The Bureau noted that the Ministry of Environment of Brazil had taken all possible measures to close the Colon Road. In particular: (a) a technical report prepared by the Brazilian Environment Agency (IBAMA) on the environmental impacts caused by the illegal opening of the Colon Road and its continuing use has been submitted to the Courts; and (b) the Federal Court of Parana has ratified the Brazilian Government’s decision to close the road and to impose prison sentences on those who continue to refuse to comply with the Government’s decision. The Supreme Court of Brazil has ...
Sites: Iguaçu National Park
The Bureau noted that a workshop held from 25 to 27 September 1999 at this site had brought together twenty-eight participants from Government institutions, staff of the Reserve and NGOs. The workshop focused on linking the applications of the World Heritage Convention, Ramsar Convention, Biosphere Reserve concept and other Europe-wide initiatives, such as those of BirdLife Network, Natura 2000 and the European Habitat Directive, to the conservation of Srebarna Nature Reserve. The workshop also explored possibilities to involve the local population in the conservation of the site and to ...
Sites: Srebarna Nature Reserve
The Bureau expressed its concern that the President of the State Party had not yet responded to letters from the Director-General and the Chairperson, transmitting the recommendations of the twenty-second (Kyoto, Japan, 1998) and the twenty-third (Marrakesh, Morocco, 1999) sessions of the Committee. The letters invited the President’s urgent intervention for the preparation of a detailed state of conservation report and a rehabilitation plan for the conservation of the site. The Bureau noted the information reported by IUCN that poachers entering CAR from other countries in the ...
24 BUR IV.A.6
Virunga National Park; Garamba National Park; Kahuzi Biega National Park; Okapi Wildlife Reserve; Salonga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC))
The Bureau was informed that, as requested by the Committee at its last session in Morocco (November – December 1999), the Director-General of UNESCO had written to the Heads of States of the DRC and of the neighbouring states implicated in the war in Eastern DRC, namely Rwanda, Sudan and Uganda, drawing their attention to the need to respect the international law protecting the five World Heritage sites in the DRC and soliciting their support to create an environment enabling resident site staff to effectively protect the sites. The Minister for the Environment of the Government of ...
At its last session in Morocco (November – December 1999) the Committee expressed its agreement with the State Party's proposal that the effects of the inclusion of Sangay in the List of World Heritage in Danger should be evaluated. In accordance with that recommendation, the Centre and IUCN intend to invite a paper from the Ecuadorean authorities for presentation at a workshop on the ²Role of the List of World Heritage in Danger in promoting international co-operation for the conservation of World Heritage sites². This workshop is planned to be convened at the time of ...
Sites: Sangay National Park
The Bureau was informed of a meeting between the Permanent Delegate of Ethiopia to UNESCO and the Director and concerned staff of the Centre, convened on 16 February 2000, when the Director recalled the decisions of the Bureau and the Committee since the site's inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1996. In particular, the Director of the Centre referred to the recommendation of the twenty-third session of the Committee (Morocco, 1999) that the Chairperson undertake a mission to Ethiopia to meet with relevant national and regional authorities and to re-establish a basis ...
Sites: Simien National Park
The Bureau was informed of a meeting between a representative of CEGEN (Centre for Environmental Management of Mount Nimba) and Centre staff during the Representative's visit to the Centre from 17 to 21 April 2000. The Bureau noted with satisfaction several initiatives currently underway to revive international co-operation for the protection of Mt. Nimba. The feasibility study phase of a GEF project has already commenced and is expected to be followed by a medium-sized (US$ 300,000 or more) GEF grant. There are negotiations between GEF and other potential donors for mobilising ...
The Bureau was informed that the Centre staff, at a meeting held in early 2000, pointed out to the Permanent Delegate of Honduras to UNESCO the recommendation of the Committee that her Government consider inviting a UNESCO/IUCN mission to the site. Following that meeting and several formal and informal communications, the State Party, via a letter dated 21 June 2000 invited a Centre/IUCN mission and the Bureau was satisfied to learn that the mission is likely to be fielded in late September 2000. The Bureau was informed that a project of the German Technical Co-operation Agency, GTZ, is ...
The Bureau learned that the Deputy Inspector General of Forests (Wildlife) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests in New Delhi, India, via his letter dated 10 April 2000, had informed the Centre that the second phase of the rehabilitation plan for Manas for which the twenty-first session of the Committee (Naples, 1997) approved a sum of US$ 90,000, is currently being implemented. The Bureau recalled that the delay in utilising these funds for rehabilitation activities was caused by the unusually heavy rains experienced in 1998. Also, the need to revise the rehabilitation plan to ...
