EXTERNAL TEXT SOURCE:

AUSTRALIAN WORLD HERITAGE LISTING SERVER

Subjects cover world heritage listings, government commitment to listings, benefits from listings etc.

Ref: http://Kaos.erin.gov.au/portfolio/dest/wha/listing.html

The Implications of a World Heritage Listing

Inscription of a property on the World Heritage List can produce many benefits for Australia, and in particular, for local communities. Australia's World Heritage properties are a clearly identifiable part of our heritage. In the case of properties such as the Tasmanian Wilderness, Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef, World Heritage listing has featured in promotions which have resulted in greatly increased tourist visitation from overseas and within Australia. In addition to possible increases in employment opportunities and income, local communities could also expect benefits from improved planning and management of the region. A major focus for Commonwealth Government assistance for World Heritage properties has been the provision of resources for strengthening management and improving interpretation and visitor facilities. World Heritage listing also cultivates local and national pride in the property and develops feelings of national responsibility to protect the area. OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL World Heritage listing does not affect ownership rights. Ownership remains as it was prior to nomination, and State and local laws still apply. World Heritage properties in Australia do not become Commonwealth property. Nor does ownership of these World Heritage properties pass to any international body or foreign power. Australia's World Heritage properties comprise a wide variety of land tenures including freehold, perpetual lease, pastoral lease, town reserve, State forest, national park, nature reserve, Aboriginal reserve and recreational reserve. LAND USES The Commonwealth Government has an international obligation to protect and conserve World Heritage property, but there is no impediment to existing land uses unless they threaten the outstanding universal natural and cultural values of the property. Experience in Australia's World Heritage properties shows that listing does not necessarily limit the range of activities which can be carried out on a property. For instance, grazing occurs in the Willandra Lakes Region, NSW, and Shark Bay, Western Australia, and there is recreational and commercial fishing in the Great Barrier Reef. MANAGEMENT In Australia the actual management arrangements vary from property to property: The Willandra Lakes Region, the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves (Australia), Lord Howe Island, Shark Bay, the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh/Naracoorte), and Fraser Island are managed by government agencies in their respective States. In the case of the Tasmanian Wilderness, the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics of Queensland, joint State/Commonwealth management arrangements apply, with day-to-day management being carried out by State government agencies. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is owned by the Aboriginal community who leases it to the Director of the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, which manages the property as a national park. Kakadu National Park was inscribed on the World Heritage List in three stages over eleven years. Stage 1 of Kakadu is Aboriginal land, Stages 2 and 3 encompass Commonwealth-owned land which is currently subject to land claims. The Australian Nature Conservation Agency is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Park. For each Australian property, management plans have been produced or are planned. The Commonwealth considers such plans as vital in implementing Australia's obligations under the World Heritage Convention. The primary management objectives for World Heritage properties are part of Australia's general obligations under the World Heritage Convention: * to protect, conserve and present the World Heritage values of the property; * to integrate the protection of the area into a comprehensive planning program; * to give the property a function in the life of the Australian community; * to strengthen appreciation and respect of the property's World Heritage values, particularly through educational and information programs; * to keep the community broadly informed about the condition of the World Heritage values of the property; and * to take appropriate scientific, technical, legal, administrative and financial measures necessary for the achieving of the foregoing objectives. In achieving these primary objectives due regard is given to: * ensuring the provision of essential services to communities within and adjacent to a property; * allowing provision for use of the property which does not threaten the World Heritage values and integrity; * recognising the role of current management agencies in the protection of a property's values; and * the involvement of the local community in the planning and management of a property. ERIN World Wide Web comments and queries please. What is World Heritage? [Image] World Heritage properties are sites with exceptional natural and/or cultural values. The international importance of these sites is recognised through their inscription on the World Heritage List, established by the World Heritage Convention. The World Heritage Convention aims to promote cooperation amoung nations to protect and conserve natural and cultural heritage of worldwide importance. Coming into force in 1975, the Convention continues to be a very successful instrument for heritage conservation. The World Heritage List includes over 440 sites worldwide. Australian areas inscribed on the List compare with other well known international World Heritage sites such as the Pyramids of Egypt, the Grand Canyon of the United States, the Taj Mahal of India, Westminister Abbey in England and the Great Wall of China. The World Heritage Committee, consisting of representatives from 21 nations, administers the Convention. Australia was a mumber of the Committee from 1976 to 1989. The main task of the Committee is to consider properties which have been nominated by member nations for the World Heritage List. Other functions include the removal from the List of properties which have lost their World Heritage values, the placement of endangered properties on the World Heritage Danger List and the administration of the World Heritage Fund. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Image] ERIN Home Page [Image] Search ERIN WWW Server ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ERIN World Wide Web comments and queries please.

Source Australian World Heritage Web Site.