The most significant feature of the 1972 World Heritage Convention is that it links together in a single document the concepts of nature conservation and the preservation of cultural properties. The Convention recognizes the way in which people interact with nature, and the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two. The Convention sets out the duties of States Parties in identifying potential sites and their role in protecting and preserving them. By signing the Convention, each country pledges to conserve not only the World Heritage sites situated on its territory, but also to protect its national heritage. The World Heritage List includes 878 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations considers as having outstanding universal value. These include 679 cultural, 174 natural and 25 mixed properties in 145 States Parties. As of April 2009, 186 States Parties have ratified the World Heritage Convention. To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. These criteria are explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention which, besides the text of the Convention, is the main working tool on World Heritage. The criteria are regularly revised by the Committee to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself. The following points are the natural criteria for an area to be considered for inclusion on the list. VII.to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance; VIII.to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth′s history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features; IX.to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals; X.to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation ASSIGNMENT You are to review the list of natural World Heritage sites http://whc.unesco.org/en/list and think of a place not currently listed that you think meets the natural criteria (enumerated above) and should be part of the list. You may choose a location anywhere in the world as long as it is not already part of the list. You will prepare a brief PowerPoint or Keynote presentation on the selected site to present to the class on the date assigned in your syllabus. I want you to treat this project as if you are making an actual appeal before the UN to have your site included on the list! Your presentation must address all of the following points: Provide a brief history of the site you have chosen. This section will serve as an introduction and include elements such as global location, your reason for selecting this area for consideration, and a brief discussion of the natural importance of the area. Discuss the significant physical history of the area including but not limited to; relevant geology, land formations, significant fossil finds, important mineral or metal deposits, fault zones, active or inactive volcanoes, any tectonic activity, evidence of glaciers, canyons carved by water movements, or other unique geologic phenomena. Discuss the important biological details of the area including but not limited to; unique ecology, evidence of evolutionary processes, sensitive habitat, threatened or endangered species, examples that support biological diversity, and potentially the age of the ecosystems present. This website may prove helpful in your research pertaining to threatened species for this area: http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Provide a pointed delivery as to how your proposed area meets the criteria set forth in points VII-X of the UN selection criteria. It is important to use illustrative examples that show the connection between your chosen site and what the World Heritage Convention states as eligibility requirements.
