: Wet Tropics of Queensland
Srebarna Biosphere Reserve (Bulgaria)
The Committee recalled that at its last session, it recommended that the Bulgarian authorities nominate this small (600 ha) site for inclusion in the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee was informed of the conclusion of two IUCN missions to this site undertaken in early 1992: although Srebarna's importance as a Ramsar site and a biosphere reserve could still be retained by the implementation of specific remedial measures, its World Heritage status can no longer be justified because it has deteriorated to a state where it has irretrievably ...
Sites: Srebarna Nature Reserve
Manovo-Gounda Saint Floris (Central African Republic)
The Committee 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. Despite assurances given to the Committee at the time of its inscription and the US$27 million EEC (European Economic Community) project which had been implemented in the region, the deterioration of the property had continued and this site still does not have a management plan. The Committee was informed of ...
Talamanca-La Amistad National Park (Costa Rica-Panama)
The Committee commended the Panamanian authorities for preventing 59,000 hectares of La Amistad National Park being released for oil exploration.
The Committee noted that the Costa Rican authorities have not yet informed the Centre of their views on its recommendation, made at its last session, 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. The Committee was also informed of a ...
Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia)
The Committee noted that the Croatian authorities officially informed UNESCO in June 1992, that they will abide by the obligations of the World Heritage Convention and requested that a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN mission be undertaken to assess the impacts which unrest in the region has had on the state of conservation of Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Using part of the US$30, 000 approved by the Bureau at its last session, for the organization of such a mission, a team of three experts representing IUCN, the Federation of Nature and National ...
Sites: Plitvice Lakes National Park
Sangay National Park (Ecuador)
The Committee noted that the Sub-Secretariat of Forestry and Renewable Natural Resources, which is responsible for the management of this site, has been successful in temporarily 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. The Committee commended the Ecuadorean authorities for having included substantial areas south of the World Heritage site in the National Park. The Committee, however, was concerned ...
Sites: Sangay National Park
Mt. Nimba Nature Reserve (Cote d'Ivoire/Guinea)
The Committee recalled its decision taken at its last session in Carthage, Tunisia, 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. The site is also threatened by the arrival of a large number of refugees to areas in and around the Guinean part of the World Heritage site.
The Committee noted that a meeting of experts of Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea, with participants from UNDP and ...
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
The Centre informed the Committee that the damage caused by the invasion of this Sanctuary by the Bodo tribe in Assam, India, was estimated to be about 50 million Indian rupees (about 1.6 million US dollars). Although the Park infrastructure suffered considerable damage, the habitat in the inaccessible parts of the Sanctuary appeared to be intact. The Committee, 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 ...
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Tsingy Bemaraha Nature Reserve (Madagascar)
The Committee was concerned with the information reported by the Representative of IUCN concerning the disruption of conservation activities due to shortage of supplies in, and transport to, this site which is situated in a remote part of Madagascar. The Committee noted that the World Heritage Fund has provided to this site US$20,000 for the purchase of equipment and an additional US$20,000 for a management seminar during 1992. The Committee instructed the Centre to contact the Malagasy authorities and request a state of conservation report for ...
Te Wahipounamu - Southwest New Zealand (New Zealand)
The Committee was informed that the Government of New Zealand has approved an application from a private company for a licence to export water from the World Heritage site. The exportation of freshwater would require the construction of a dam, a buried pipeline and four large reservoirs at Jackson's Bay. The Committee noted that the visual and ecological impacts of the proposed development project were not clearly known and that the legal and economic considerations which guided the decision to approve the project are being actively ...
16 COM VIII.1
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Cultural and Natural Properties: Overview
VIII.1 The World Heritage Centre introduced document WHC92/CONF.002/5 and stressed the fact that ensuring the maintenance of the values for which sites were given World Heritage status and taking measures to remove or minimize threats to those values is a major part of the work of the Committee, the non-governmental advisory bodies and the Centre. The Committee noted that the monitoring of the state of conservation of World Heritage sites will receive greater emphasis than the identification and designation of sites in the future work of the Convention. The Committee took note of the ...
16 COM VIII.12
State of Conservation of 3 Properties and Revised Boundaries of Dinosaur Provincial Park (Canada)
VIII.12 The Committee decided to register the report and the map provided by the Canadian authorities as a description of the revised boundaries of the Dinosaur Provincial Park (Canada). The Committee expressed satisfaction on the progress in the implementation of the rehabilitation project in the Simien National Park (Ethiopia) for which the Committee approved US$50,000 at its last session. In the case of Iguazu National Park (Argentina), Iguazu National Park (Brazil) and Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada), the Committee requested the Centre to submit progress on their state of ...
Old City of Dubrovnik (Croatia)
The Committee took note of the report on the state of conservation of Dubrovnik, which was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, in Carthage in 1991, and was also informed of the request received by the World Heritage Centre for the creation of a buffer zone. This request will be submitted to ICOMOS for review.
Sites: Old City of Dubrovnik