World Heritage Committee puts Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve on Danger List at the request of Honduras
The Honduran World Heritage site of Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve , one of the few tropical rainforest remains in Central America, has been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in Danger to mobilize support for its preservation.
The government of Honduras requested the World Heritage Committee to place the property on the List in Danger in view of the combined threats of illegal logging, fishing and land occupation, poaching and the reduced capacity of the State to manage the site, notably due to the deterioration of law and to the presence of drug traffickers.
The request by Honduras comes in recognition of the value of Danger Listing to help focus the efforts of government departments, civil society and international cooperation.
Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, home to an indigenous population that has preserved its traditional way of life in the rain forest, was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1979. It was first inscribed on the Danger List between 1996 and 2007.