Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda

Threats identified at the time of inscription of the property in 2007:

• Creation of structures to optimize the management and conservation of the site;
• Training of conservation managers;
• Invasive alien plants;
• Illegal hunting for trade;
• Illegal wood trade;
• Projects for road infrastructure.

The site was inscribed at the 31st session of the World Heritage Committee (Christchurch, 2007).  At the time of inscription the World Heritage Committee had strongly recommended the State Party to ensure that high priority be given to the assignment of one or several correctly trained staff members to manage the archaeological and cultural landscape sites. At the time of inscription, the IUCN evaluation indicated that the natural values would be managed by the Gabonese National Parks Agency (ANPN).

In May 2012, the World Heritage Centre was informed of the “Alembe-Mikouyi Road Development Project” and requested the State Party to submit an impact study on the cultural heritage affected by the project.  In the absence of any response, the World Heritage Centre renewed this request in a letter dated 4 April 2013.

a)  Management and conservation of the property

In its Decision 31 COM 8B.54, the World Heritage Committee made several requests to the State Party concerning the conservation and protection of the site.  But since inscription, no structure responsible for the equal management of both natural and cultural values for which the property was considered has been established. Moreover, no information has been provided by the State Party in respect of the presence of trained staff, specifically assigned to the conservation of archaeological sites, the fragile nature of the petroglyphs requiring the reinforcement of preventive conservation measures and restoration work as well as appropriate monitoring.  Furthermore, no information has been provided concerning the approval of the proposed new law for the National Parks and the measures for its enforcement to improve the management of the property.

b)  Alembe-Mikouyi Road Development Project

In May 2012, the World Heritage Centre learned of an environmental and social impact study on work for the “Alembe-Mikouyi Road Development Project” mandated by the China Road Corporation and Bridge Society, contracted by the State Party. All the cultural sites are concentrated in the northern part of the site, along the valley bordering the road in question.

This study highlights three possible impacts that could affect the integrity of the property: (i) an alteration to the landscape and the living environment; (ii) risk of pollution of surface and underground water; (iii)  loss of vegetation.  It makes no mention of the impact on the archaeological sites, which for the most part, are located alongside this section of the road, nor measures to mitigate the negative effects of the project to the Outstanding Universal Value of the property.  Noting that the development work of this section and their impact as described in the study, would present a real danger to the property, the World Heritage Centre sent a letter to the State Party on 27 July 2012, requesting that a revised study be submitted, with an analysis of the negative impacts of the road works foreseen on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, as well as the measures envisaged to mitigate this impact.  The Centre recommended that this revised study focus more specifically on the archaeological areas of Elarmekora and Kongo Boumba. The World Heritage Centre addressed a further letter dated 4 April 2013 to the State Party, renewing its request for a revised study.

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies propose that the World Heritage Committee express its concern regarding the Alembe-Mikouyi Road Development Project that could have an impact on the archaeological sites that justified inscription of the property under cultural criteria. They also recall that the revised environmental impact study and the heritage impact study be urgently submitted, so that an evaluation of the damage that the Road Development Project might engender on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property be evaluated. They recommend the suspension of the project until the evaluation of this analysis is completed.

Further, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies are concerned about the absence of a structure responsible for the equal management of both the natural and cultural values for which the property was considered. They believe that this situation does not guarantee the optimal conditions to manage all the development pressures currently being faced by the property. They also consider that, if this situation is not resolved in the short term, it will be very difficult to control future development pressures, and the Outstanding Universal Value of the property would be threatened.