World Heritage

The purpose of this study is to review, clarify and strengthen the application and assessment of criterion (vii -- contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance) in order to improve advice to States Parties in the nomination process and enhance guidance for the IUCN evaluation process.

La Liste du patrimoine mondial compte 156 explicitement reconnus pour leurs valeurs exceptionnelles du point de vue de la biodiversité. Ensemble, ils représentent les principaux écosystèmes de la planète. Or, certains sites présentant des valeurs exceptionnelles attachées à la biodiversité ne font pas encore partie de ce réseau de « biens du patrimoine mondial de la biodiversité ».

This Resource Manual has a specific purpose: helping to manage natural values within World Heritage properties. As such it is aimed at natural and mixed World Heritage properties as well as cultural landscapes (inscribed under cultural criteria). The intention is to help managers understand and incorporate World Heritage concepts and processes into natural site management.

This publication is dedicated to the topic of natural World Heritage. It explores how these outstanding sites can function as the flagships of protected areas and thereby support biodiversity conservation as well as human well-being. Statements of young people from around the world who participated in the International Youth Forum Go4BioDiv, held in parallel to the CBD-COP 10 in Nagoya, Japan, in October 2010, illustrate the threats to the treasures of our planet.

At a crucial time of rapid socio-economic change, nature and World Heritage in the Arab States provides an assessment of World Heritage in the Arab States region. This includes the conservation outlook for the five existing natural and mixed World Heritage sites in the region, as well as an analysis of the regions' potential natural heritage sites included in the Tentative Lists.

At a crucial time of rapid socio-economic change, ature and World Heritage in the Arab States provides an assessment of World Heritage in the Arab States region. This includes the conservation outlook for the five existing natural and mixed World Heritage sites in the region, as well as an analysis of the regions' potential natural heritage sites included in the Tentative Lists.

World Heritage properties are some of the most unique places on our planet because of the range of outstanding and unique natural or cultural features and values that they contain. Like anything precious these places need to be protected and cared for responsibly. The purpose of this manual is to help those responsible for managing World Heritage properties with natural values by suggesting what they need to think about when producing a management plan for their property.

This Resource Manual represents IUCN’s advice to States Parties which are considering nominating a natural or mixed property for World Heritage status. Preparing a World Heritage nomination is not a simple task and interested parties are encouraged to carefully analyse the situation, taking the time needed to ensure a sound process that is closely linked to ensuring effective management of the property and cooperation with communities and stakeholders.

The manual is based on the version of the "Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention" dated August 2011 and seeks to complement it. In particular, the manual seeks to support States Parties in implementing the World Heritage Convention and to provide guidance and knowledge that will help ensure a credible World Heritage List of well-managed properties of Outstanding Universal Value.