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Vredefort Dome (South Africa) (N 1162)

Document type
Decision
Reference number
7B.5
Date
Jun 19, 2011
Source
UNEP, InforMEA
Status
Active
Subject
Wild species & ecosystems
Treaty
Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (Nov 23, 1972)
Meeting
35e session du Comité
Website
whc.unesco.org
Abstract

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-11/35.COM/7B.Add,

2. Recalling Decision 33 COM 7B.5, adopted at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009),

3. Commends the State Party for the progress achieved in implementing the 2008 mission recommendations;

4. Takes note of the efforts undertaken by the State Party to finalize the proclamation of the World Heritage status under national legislation, with the help of a Mediator and requests the State Party to:

a) Urgently finalize this process, and submit the proclamation to the World Heritage Centre as soon as possible,

b) Establish a Management Authority, and

c) Ensure on-ground management;

5. Also requests the State Party to urgently implement the following additional priority actions:

a) Clearly define the Management Authority's accountabilities and responsibilities and revise and adopt the draft Integrated Management Plan, in line with the 2010 mission Advice Note to the State Party,

b) Provide clear planning control guidance to address unapproved tourism developments,

c) Define the legal boundaries and clearly demarcate them on the ground, for the property's three satellite serial sites, including through a minor boundary modification, and ensure that tourism impacts on key vulnerable geological localities within the property are minimised, and

d) Initiate studies and targeted actions to ensure the sustainable use of ground and surface water, as this is an important factor in maintaining the rural landscape setting of the property, which forms part of its Outstanding Universal Value;

6. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2013, a report on the state of conservation of the property and on the steps taken to implement the recommendations of the 2008 and 2010 reactive monitoring missions, and in particular the progress achieved in proclaiming Vredefort Dome's World Heritage status under national legislation, in establishing the Management Authority, and in re-defining the boundaries of the satellite component sites of the property, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 37th session in 2013.