Sangay National Park
Factors affecting the property in 1992*
- Ground transport infrastructure
- Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
- Illegal activities
- Land conversion
- Livestock farming / grazing of domesticated animals
- Management systems/ management plan
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
Proposed reduction of the boundaries; Colonization pressure; Road construction project
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1992
Total amount approved : 30,000 USD
| 1985 | Public awareness programmes for local communities and ... (Approved) | 30,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 1992**
March 1989: IUCN
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1992
The Committee at its last session expressed its satisfaction with the fact that the Sub-Secretariat of Forestry and Natural Resources in Ecuador was able to halt the construction of a road through this site until environmental impact studies are completed. The Secretariat via a letter of 4 February 1992, transmitted the compliments of the Committee to the Ecuadorean authorities for taking timely action and informed them of possibilities for technical assistance available from the World Heritage Fund for undertaking studies to assess the impact of the road-construction project. The Ecuadorean authorities have not responded to the Secretariat's letter. The Secretariat and IUCN expect to obtain additional information on the status of conservation of this site to submit to the Bureau at the time of its meeting.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1992
The Bureau was satisfied to note that the Sub-Secretariat of Forestry and Renewable Natural Resources 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 concerned about the information reported by the representative of IUCN regarding heavy poaching of wildlife, illegal livestock grazing and encroachment in this World Heritage site. The Bureau requested the World Heritage Centre to contact the Ecuadorean authorities and suggest that they invite international and/or regional experts to join Ecuadorean specialists to assess impacts of the road construction project and threats to the integrity of this site. The. Bureau recommended that on the basis of more information received on the potential impact of the road construction project and threats, the World Heritage Committee, at its forthcoming session in December 1992, decide whether or not this site ought to be included on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The observations and recommendations of the Bureau were transmitted to the Ecuadorean authorities by letter of 14 August 1992. The Fundacion Natura of Ecuador, which has received a copy of this letter through the UNESCO Office in Ecuador, has written to the World Heritage Centre, expressing major concerns regarding the conservation of Sangay National Park, and has suggested that the site should be inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Sub-Secretariat of Forestry and Renewable Natural Resources, however, has not yet replied to the letter of the World Heritage Centre, and has not requested the inclusion of this site in the List of World Heritage 'in Danger. A copy of the letter from Fundacion Natura has been transmitted to IUCN for information and review.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1992
16 BUR V.21
Sangay National Park (Ecuador)
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 concerned about the information reported by the representative of IUCN regarding heavy poaching of wildlife, illegal livestock grazing and encroachment in this World Heritage site. The Bureau requested the World Heritage Centre to contact the Ecuadorean authorities and suggest that they invite international and/or regional experts to join Ecuadorean specialists to assess impacts of the road construction project and threats to the integrity of this site. The Bureau recommended that on the basis of more information received on the potential impact of the road construction project and threats, the World Heritage Committee, at its forthcoming session in December 1992, decide whether or not this site ought to be included on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
16 COM VIII
SOC: Sangay National Park (Ecuador)
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 about the information reported by the Representative of IUCN regarding heavy poaching of wildlife, illegal livestock grazing and encroachment in this site.
Furthermore, the Committee took note of the fact that the road construction could recommence, and that the Ecuadorean authorities have not yet undertaken an impact study and have not responded to repeated requests for information by the Centre. The Committee was informed by the Representative of IUCN that although the size of this site has been nearly doubled, the values and conditions of the new areas added to the site were not known, and the severity of the threats to the integrity of the site has been confirmed by IUCN's Regional Office for Latin America, and by the Ecuadorean Conservation Organization, Fundacion Natura. The Committee therefore decided, in accordance with the provisions of Article 11, paragraph (4) of the Convention, to include this site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Committee requested the Centre to contact the Ecuadorean authorities and request them to (a) provide information on the status of the road construction project and on-going efforts to assess its impact on the integrity of the site, and (b) consider submitting a proposal to extend this World Heritage site to include new areas added to the Park. The Committee urged the Centre to co-operate with the Ecuadorean authorities to organize a mission, comprising regional experts, in order to assess the severity of the threats faced by this site and plan necessary remedial action.
16 COM X.E
Inscriptions on the List of World Heritage in Danger
Even though there were no requests from the States Parties concerned, the Committee on the basis of state of conservation reports provided by IUCN (see Chapter VIII, page 20) decided, in accordance with Article 11, paragraph 4 of the Convention to include the following sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Angkor (Cambodia)
Mt. Nimba Nature Reserve (Cote d'Ivoire/Guinea)
Sangay National Park (Ecuador)
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
No draft Decision
Ecuador
Exports
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
