Case Law

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/17/41.COM/8B and WHC/17/41.COM/INF.8B2,
2. Approves the extension of the W National Park of Niger, Niger, to become the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ix) and (x);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
   

   Brief synthesis

   The W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is a transnational property shared between the Republic of Niger, Burkina Faso and the Republic of Benin in West Africa. Located in the transition zone between the savannas of the Sudanese region and the forested Guinean region, the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex lies at the heart of the most extensive protected area block in the West African Woodlands/Savanna Biogeographical Province and includes the largest and most important continuum of terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic ecosystems in the West African savanna belt. The property encompasses 1,714,831 ha and is a contiguous mosaic of nine protected areas. It includes the trinational complex of W Regional Park (shared between Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger), Arly National Park (Burkina Faso), Pendjari National Park (Benin) and the hunting zones of Koakrana and Kourtiagou (Burkina Faso) and Konkombri and Mékrou (Benin).

   Criterion (ix): Stretching across three countries, W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is the largest and most important continuum of terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic ecosystems in the West African savanna belt. Situated within the Volta River basin it comprises a dynamic system, where the ebb and flow of water with alternating wet and dry seasons creates a rich variety of plant communities and associated fauna. The Complex is a major expanse of intact Sudano-Sahelian savanna, with numerous and diverse types of vegetation such as grassland, shrub, wooded savannah, open forests and extensive gallery and riparian forests as well as the rare semi-deciduous forest of Bondjagou within Pendjari National Park. The long-term effects of fire linked to human occupation, perhaps dating back some 50,000 years, have shaped the vegetation of the property, and the continued traditional use of fire maintains the diversity of vegetation types, which in turn provide habitat for the property’s characteristic wildlife.

   Criterion (x): The property and the broader landscape are a refuge for species of fauna that have disappeared or are highly threatened in most of the rest of West Africa. The W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is particularly crucial to the conservation of the last healthy populations of mammals belonging to the Sahelian and Sudanian domains. The Complex includes the largest and most ecologically secure elephant population in West Africa, representing 85% of the region's savanna elephants. It also protects almost the complete assemblage of characteristic flora and fauna, providing crucial habitat for most of the large mammal species typical of West Africa, such as African Manatee, Cheetah, Lion, Leopard, African Wild Dog and Topi Antelope. It harbours the only viable population of lion in the area and probably the only population of cheetah in West Africa. The site exhibits particularly high levels of endemism among fish species and is home to seven of the nine endemic fish species reported in the Volta Basin.

   Integrity

   The W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is of sufficient size to permit unimpeded ecological function and the overall integrity of the system is good amongst protected areas in West Africa, many of which have suffered significant degradation from anthropogenic pressures. Covering a comparatively large area of 1,714,831 ha, the trinational property contains a representative suite of Sudano-Sahelian ecosystems that are in good condition. It includes a large variety of habitats indispensable for the survival of characteristic species and is large enough to support the healthy populations of large mammal species such as elephant and lion which range over wide territories.

   The W National Park and the Arly-Pendjari Regional Park complexes are connected through the four hunting reserves, allowing for connectivity across the property and free movements of animals in the complex. Hunting within the hunting reserves has, to date, been sustainably managed and these reserves include natural systems and habitat that are regarded as being of a similar quality to that within the national parks, thereby enhancing resilience. The hunting reserves would be considered equivalent to IUCN Category VI and the activity, at the time of inscription, does not appear to be negatively impacting on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value as a whole.

   The buffer zone of W-Arly-Pendjari Complex consists of areas of different protection status (hunting reserves, wildlife reserves, and special legally designated buffer zones) all established by national laws and covers a total area of 1,101,221 ha. The buffer zones are designed to strengthen integrity and are managed as to mitigate impacts from surrounding human activities.

   Protection and management requirements

   The property benefits from long-term legal protection through national laws and receives financial and technical support from the States and some development partners. Five of the protected areas making up the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex are protected as national parks (managed as IUCN Category II). The four hunting reserves within Benin and Burkina Faso are also managed under the same regime as national parks, noting that sustainable hunting is permitted. The hunting in these reserves is regulated through annual quotas, closely monitored and aimed at generating benefits for local communities and conservation of nature.

