Conservation
The World Heritage Convention does not specifically define conservation. Throughout the Convention reference is made to the "identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage".
Article 5 of the Convention makes reference to a number of "effective and active measures" that can be taken by States Parties in ensuring this "identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission" (UNESCO 1972).
While the Operational Guidelines do not include a definition of conservation, they state that one of the four essential functions of the World Heritage Committee is to "monitor the state of conservation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List" (Paragraph 3 (ii)).
One definition offered by the Nara Document on Authenticity defines conservation, specifically with reference to the cultural heritage, as:
“All operations designed to understand a property, know its history and meaning, ensure its material safeguard, and, if required, its restoration and enhancement”.
The definition of nature conservation offered by IUCN reads:
The protection, care, management and maintenance of ecosystems, habitats, wildlife species and populations, within or outside of their natural environments, in order to safeguard the natural conditions for their long-term permanence.
Source(s):
Glossary of World Heritage Terms related to the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (1996)