Simien National Park

• Road construction through the property
• Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
• Crop cultivation
• Overgrazing by livestock causing land degradation and human-wildlife conflict
• Declining populations of Walia ibex, Ethiopian wolf and other large mammal species
• Agricultural encroachment at the borders of the property
• Impacts and risks associated with tourism

• Major declines of the Walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf populations and of other large mammals
• Agricultural encroachment at the borders of the property
• Impacts of road construction through the property

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4085 

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/4085 

Total amount granted: USD 100,000 (2012-2015) in support of community conservation programme with co-financing from Global Environment Fund (GEF) and development of the grazing pressure reduction strategy (UNESCO-Spain-Funds-in Trust and UNESCO-Netherlands-Funds-in-Trust)

On 8 February 2017, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property in response to Committee Decision 40 COM 7A.43 (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016). From 23 to 30 April 2017 an IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission visited the property. Both reports are available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/9/documents. The State Party reports progress made towards the corrective measures as follows:

• Preparation towards a boundary modification of the property is underway;
• Beginning implementation of a consolidated strategic framework, including the General Management Plan (GMP), a Tourism Master Plan, a Grazing Pressure Reduction Strategy and Livelihood Improvement Strategies;
• Relocation of the Gich community has been completed, with most individual compensations secured while a few individual court cases are still ongoing, infrastructure and the draft livelihood improvement strategy and action plan have been developed;
• Cooperation with partners including the Austrian Development Cooperation, the African Wildlife Foundation, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and UNDP in the operational park management and livelihood improvement of resettled communities;
• Significant increases of the populations of Walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf over the past decade;
• Delays of the construction of a new road to serve as an alternative route to an existing road crossing sensitive areas within the property. The task has been transferred to the governmental Defense Construction Company, which is expected to complete the stalled works;
• Commitment is made to re-align the power line along the above-mentioned new road;
• Increase in tourism activities, with reported interest to develop the sector further.

The State Party also provides a map with the locations of the existing and proposed eco-lodges, stating that they are all located “almost on the boundary line (within the buffer zone)” of Simien Mountains National Park (SMNP). 

The 2017 mission confirmed that the overarching challenge for the relatively small property arises due to the growing human population living in its immediate vicinity and to a lesser extent within it, and relying on the property’s natural resources. The State Party has made considerable progress in responding to Committee requests but further efforts are needed to reduce overgrazing, better manage tourism and infrastructures and promote alternative livelihoods. The 2009-2019 GMP provides a good framework for the management of the property, but its implementation is currently limited. Development of a new GMP provides a clear opportunity to address the above concerns and expand the geographical scope of the GMP to incorporate the newly defined boundaries.

The voluntary resettlement of the Gich community reduces the unsustainable agricultural and grazing pressure on a centrally located and particularly valuable area within the property. Great care should be taken to fulfil all the necessary commitments from the resettlement process, including payment of the remaining compensations and implementation of the livelihood strategy, in full compliance with both national laws and international policy and guidance.

While noting the difficulties in estimating populations of Walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf, there appears to be an encouraging indication on increasing or at least stable populations, thereby meeting the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) ecological indicators. However, there is a need for a clearer monitoring protocol for populations of Walia ibex, Ethiopian wolf and gelada to establish a consensus on realistic population numbers and trends of these three flagship species of the property.

Tourism has the potential to create alternative employment and income opportunities but also comes with impacts and risks, which need to be understood and addressed. Despite the map submitted and State Party’s description, the locations of the current and proposed eco-lodges remain unclear, especially regarding whether the lodges are inside or outside of SMNP boundaries. The State Party refers to a buffer zone, which has not yet been defined for the property but this should be encouraged. It is also noted that no update is provided on the status of the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for these proposed developments in order to assess the potential impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property as requested by the Committee in Decision 40 COM 7A.43.

While the delay of the road construction aiming at reducing disturbance in important afro-alpine habitats is unfortunate, the renewed State Party commitment to finalize the project is encouraging. As noted by the State Party, the new road will cross a different section of the SMNP. An EIA should be developed in line with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment to mitigate the impacts of the new road.

The mission reports the State Party’s strong commitment and management responses at all governmental levels. Zonation and user agreements defining rights and responsibilities for local subsistence use of natural resources are among the promising instruments in making further progress to address overgrazing while supporting livelihoods, as proposed by the Grazing Pressure Reduction Strategy,. The mission recommends the DSOCR indicator on grazing be updated to assess the enabling framework rather than a quantitative indicator. It is important to note that addressing the conflicts between local livelihood needs and conservation objectives are permanent and fundamental management requirements. Despite substantial investments made to date, major additional investment is required and external governmental and non-governmental partners are strongly encouraged to closely coordinate with the State Party.

The mission considers that, despite the commendable progress, the property should remain on the List of World Heritage in Danger. As a pragmatic and coherent way forward, the mission recommends a focus on the formalization of the Significant Boundary Modification requested by the Committee. As this procedure involves the preparation of a new nomination, it represents an opportunity for the State Party to demonstrate compliance with World Heritage expectations such as Committee requests, mission recommendations, including further progress achieved towards the DSOCR. At the same time, it is recommended that the elaboration of the next GMP to encompass the expanded SMNP should start as soon as possible, fully considering the World Heritage status and its implications. It is therefore recommended that the Committee encourage the State Party to take advantage of these two pending processes in an effort to refine the evolving policy and management framework along with a realistic and fundable implementation plan.