   Although the boundaries of the property are clearly defined, known by the surrounding population and regulated, there are threats such as poaching, illegal grazing and encroachment of agricultural land which persist. Adequate measures must be undertaken to address these threats including working closely with agricultural development sectors to regulate, incentivize and raise awareness among communities surrounding the property. Monitoring of the scale of transhumance activities, which are a long-standing use, is important to ensure so that it remains sustainable in relation to the property’s Outstanding Universal Value.

   The property is managed in Benin by the Centre National de Gestion des Réserves de Faune (CENAGREF); in Burkina Faso, Arly National Park is managed by the Office National des Aires Protégées (OFINAP) and W National Park, Burkina Faso is managed by the Direction Générale des Eaux et Forêts (DGEF). The W National Park, Niger is managed by the Direction Générale des Eaux et Forêts (DGEF) / Ministère de l'Environnement et du Développement Durable (MEDD). The multi-agency responsibilities across the three States Parties require considerable and sustained effort to ensure effective coordination and harmonization of protected area policies and practice. All national parks in the Complex have a 10-year management plan all following a joint “Schéma Directeur d’Aménagement du complexe” to foster coordination. A workable system of transboundary governance is in place under a tripartite management agreement (now quadripartite with the integration of the State Party of Togo). However, ongoing efforts are needed to improve the levels of transnational cooperation for the property.

   Ongoing attention is needed to ensure that the traditional application of fire continues to support fire regimes which maintain Outstanding Universal Value, particularly under the influence of climate change. Similarly the three States Parties should work cooperatively with UEMOA (Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine) to plan, monitor and act such that transhumance movements taking place in the property and its buffer zones do not adversely impact on the Outstanding Universal Value.

   There is also a need to sustain long-term adequate funding for the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex. The States Parties should ensure that adequate government funding is provided to manage the Complex and the necessary coordination. The West African Savannah Foundation (FSOA) created in 2012 is an endowment fund which requires further investment to ensure sustainability. It is critical that the FSOA becomes a source of funding for the entire Complex and continues to be supported and grow. Furthermore, it is important that all protected areas within the Complex are eligible to access this endowment fund.

4. Recommends that the States Parties within their adopted joint management framework:
   1. Continue to strengthen and coordinate measures to control the threat of wildlife poaching and other illegal activities including through the provision of adequate equipment and training of rangers and patrols,
   2. Monitor the impacts of climate change on the ecosystems of the property, in particular to understand and anticipate any changes to the ecological outcomes resulting from the traditional application of fire and to ensure that the use of fire is based on robust ecologically-based conservation objectives,
   3. Improve institutional coordination between the agencies in charge of the management of the property and the administrations responsible for agricultural development, in order to avoid potential negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property,
   4. Develop a long-term strategy for the sustainable financing of the property including strengthening the viability of the Fondation des savanes ouest-africaines (FSOA) and ensuring that all the protected areas within the property are eligible to access the funding of the FSOA,
   5. Work closely with UEMOA (Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine) to plan, monitor and implement activities as described in the property’s management plan concerning transhumance taking place within the property and its buffer zones, in order to support these activities at sustainable levels and to ensure that they are not negatively impacting the property’s Outstanding Universal Value;
5. Requests the States Parties of Benin and Burkina Faso to submit a new map of the buffer zone boundaries at 1:50,000 scale to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2019;
6. Also recommends the State Party of Niger to consider designating the buffer zones which exist for the W National Park, Niger as formal World Heritage buffer zones through the submission of a Minor Boundary Modification in order to provide a consistent approach to buffer zones across the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex as a whole;
7. Commends the efforts of the States Parties, working with partners, for the high quality of conservation management that has been achieved in the protected areas of the Complex, and encourages these efforts to continue to improve the conservation of the property.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/17/41.COM/8B and WHC/17/41.COM/INF.8B2,
2. Approves the extension of Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany, Slovakia, Ukraine and Germany, to become Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Germany, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine, on the World Heritage List, on the basis of criterion (ix);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
   

   Brief synthesis

   The “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and other Regions of Europe” are a serial property comprising 77 component parts in total. They represent an outstanding example of anthropogenically undisturbed, complex temperate forests and exhibit the most complete and comprehensive ecological patterns and processes of pure and mixed stands of European beech across a variety of environmental conditions. They contain an invaluable genetic reservoir of beech and many species associated and dependent on these forest habitats.

