The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Documents WHC-07/31.COM/8B and WHC-07/31.COM/INF.8B.1,
- Refers the nomination of the Batanes Cultural Landscapes, Philippines, back to the State Party in order to allow it to provide additional information on the basis of further survey and research on:
a) The evolution of the landscape as a holistic reflection of history and cultural traditions, and of the interaction between culture and nature;
b) The chronological history of the landscape, the way the landscape has been shaped by farming, forestry and fishing practices, and the natural resources that have been used;
c) More detailed assessments and recording of archaeological sites and settlement patterns;
d) The intangible associations between people and their surroundings, practices, rituals, belief systems and occupations, in order to understand better how the landscape is a physical reflection of a culture;
e) Ways of actively supporting traditional agricultural, forestry and other landscape practices;
f) Whether there is potential for the islands to hold a significant place in the scientific study of Austronesian migrations;
g) The natural values of the islands.
3. Recommends, pending further research, that the State Party consider, in the future, a renomination of this property to include all the islands of the archipelago either in a core zone or in a buffer zone.