Western Caucasus
Factors affecting the property in 2007*
- Ground transport infrastructure
- Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
- Major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure
- Management systems/ management plan
- Other Threats:
Weakening of conservation controls
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
a) Lack of management plan;
b) weakening of conservation controls;
c) impacts of proposed tourism infrastructure development;
d) construction of a road;
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2007
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2007**
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2007
A letter dated 1 June 2007 from the Minister of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation was delivered to the World Heritage Centre by an official delegation from Russia on 4 June 2007. The letter informs that a management plan for the property, as requested by the Committee at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004), has been elaborated and after its compliance with legal procedures and approval will be submitted to the 31st session of the Committee.
The letter comments on and further clarifies the issue of the plans to construct a number of sporting facilities in the Sochi National Park, in connection with the proposed location of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. The letter re-iterates the position which the Minster had previously conveyed through a letter to the World Heritage Centre on 1 February 2007 that the planned location of the Olympic facilities in the territory of the Sochi National Park is in compliance with the Federal Programme 2006-2014 for the Development of Sochi as a Mountain Skiing Resort and that the territory of Sochi National Park does not lie within the boundaries of the World Heritage property of the Western Caucasus. Moreover, it states that at present the exact location, extent and nature of the facilities to be developed have not been determined, pending a decision of the International Olympics Committee on the city candidate to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The letter of 1 June 2007 also lists a number of measures taken by the Government of the Russian Federation to exclude the possible risks associated with the development of the Sochi City as a Mountain Climate Resort. These mainly include: an independent environmental assessment; allocation of additional budget for nature protection measures; establishment of a special coordination public ecological council to approve all projects; proposed amendment to the Russian Legislation on EIA to involve the public in discussions and decision making processes; and the proposed increase of the Sochi National Park by 21,000 hectares. The letter also extends an invitation to a monitoring mission of international experts to clarify all aspects related to this issue.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2007
31 COM 7B.32
Western Caucasus (Russian Federation)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-07/31COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 28 COM 14B.15 and 28 COM 14B.16, adopted at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004),
3. Notes that the State Party has submitted new detailed information on the state of conservation of the property;
4. Welcomes the invitation extended by the State Party to a joint UNESCO - IUCN monitoring mission to the property to assess its state of conservation, for consideration by the 32nd session of the Committee in 2008;
5. Decides to postpone the discussion of the state of conservation of the Western Caucasus until its 32nd session in 2008;
6. Requests the State Party to provide to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2008 a copy of the management plan of the property, including a visitor management plan and a clear policy on tourism development for this area, as requested by the Committee at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004).
Draft Decision: 31 COM 7B.32 Rev
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-07/31COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 28 COM 14B.15 and 28 COM 14B.16, adopted at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004),
3. Notes that the State Party has submitted new detailed information on the state of conservation of the property;
4. Welcomes the invitation extended by the State Party to a joint UNESCO – IUCN monitoring mission to the property to assess its state of conservation, for consideration by the 32nd session of the Committee in 2008;
5. Decides to postpone the discussion of the state of conservation of the Western Caucasus until its 32nd session in 2008;
6. Requests the State Party to provide to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2008 a copy of the management plan of the property, including a visitor management plan and a clear policy on tourism development for this area, as requested by the Committee at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004).
Russian FederationExports
* :
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.
