Buffer zones (Guidance)

Buffer zones are described in The World Heritage Resource Manual Preparing World Heritage Nominations (2nd edition, UNESCO 2011) as follows:
 ”Every World Heritage property needs protection and management arrangements for activities outside the property, including their immediate setting. Buffer zones are one commonly used means to achieve this protection, conservation and management. However a buffer zone is not always a requirement if, as outlined in the Operational Guidelines, there are also legal, regulatory and other methods available to protect the property from wider threats (Paragraph 104). These may include recognition in land-use plans or development regulations, or ensuring landscape level connectivity between protected areas. Countries may have different mechanisms in this regard.

It should be clearly understood that the buffer zone does not form part of the World Heritage property but is there to assist in its protection, conservation and management.
The features and values of a buffer zone are [...] not included in the assessment of Outstanding Universal Value but may be relevant to the assessment of whether a nominated property meets requirements for integrity, authenticity, protection and management. Consideration needs to be given as to whether the immediate setting of the property is understood and can be readily defined, or whether more work is needed to define it.
Issues that can influence the buffer zone boundary include:
• characteristics of the potential Outstanding Universal Value;
• management requirements of the property;
• character of known or foreseeable threats or impacts;
• important views to or from the property;
• existing character of the potential buffer zone;
• ownership, resource use, management and protection (including legislation) within the potential buffer zone.

Although a buffer zone is not part of the inscribed World Heritage property, the buffer zone boundaries are formally registered at the time of inscription of a property, or at the time modifications are approved by the World Heritage Committee. The buffer zone is an integral component of the State Party’s commitment to the protection, conservation and management of the property. As such any buffer zone should be part of the overall management system for the property, and it should be clear how those responsible for managing the property are also able to provide input to and influence the management of activities in any buffer zone. The process of defining the buffer zone can be an important opportunity to involve stakeholders in understanding the property and working together for its long-term protection, conservation and management.”

Source(s): The World Heritage Resource Manual Preparing World Heritage Nominations (2nd edition, UNESCO 2011)

Buffer zones in this context relate to those buffer zones submitted and acknowledged by the World Heritage Committee. To answer this question, please refer also to the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value provided in Chapter 3. Please indicate which of the suggested answers given to this question most closely reflects the current status of the property.