   Criterion (ix): The “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and other Regions of Europe” are indispensable to understand the history and evolution of the genus Fagus which, given its wide distribution in the Northern Hemisphere and its ecological importance, is globally significant. These undisturbed, complex temperate forests exhibit the most complete and comprehensive ecological patterns and processes of pure and mixed stands of European beech across a variety of environmental conditions, such as climatic and geological conditions, throughout all relevant European Beech Forest Regions. They comprise all altitudinal zones from the coast up to the forest line in the mountains and, furthermore, include the best remaining examples of the outer boundaries of the European beech forest range. Beech is one of the most important elements of forests in the Temperate Broadleaf Forest Biome and represents an outstanding example of the re-colonization and development of terrestrial ecosystems and communities since the last Ice Age. The continuing northern and westward expansion of beech from its original glacial refuge areas in the eastern and southern parts of Europe can be tracked along natural corridors and stepping stones spanning the continent. More recent changes in the distribution pattern of this species relate to direct influences of human disturbance and the more complex effects of anthropogenically induced climate change. Both historic and present serial patterns of distribution represent natural evolutionary strategies for adapting and surviving environmental change. The dominance of beech across extensive areas of Europe is a living testimony of the tree’s genetic adaptability.

   Integrity

   The selected beech forest sites not only represent the full serial diversity found across Europe, they are also of sufficient size to maintain natural processes necessary for the long-term ecological viability of the wider ecosystem. Buffer zones including surrounding protected areas (nature parks, biosphere reserves) are managed sympathetically to ensure the long-term conservation of the particular character of the designated beech forests together with its inherent attributes. Next to criteria such as the extent of the forest area and the presence of an effective buffer zone, key characteristics, which were also used in the site selecting process included the average age of the forest stand and the period since it was last managed or actively disturbed. The evaluation criteria used in the selection process helped to describe the degree of naturalness of a forest, but also provide some indication of the inherent functional capacity of the ecosystem. Finally, where appropriate, special emphasis was given to connectivity between beech forests and the surrounding complementary habitats as a perceived prerequisite for ecosystem functioning and adaptation to environmental change.

   Protection and management requirements

   Long-term protection and management is ensured through national legal protection as national parks, core areas of a biosphere reserve or other types of protected areas. Effective implementation of an integrated management plan and a multilateral integrated management system is required to guide the planning and management of this serial property. Key management issues include forest fire control and conservation of monumental old trees, conservation and management of mountain meadows, river corridors and freshwater ecosystems, tourism management, research and monitoring. Cooperative management agreements with local groups and tourism agencies can enhance the achievement of management goals and ensure local community engagement in the component parts.

4. Takes note of the outcome of the screening process as a proposal for the finite series in this nomination process, based on a strictly scientific selection. The defined statement of Outstanding Universal Value and the amended property name should be coherent with the current inscribed property and will ensure that possible future extensions will be clearly and consistently configured;
5. Thanks the States Parties for their cooperation in developing this nomination;
6. Requests the States Parties to consider the future enlargement of components in consultation with IUCN and the World Heritage Centre, to at least the established minimum size of 50 ha, and to strengthen the protection level within buffer zones and the improvement of ecological connectivity especially between component parts, and further recommends interested States Parties to ensure that component parts included in any future extensions exceed minimum requirements to fully meet integrity, protection and management requirements;
7. Also requests the States Parties to ensure that committed funding arrangements are able to safeguard consistent site management at the component level as well as coordinated management across the transnational serial property;
8. Further requests that special emphasis shall be given to appropriate buffer zone management in order to support undisturbed natural processes with special emphasis on dead and decaying wood, including ongoing monitoring of threats and risks, making effective use of the expertise and institutional capacity in management of the property;
9. Requests furthermore the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2018 a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 43rd session in 2019.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/17/41.COM/8B and WHC/17/41.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes the Venetian Works of Defence between 15th and 17th centuries: Stato da Terra – western Stato da Mar, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro, namely six of the fifteen nominated serial components: the Fortified City of Bergamo, the Fortified City of Peschiera del Garda and the City Fortress of Palmanova (Italy), the Defensive System of Zadar and the Fort of St Nikola at Šibenik-Knin County (Croatia), and the City of Kotor (Montenegro), on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (iii) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
   