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
The Bureau was informed that, as part of the implementation of the rehabilitation plan, adopted by the Bureau at its session in July 1999, the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife of Niger had organized a training workshop on the protection of natural heritage for Reserve staff from Forest, Wildlife and Fisheries Departments, and others from the National Museums, University of Niamey, border police, army, security services, tour operators, and others concerned with the control of trade in wildlife products and artefacts. The Workshop was convened from 20 - 23 March 2000 in ...
The Bureau was informed that a four-person team representing IUCN, the Ramsar Convention and other international and regional organisations, visited the site from 28 February to 4 March 2000. The team reviewed the monitoring programmes currently in place and considered additional parameters and indicators that need to be included in an expanded programme to monitor the effectiveness of the rehabilitation measures currently being implemented by the State Party. The report of the mission team has been submitted to the State Party for comments.
The mission concluded that Ichkeul National ...
Sites: Ichkeul National Park
The Bureau learned that the Centre had been informed by the IUCN Regional Councillor for Africa that high risks linked to security conditions in and around this site continue to prevent the implementation of meaningful conservation actions. The high Mountain altitudes are occupied by the rebel group, Allied Defence Forces (ADF) and the lower elevations of the Mountain are under the control of the Ugandan Government Forces (UPDF). The UPDF is believed to be combing the habitats in the lower elevations to clear them of explosives planted by the ADF. The report further mentioned ...
The Bureau noted the findings of the IUCN review of the report submitted by the State Party, at the time of the last session of the Committee (Marrakesh, 1999) outlining the following: (a) the current status of the key threats to the site; (b) the mitigation measures being taken; and (c) requirements for the removal of threats. The report on Everglades addresses a number of threats, and in particular those posed by: (i) exotic species; and (ii) hydrological impacts, including the experimental water delivery project and its impact on endangered species.
The Bureau commended the approach ...
Sites: Everglades National Park
The Bureau noted the findings of the IUCN-review of the report submitted by the State Party at the time of the last session of the Committee (Marrakesh, 1999) and outlining the following: (a) the current status of the key threats to the site; (b) the mitigation measures being taken; and (c) requirements for the removal of threats. The report of Yellowstone addresses the following threats: (i) mining activities outside the Park; (ii) brucellosis infection of the bison population; (iii) lake trout invasion; (d) impacts on water quality; (iv) road construction; and (v) regulation of visitor ...
Sites: Yellowstone National Park
The Secretariat informed the Bureau that it had received on 29 May 2000 a communication from the Minister of Culture of Albania confirming that the area along the coast about which the World Heritage Committee expressed concern at its twenty-third session, would not be developed and would be included in the protected area that was subject of the request for extension of the site. A map was submitted to this effect.
The Bureau congratulated the Government of Albania for the positive response to the Committee’s recommendation that a part of the area along the coast be included in the ...
Sites: Butrint
After the presentation on the state of conservation of the site, the Delegate of Hungary requested that the Activity Reports and additional information relating to the infrastructural work undertaken in the vicinity of Angkor, such as the National Road 6 implemented by The World Bank, the hotel complex and the extension of the airport of Siem Reap be made available. The Delegate of Greece supported this request and expressed her concern regarding the continuing illicit traffic of Khmers cultural heritage.
The Director of the World Heritage Centre informed the Bureau that the ...
Sites: Angkor
Following the decision of the Committee to inscribe the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger at its twenty-third session, a UNESCO-ICOMOS Joint Reactive Monitoring Mission was undertaken in February 2000. The objectives of the mission were to hold discussions with the national and regional authorities concerned to remove the threats facing the site as identified by the Committee, and to provide technical assistance for the development of a comprehensive management plan. In spite of the information provided during the World Heritage Committee session that the construction of the ...
Sites: Group of Monuments at Hampi
Following the presentation of the state of conservation of the site and reports on the regular missions of specialists from CRATerre and the World Heritage Centre, a discussion took place concerning the techniques used for the restoration of the Fort. The Delegates of Greece and Finland questioned whether it was a reconstruction of the site rather than a restoration. After discussions that mainly related to the restoration of the earthen buildings, it was suggested that an international seminar, with the participation of ICCROM and ICOMOS, be convened in Oman on earth ...
Sites: Bahla Fort
As requested by the World Heritage Committee at its twenty-third session, ICOMOS and ICCROM provided their views on the recently adopted Master Plan for this site.
ICOMOS commended the Government of Peru for the preparation and adoption of the Master Plan. It noted that the plan consists of nine volumes, is comprehensive and that its preparation was based upon the appropriate methodology. It suggested that to facilitate the use by on-site staff and to ensure its implementation: (1) a single volume summary of the plan be prepared that would actually constitute the Management Plan for the ...
World Natural Heritage Properties of Australia
The Bureau noted that progress reports on the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics of Queensland would be reviewed by the twenty-fourth extraordinary session of the Bureau.