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State of Conservation Río Plátano Biosphere ... 2003

Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve

Honduras
Factors affecting the property in 2003*
  • Financial resources
  • Ground transport infrastructure
  • Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
  • Illegal activities
  • Invasive / alien freshwater species
  • Land conversion
  • Livestock farming / grazing of domesticated animals
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
  • Extreme pressure with the invasion of refugees and settlers into the Reserve;
  • Illegal tree felling;
  • Poaching;
  • Road construction; 
  •  Patuca II hydro power project 
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2003
Requests approved: 7 (from 1982-1996)
Total amount approved : 198,000 USD
1996 Conservation strategy and preparation of a management ... (Approved)   30,000 USD
1988 Equipment for Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (Approved)   20,000 USD
1987 Consultant services, training and equipment for ... (Approved)   30,000 USD
1985 Strengthen protection and management of Rio Platano ... (Approved)   20,000 USD
1983 Implementation of protective measures, of training ... (Approved)   26,000 USD
1982 Financial contribution towards ecodevelopment ... (Approved)   67,025 USD
1982 Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (Approved)   4,975 USD
Missions to the property until 2003**

October 2000: joint World Heritage Centre / IUCN mission; July 2003: joint WHC/IUCN monitoring mission 

2000 Conservation Status of The Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve: A World Heritage Site in Danger. Mission Report for ...
1995 Report on the IUCN Mission to Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, 14-19 November 1995
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2003

WHC:

Rio Plátano Biosphere Reserve is another of the pilot sites included in the UNESCO/IUCN project “Enhancing Our Heritage: Monitoring and Managing for Success in World Natural Heritage Sites” (EOH Project), financed by UNF. In relation to the implementation of this project, IUCN Regional Office for Meso-America and the Protected Areas and Wildlife Department (DAPVS) organized a workshop in Tegucigalpa from 5 to 8 February 2002. The main outputs of the workshop include: a better understanding of the project and the management effectiveness framework, identification of the detailed schedule for the first year of the project, and expression of interest by GTZ to integrate its Project Biosphere (Proyecto Biosfera) into the EOH Project.

IUCN received a report on the initial assessment that was implemented under the EOH project. This report, prepared by the State Forest Administration (SFA) noted that a number of problems are still affecting the integrity of this site, such as: (a) immigration flow to colonize areas around the site; (b) agricultural and cattle raising activities by local communities within the site’s boundaries which are leading to forest destruction and subsequent erosion of wetlands and dunes within this site; (c) illegal logging and hunting, and; (d) introduction of non-native species, such as Tilapia sp in a number of rivers. The report also asserts that the State Party has continued its efforts to improve conservation of the site by increasing financial support for the management of the site, commencing the implementation of the Master Plan for the site and by increasing institutional presence of the Reserve’s management authority.

The site is also a pilot site for the UNF-funded project “Linking Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Tourism at World Heritage Sites”. The project is assisting the protected area administration in tourism planning and is providing guidance on how tourism can be used as an economic alternative to extractive resources. Training in micro-enterprise development is taking place in a number of communities, while nature guide training is in the process of planning. A monitoring programme is in place to track how project interventions will impact identified site threats. A representative of the site participated in a meeting to discuss sustainable financing of World Heritage sites held at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, from 28 to 30 April 2003.

Reports from various sources indicate that encroachment continues to be a serious problem in the southern and western part of the site. In a letter dated 7 February 2003, the Centre requested the State Party for more information on the state of conservation of the site and the follow up on the recommendations presented by the UNESCO/IUCN mission of November 2000. No reply has been received from the State Party so far. It needs to be noted that the UNESCO/IUCN monitoring mission report recommended a follow-up evaluation mission to be held in 2003 in order to examine progress in management and the protection of the site and to consider possible removal of the site from the List of World Heritage in Danger.

 

IUCN:

The new information provided above has been proposed on a consensual basis between IUCN and the Centre. 

Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2003
27 COM 7A.14
Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Expresses satisfaction with the work being carried out to assist property management under the "Enhancing our Heritage" (EOH) Project and the Sustainable Tourism and Biodiversity Conservation Project, both financed by the United Nations Foundation (UNF);

2. Commends the State Party for its efforts to continue to improve management of the property;

3. Further commends the State Party for inviting an IUCN/UNESCO mission to the property which is currently taking place, as recommended by the earlier mission in 2000 in order to systematically assess progress and establish benchmarks and timeframes that may facilitate the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;

4. Decides to retain the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Read more
27 COM 8B.2
Properties maintained on the List of World Heritage in Danger

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Following examination of state of conservation reports of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger (WHC-03/27.COM/7A),;

2. Decides to maintain the following properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger:

  • Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam, Afghanistan (27 COM 7A.21)
  • Butrint, Albania (27 COM 7A.26 )
  • Tipasa, Algeria (27 COM 7A.17)
  • Royal Palaces of Abomey, Benin (27 COM 7A.15)
  • Angkor, Cambodia (27 COM 7A.22)
  • Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park, Central African Republic (27 COM 7A.12 )
  • Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, Côte d'Ivoire/Guinea (27 COM 7A.4)
  • Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo (27 COM 7A.2)
  • Garamba National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo (27 COM 7A.2)
  • Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo (27 COM 7A.2)
  • Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Democratic Republic of the Congo (27 COM 7A.2) 
  • Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo (27 COM 7A.2)
  • Sangay National Park, Ecuador (27 COM 7A.13)
  • Abu Mena, Egypt (27 COM 7A.18)
  • Simien National Park, Ethiopia (27 COM 7A.3)
  • Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, Honduras (27 COM 7A.14)
  • Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, India (27 COM 7A.9)
  • Group of Monuments at Hampi, India (27 COM 7A.23)
  • Old City of Jerusalem & its Walls (27COM7A.29)
  • Timbuktu, Mali (27 COM 7A.16)
  • Air & Ténéré Natural Reserves, Niger (27 COM 7A.5)
  • Bahla Fort, Oman (27 COM 7A.19)
  • Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore, Pakistan (27 COM 7A.242)
  • Chan Chan Archaeological Zone, Peru (27 COM 7A.28)
  • Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, Philippines (27 COM 7A.25)
  • Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, Senegal (27 COM 7A.6)
  • Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia (27 COM 7A.8)
  • Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Uganda (27 COM 7A.7) 
  • Everglades National Park, United States of America (27 COM 7A.11)
  • Historic Town of Zabid, Yemen (27 COM 7A.20)
Read more

Draft decision : 27 COM 7 (a) 14

 

The World Heritage Committee,

 

1.   Expresses satisfaction with the work being carried out to assist site management under the EOH Project and the Sustainable Tourism and Biodiversity Conservation Project, both financed by the UNF at the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve;

 

2.   Commends the State Party for its efforts to continue to improve management of the site;

 

3.  Notes  that in response to an invitation from the State Party, an IUCN/Centre mission to the site, as recommended by the earlier mission in 2000, is currently taking place in order to systematically assess progress and establish benchmarks and timeframes that may facilitate the removal of the site from the List of World Heritage in Danger;

 

4.   Requests that IUCN and the Centre submit the findings and recommendations of the mission and any follow-up actions to the 28th session of the Committee; and

 

5.   Decides to retain the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve on the List of World Heritage in Danger. 

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Report year: 2003
Honduras
Date of Inscription: 1982
Category: Natural
Criteria: (vii)(viii)(ix)(x)
Danger List (dates): 1996-2007, 2011-present
Documents examined by the Committee
WHC.03/27.COM/7A
WHC.03/27.COM/7A.Corr
arrow_circle_right 27COM (2003)
Exports
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* : 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.


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