World Heritage Site Nomination for Bonaire

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World Heritage Site Nomination for Bonaire

• Kalli De Meyer
• Fundashon pa Bon Koral Coral Resource Management

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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World Heritage Sites

• There are currently 730 World Heritage Sites
  worldwide
• 563 cultural sites
• 144 natural sites
• 23 mixed cultural and natural sites
• 9 marine sites

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Global Strategy
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Caribbean Sites

• 1982 Old City of Havana - Cuba
• 1988 Trinidad and Valley of Ingenios - Cuba
• 1997 San Pedro de la Roca Caste, Satiago de Cuba
  - Cuba
• 1999 Vinales Valley - Cuba
• 2000 Archaeological landscape of first coffee
  plantations - Cuba
• 1990 Colonial city of Santo Domingo - D.R
• 1982 National Historic Park - Citadel, San Souci,
  Ramiers - Haiti
• 1999 Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park - St
  Kitts Nevis
• 1997 Willemstad, inner city and harbour -
  Netherlands
• 2000 St Geroge and fortifications Bermuda, UK
• 1983 La Fortaleza and San Juan historic site -
  Puerto Rico, USA
• 1996 Belize Barrier Reef System - Belize
• 1999 Desembarco del Granma National Park - Cuba
• 1997 Morne Trois Pitons National Park - Dominica
• 2000 Central Suriname Nature Reserve - Suriname

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Global initiative

• World Heritage Marine Biodiversity Workshop held
  in VietNam February 2002
• Identified 118 tropical marine sites for
  nomination
• 17 marine areas in the Caribbean
• Southern Caribbean Island Group put on the
  priority list

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VietNam workshop 2002

• The workshop viewed this continental shelf
  cluster as highly important in terms of its
  biodiversity value. The areas biodiversity
  importance lies in its high coral diversity
  relative to other areas in the region, population
  scale ecological attributes, and the particular
  qualities of Los Roques

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International Workshop, Bonaire

• May 2003
• Delegates from
• Curacao, Bonaire
• Netherlands Antilles
• Venezuela
• UNESCO
• World Heritage Centre
• TNC / Kalli De Meyer

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Outcomes of workshop

• Name LAS ISLAS DEL CARIBE SUR
• Type Marine Transboundary nomination
• Area Curacao, Bonaire, Las Aves,
• Los Roques

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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(No Transcript)
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Comisión Nacional de Cooperación con la
UNESCO(Venezuela)
Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Comisión Nacional de Cooperación con la
UNESCO(Venezuela)
Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Outcomes of the workshop

• Conservation International pledged to run a Rapid
  Assessment Protocol in 2003/4 in support of the
  nomination
• The Nature Conservancy have pledged their support
• Environmental Defense expressed keen interest and
  donated funds towards the next meeting

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Outcomes of the workshop

• Ongoing activities
• Brochure
• Web site (www.islascaribe-sur.org)
• Publicity
• Discussion group
• Tentative list application

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• What makes this Transboundary site special
• New !
• Only 2 other proposed marine transboundary
  nominations
• Galapagos Cocos Islands seascape
• Pacific Line Islands (Kiribati, Cook Islds, Fr
  Polynesia)
• Unique area in the Caribbean

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• What makes this Transboundary site special
• True oceanic islands
• Deep water trench
• Biodiversity hot spot
• High endemism (especially in deep water)

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Comisión Nacional de Cooperación con la UNESCO
(Venezuela)

• MARCO GEOTECTONICO Y GEOPOLITICO DE LOS
  ARCHIPIELAGOS LOS ROQUES (Parque Nacional ) y LAS
  AVES. Dr. H. Pérez Nieto. CNO

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• What makes this Transboundary site special
• Fringing coral reefs
• Extensive seagrass mangrove systems
• Strong history of conservation
• Off shore component

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• CHALLENGES
• Not been done before
• Need to create bilateral agreements for
  co-operative conservation and management
• Lack of similar model agreements
• Difficult political situation in Venezuela

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• CHALLENGES
• Involves 3 countries Antillean, Venezuelan and
  Netherlands / 5 governments
• Language and cultural barriers
• Crosses several jurisdictions
• Requires joint management body

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• CHALLENGES for BONAIRE
• Urgent solution needed for sewerage waste
  disposal
• Construction guidelines need to be implemented
• Fish protected areas need to be established
• BNMP needs to have a Management Plan
• Buffer areas (terrestrial and marine) need to be
  set up

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• BENEFITS for BONAIRE
• We are learning what marine life has always known
  there are no barriers in the sea
• Transboundary species include dolphin, turtle,
  conch and many species of fish

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• BENEFITS for BONAIRE
• Underscores the importance of nature and culture
  to our islands
• Elevates conservation (Bonaire would rank
  alongside the Galapagos and Great Barrier Reef)
• Tourism inestimable value in marketing

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• BENEFITS for BONAIRE
• Underscores the importance of nature and culture
  to our islands
• Elevates conservation (Bonaire would rank
  alongside the Galapagos and Great Barrier Reef)
• Tourism inestimable value in marketing

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• BENEFITS for BONAIRE
• Underscores the importance of nature and culture
  to our islands
• Elevates conservation (Bonaire would rank
  alongside the Galapagos and Great Barrier Reef)
• Tourism inestimable value in marketing

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• BENEFITS for BONAIRE
• Gives us the impetus to do things we knew needed
  to be done
• Fisheries Ordinance
• Nature legislation
• Extending BNMP to 12 mile zone
• Establishing NTMRs

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• BENEFITS for BONAIRE
• Protects traditional use local fishing
• Allows us to share resources and knowledge with
  Venezuela
• Enhances legal protection

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• BENEFITS for BONAIRE
• Protects traditional use local fishing
• Allows us to share resources and knowledge with
  Venezuela
• Enhances legal protection

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• BENEFITS for BONAIRE
• Protects traditional use local fishing
• Allows us to share resources and knowledge with
  Venezuela
• Enhances legal protection
• combating poaching, pollution, illegal fishing

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Islas del Caribe Sur

• Protecting our nature and culture for our
  children and our childrens children

Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur
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Transboundary UNESCO World Heritage nomination
Islas del Caribe Sur