   Brief Synthesis

   The Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th centuries: Stato da Terra – western Stato da Mar consists of six components located in Italy, Croatia and Montenegro and spanning more than 1000 km between the Lombard region of Italy and the eastern Adriatic Coast. Together, they represent the defensive works of the Serenissima between the 16th and 17th centuries, the most significant period of the longer history of the Venetian Republic; and demonstrate the designs, adaptations and operations of alla moderna defences, which were to feature throughout Europe.

   The introduction of gunpowder led to significant shifts in military techniques and architecture that are reflected in the design of fortifications – termed alla moderna. The organisation and defences of the Stato da Terra (protecting the Republic from other European powers to the northwest) and the Stato da Mar (protecting the sea routes and ports in the Adriatic Sea to the Levant) were needed to sustain the expansion and power of the Republic of Venice.

   The expansive territory of the Serenessima was indisputably the near-exclusive setting of the genesis of the alla moderna or bastioned system during the Renaissance; and the extensive and innovative defensive networks established by the Republic of Venice are of exceptional historical, architectural and technological significance. The attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value include earthworks and structures of fortification and defence from the Venetian Republic in the 16th and 17th centuries. Strongly contributory to these are the landscape settings, and which strengthen the visual qualities of the six components, as well as urban and defensive structures from both earlier (Medieval) and more recent periods of history (such as the Napoleonic and Ottoman period modifications and additions) that allow the serial components to be truthfully presented and the tactical coherence of each military site in its final state to be recognised.

   Criterion (iii): The Venetian Works of Defence provide an exceptional testimony of the alla moderna military culture, which evolved within the Republic of Venice in the 16th and 17th centuries, involving vast territories and interactions. Together the components demonstrate a defensive network or system for the Stato da Terra and the western Stato da Mar centred in the Adriatic Sea or Golfo di Venezia, which had civil, military, urban dimensions that extended further, traversing the Mediterranean region to the Levant.

   Criterion (iv): The Venetian Works of Defence present the characteristics of the alla moderna fortified system (bastioned system) built by the Republic of Venice following changes that were introduced following the increased use of firearms. Together the six components demonstrate in an exceptional way the characteristics of the alla moderna system including its technical and logistic abilities, modern fighting strategies and new architectural requirements within the Stato da Terra and the western portions of the Stato da Mar.

   Integrity

   Together, the six components of Venetian Works of Defence within Stato da Terra and the western portions of the Stato da Mar exhibit the needed attributes of Outstanding Universal Value of this transnational heritage, including their typological variety, visual integrity and state of conservation. This serial property leaves open the potential for a future nomination of examples that can represent in an exceptional and complementary way, the applications of the alla moderna technologies through the extent of the Venetian Republic in this period of history in the eastern or Levante Stato da Mar. The state of conservation of the individual components is generally good, although their integrity is variable, and in some cases vulnerable, due to past and present development and tourism pressures. Although some further expansions could be made to the buffer zones (particularly for the components in Zadar and Kotor), the boundaries of the six components are appropriate.

   Authenticity

   The Venetian Works of Defence within Stato da Terra and the western portions of the Stato da Mar and the phenomenon of alla moderna military architecture have been extensively studied, supported by extensive archival materials, documents, architectural drawings, maps and models. Because of their purposes and locations, many changes have occurred to the selected components, including damage through different periods of conflict from the Napoleonic, Austrian and Ottoman periods and the 20th century.

