Alejandro de Humboldt National Park

Potential impacts from mining activities

In response to the World Heritage Committee’s Decision 32 COM 7B.36, the State Party submitted on 27 January 2009 a state of conservation report on this property. The report notes that a new management plan for the term 2009-2013 has been prepared and implementation initiated. The property benefits from a specialized and well-trained management unit, comprising 65 staff working on the implementation of the management plan. A number of international projects, financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), WWF-Canada and other international NGOs are contributing to management activities such as programmes against fires; control and eradication of exotic species, reforestation and environmental education of key actors and communities residing inside or in the buffer areas of the Park. At the same time infrastructures and equipment to support effective management have been strengthened.

The report also notes that the property was affected in September 2008 by hurricane “Ike” which affected forest areas throughout several sectors of the park; however the damage caused has not created serious or irreversible impacts to the values and integrity of the property, and the property has recovered from hurricanes in the past through natural processes. It is noted that apart from the damage caused by the hurricane, there are no other conservation problems in the property. The report further notes that no mining exploration or exploitation activities are occurring within the property.

Despite reassurances in regards to management capacity and effectiveness, corroborated in part from reports IUCN has received from other sources, the fact remains that the State Party has not addressed the central issue raised by the World Heritage Committee (Decision 32 COM 7B.36), namely: “to make a clear and unequivocal commitment to close down the mining concessions granted within the boundaries of the property, or those in its periphery that could affect the property”. A letter to this effect was sent to the State Party on 1 April 2009. The on-going existence of mining concessions in the property represents, in the view of the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, an expression of intent to mine these areas in the future. If not clearly addressed by the State Party, the continued existence of mining concessions must be considered as a potential threat to the property, as per Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines.