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Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul, Campeche

Mexico
Factors affecting the property in 2018*
  • Governance
  • Legal framework
  • Management systems/ management plan
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

Threats identified at the time of the extension/re-nomination of the property in 2014:

  • Governance (need to strengthen the coordinating mechanism)
  • Legal framework (need to assure that the buffer zone is configured in a way designed to protect the property)
  • Management systems (lack of an integrated Protection and Management Plan)
  • Weak monitoring system for the Cultural and Natural value
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2018
Requests approved: 0
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2018**
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2018

On 19 January 2018, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report for the property in Spanish, and an English version on 12 April 2018, available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1061/documents, and which provides the following information:

  • The Development Wide Vision Programme for the Municipality of Calakmul 2013-2040 (PDGV) has been prepared in the framework of a transnational project for the protection and sustainable use of the Selva Maya in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico. Among its lines of action are the promotion of sustainable agriculture, conservation of natural and cultural resources, sustainable tourism, and the participation of local communities;
  • The revision of the zoning of the Biosphere Reserve has not yet been concluded as this requires modification of the Decree that established the Reserve as a natural protected area. Consultations have been held between the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP), responsible for the development of a new zoning scheme for the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH, responsible for the management of natural and cultural sites in Mexico) on the proposal for a new zoning scheme;
  • In February 2018, CONANP and INAH signed an agreement (“General Bases for Collaboration”) that defines cooperation mechanisms and processes between both institutions with regards to the management and conservation of archaeological monuments and zones located within natural protected areas. A first initiative is to create an Evaluation and Monitoring Technical Group that will meet at least every six months to prepare joint operational plans and analyze progress in projects and commitments. Given the significance of the property, a “Special Project” has also been elaborated for it under the general agreement. Furthermore, the World Heritage Technical Sub-Council of CONANP will be expanded to include specialised academics and NGOs, and will coordinate the decision-making processes regarding the management, conservation and protection of the property;
  • The process for the elaboration of the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) is ongoing and a draft of its general provisions and objectives has been submitted together with the state of conservation report;
  • Regarding the possible revision of the boundaries of the World Heritage property and its buffer zone, this will be considered by the State Party at a later stage.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2018

The progress made by the State Party in the integration of the protection, conservation and management arrangements of the natural and cultural resources of the mixed property should be welcomed. Particularly, the formal agreement between the heads of CONANP and INAH is considered an important step in this process, as is the confirmation that the World Heritage Technical Sub-Council of CONANP will act as coordination body for the property. It is further noted that under the general agreement between CONANP and INAH, a Special Project has also been developed specifically for the property, and it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to provide more precision on what this Special Project will exactly undertake.

Despite the progress achieved in establishing closer institutional cooperation between CONANP and INAH, further progress is still needed in addressing the Committee’s requests with regard to strengthening legal protection and the management of the property. It is acknowledged that the integration of management mechanisms, including management plans and zoning, are complex and time-consuming processes. However, the State Party should be urged to proceed in these areas as soon as possible, taking into account Decision 38 COM 8B.16 and the observations made by the Advisory Bodies on the draft IMP. It is therefore recommended that the Committee again strongly encourage the State Party to implement the recommendations made in Decision 40 COM 7B.63 regarding the revision of the zoning of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve and development of an IMP for the mixed property.

It is recommended that the Committee also urge the State Party to proceed with the review of the boundaries of the property and its buffer zones in order to ensure an effective layer of additional protection for all related cultural and natural values, as was requested by the Committee in its Decisions 38 COM 8B.16 and 40 COM 7B.63.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2018
42 COM 7B.63
Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul, Campeche (Mexico) (C/N 1061bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
  2. Recalling Decisions 38 COM 8B.16, and 40 COM 7B.63, adopted at its 38th (Doha, 2014) and 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) session, respectively,
  3. Acknowledges the progress made in the integration of the protection and management of the cultural and natural values of the mixed property, and welcomes particularly the formal agreement of cooperation between the National Commission for Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) and the National Institute for Anthropology and History (INAH);
  4. Notes the development of a Special Project specifically for the property under the newly signed cooperation agreement between CONANP and INAH, and requests the State Party to provide more precision on what this Special Project will exactly undertake;
  5. Reiterates however, its request to the State Party to:
    1. Complete the updating and reinforcement of legal protection for the extended property as a mixed site, including through the ongoing revision of the zoning of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, in order to ensure that both the natural values and the cultural heritage and sites contained in the entire property are adequately protected,
    2. Submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, the draft proposal for the revision of the zoning of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, including maps,
    3. Complete and approve the Integrated Management Plan for the extended mixed property, which also includes a monitoring program for both cultural and natural attributes of the property, as well as risk management measures specifically addressing threats to these attributes, and submit its final draft to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
  6. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to consider, in the future revision of the boundaries of the property, the inclusion of additional and relevant cultural sites that enhance the property’s Outstanding Universal Value and furthermore, to improve the configuration of the buffer zone to ensure it provides an effective layer of additional protection to the property;
  7. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2019, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020.
Draft Decision: 42 COM 7B.63

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
  2. Recalling Decisions 38 COM 8B.16, and 40 COM 7B.63, adopted at its 38th (Doha, 2014) and 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) session, respectively,
  3. Acknowledges the progress made in the integration of the protection and management of the cultural and natural values of the mixed property, and welcomes particularly the formal agreement of cooperation between the National Commission for Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) and the National Institute for Anthropology and History (INAH);
  4. Notes the development of a Special Project specifically for the property under the newly signed cooperation agreement between CONANP and INAH, and requests the State Party to provide more precision on what this Special Project will exactly undertake;
  5. Reiterates however, its request to the State Party to:
    1. Complete the updating and reinforcement of legal protection for the extended property as a mixed site, including through the ongoing revision of the zoning of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, in order to ensure that both the natural values and the cultural heritage and sites contained in the entire property are adequately protected,
    2. Submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, the draft proposal for the revision of the zoning of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, including maps,
    3. Complete and approve the Integrated Management Plan for the extended mixed property, which also includes a monitoring program for both cultural and natural attributes of the property, as well as risk management measures specifically addressing threats to these attributes, and submit its final draft to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
  6. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to consider, in the future revision of the boundaries of the property, the inclusion of additional and relevant cultural sites that enhance the property’s Outstanding Universal Value and furthermore, to improve the configuration of the buffer zone to ensure it provides an effective layer of additional protection to the property;
  7. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2019, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020.
Report year: 2018
Mexico
Date of Inscription: 2002
Category: Mixed
Criteria: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(ix)(x)
Documents examined by the Committee
SOC Report by the State Party
Report (2018) .pdf
arrow_circle_right 42COM (2018)
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.


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