   Protection and management requirements

   Legal protection of the components of the Venetian Works of Defence within the Stato da Terra and the western portions of the Stato da Mar has been established at national and regional/local levels in each of the three States Parties. The frameworks for legal protection include cultural heritage and environmental protection laws. In Italy, the three components are protected by the ‘Cultural and Landscape Heritage Code’ (2004) which establishes the national regulation framework for conservation works, including the protection of significant landscape elements; and each is further protected by regional and municipal Territorial Plans and local protection measures that regulate urban transformations. In Croatia, the two components are protected by the ‘Act on the Protection and Preservation of Cultural Property’, and inscription in the Register of Cultural properties; as well as local protection measures that regulate urban transformations. In Montenegro, the selected component is protected by the ‘Law on the Protection of Cultural Property’ and subordinate ordinances; and the ‘Law on Spatial Planning and Construction’ and local protection measures that regulate urban transformations.

   Management of the transnational serial property is organised at transnational, national and local levels of responsibility and activity. A transnational Memorandum of Understanding (December 2015) provides coordination between the three States Parties and establishes the International Coordination Team responsible for coordination, implementation and regular updating of the Transnational Management Plan. Shared heritage management objectives, a framework for heritage impact assessment, and a summary of current projects are provided by the Transnational Management Plan. Risk Preparedness is established by the States Parties for the risks of relevant natural disasters, including earthquakes, forest fires and sea level rise. Due to the complex pressures and high levels of tourism at some of the components of this serial property, site-level Conservation and Management Plans are needed, including visitor management plans and tourism carrying capacity studies.

   The International Coordination Team is supported by National Coordination Groups in each country, made up of relevant national and local authorities. The financial resources and the sources of expertise and training for the conservation of the components of this serial property have been outlined. An overarching system of monitoring has been established, but could be expanded by the work of the International Coordinating Team, particularly in relation to visitor pressures.

4. Recommends that the States Parties give consideration to the following:
   1. Developing and implementing the framework for ‘Heritage Impact Assessment’ as a matter of urgency for development proposals (including those related to tourism management and access),
   2. Ensuring that all major projects that could impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the series are communicated to the World Heritage Committee in line with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines,
   3. Ensuring that conservation planning for each component retains evidence of the modifications to the fortifications in all historical periods, rather than removing evidence unrelated to the Venetian Republic,
   4. Reviewing and modifying the buffer zones to integrate later period fortifications in order to recognise the tactical coherence of each military site in its final state (particularly for Peschiera del Garda and Kotor) and to support the future valorisation of a military pedagogy at the serial components,
   5. Expanding the buffer zone protection of the component at Zadar in light of the potential impacts of nearby developments,
   6. Expanding the buffer zone protection for Kotor in order to incorporate an area of sea water,
   7. Developing and implementing management plans for each component based clearly on the Outstanding Universal Value of the transnational serial property,
   8. Continuing efforts to relocate intrusive and redundant elements within the serial components, such as the intrusive car parking (Zadar); and visually intrusive urban and industrial developments (Kotor). These objectives should be included in the site management plans, subjected to Heritage Impact Assessments and monitored,
   9. Developing and implementing the proposed Tourism Carrying Capacity study as an urgent priority,
   10. Developing as an urgent priority visitor management plans that allow sustainable tourism and high-quality visitor experience,
   11. Developing a transnational values-based conservation strategy, based on specialist expertise in Venetian alla moderna defensive structures as a tool to assist the National and International Coordination Teams,
   12. Continuing to develop monitoring arrangements through the work of the International Coordinating Team;
5. Requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2019 a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020;
6. Decides that the name of the serial transnational property be changed to Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries: Stato da Terra – Western Stato da Mar;
7. Also recommends that the Forte Mare of Herceg Novi, Montenegro, be considered in the future as an extension of the current property when the studies and conservation works to address the impacts on the authenticity of this component caused by poorly sited tourism facilities will be completed;
8. Encourages the States Parties to consider seeking ICOMOS’ advice to address the above recommendations.

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/16/40.COM/8B and WHC/16/40.COM/INF.8B2,
2. Inscribes Western Tien-Shan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (x);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
   

   Brief synthesis

   Western Tien-Shan represents an exceptional diversity and beauty of a mosaic of landscapes, a unique combination of different types of ecosystems, outstanding diversity of fauna and flora with a considerable proportion of endemic species and communities, as well as a large number of rare and threatened species.

   It is among most species rich sites in the Pamir-Tien-Shan Highlands province and close to half of its species are endemic to Middle Asia.

   Western Tien-Shan has an exceptional value as a centre of origin of cultivated plants. It is home to a number of wild species related to domesticated fruit plants including wild apples, apricot, pistachio, vine, plum, pear, walnut and hawthorn.

   Criterion (x): The Western Tien-Shan supports outstanding diversity of plant and animal species with high level of endemism and many species of global conservation importance.

   The vertebrate biodiversity found in the region of Western Tien Shan includes 61 species of mammals, 316 species of birds, 17 species of reptiles, 3 species of amphibians and more than 20 fish species, and almost all of these species are reported as occurring in the area of the property.

   The Western Tien-Shan supports 14 species of flora and 18 of fauna listed as globally threatened by IUCN. These include several wild relatives of today’s commercial fruit trees such as wild apricot Armeniaca vulgaris (EN), Siever’s apple Malus sieversii (VU) and walnut Juglans regia (NT), as well as other rare species, such as Crataegus knorringiana (CR); Lonicera karataviensis (CR), Betula talassica (EN), Spiraeanthus schrenkianus (EN) etc. Among the fauna, these are saker falcon Falco cherrug (EN), Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus (EN), cinereous vulture Aegypius monachus (NT), charismatic snow leopard Uncia uncia (EN), wild sheep Ovis ammon with two subspecies (nigrimontana at Karatau - 80% of the global population - and karelini), Menzbier’s marmot Marmota menzbieri, European marbled polecat Vormela peregusna (VU). Invertebrates have high level of endemism.

   Integrity

   Protected areas included in the property have adequate level of protection corresponding to IUCN categories Ia and II.

   Individual components of the property are sufficient to jointly maintain functioning of natural systems of Western Tien-Shan and fully represent the properties and processes that reflect their significance.

   The main pressures to the property are poaching, cattle grazing, illegal logging, haying, illegal harvesting of flowers etc. The typical kinds of natural disasters in the Western Tien-Shan are rock falls, landslides, mudslides, avalanches; droughts lead to fires in dry years. Some parts of the property are surrounded by highly populated areas and as result they have possibility for good number of visitors from one side and threat from uncontrolled recreation from other side. In all the protected areas these threats and pressures are taken into consideration in management plans and the staff is regularly trained for control and adequate reaction in case of disasters.

   Protection and management requirements

   All components of the property are state protected areas of national importance and are protected under national legislations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Reserves have status of strictly protected natural areas, where any use of animals and plants and any economic activities are prohibited. Also, a very limited access of visitors, obligatory accompanied by protected areas inspectors and only in specially designated areas is allowed. Sayram-Ugam national park has areas with the same strictly protected regimes as in reserves, as well areas accessible for visitors and for strictly limited use of nature. All areas of Western Tien-Shan are properties of the government, each of them have its own administration and staff and they are managed by an authorised state executive bodies of each country with funding from the state budgets.

   The property as a whole will be managed by a transboundary Steering Committee (consisting of representatives of the protected areas and of responsible governmental bodies) with the main role for coordination of conservation and management efforts, exchange of experience and information. The Committee will be established shortly after inscription of Western Tien-Shan in the World Heritage List and will work as intergovernmental group with scheduled meetings (at least once a year) and teleconferences.

4. Requests the States Parties to:
   1. finalize the transboundary management framework for the property, which details, at an appropriate level, integrated protection and management measures including establishment of a joint steering committee and which can be implemented through the respective national level policy and planning processes, and is fully harmonized with the protection and management plans for each of the selected component parts;
   2. further develop collaboration between the States Parties in the framework of a tripartite Memorandum for management of the property to be signed between the States Parties of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and include specific targets and timelines that would strengthen cooperation at field operational and technical levels,
   3. work in consultation with IUCN to build capacity on transnational management of the property;
   4. review and rationalize the boundaries of the components of the property and their buffer zones to ensure that they fully correspond to criterion (x), follow ecological principles and address connectivity, and submit a boundary modification proposal in due course to reflect this;
5. Encourages the States Parties to consider the potential of the property to also meet criterion (ix);
6. Requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2017 a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018.