World
Heritage Sites
Environment & Resource Management
www.CraigMarlatt.com/school
World Heritage Sites
1. The Selection Process
2. World Heritage Sites in Canada
3. Propose Your Own World Heritage Site
4. National Parks of Canada
World Heritage Sites
• The World Heritage List includes 812 properties
forming part of the cultural and natural heritage
which the World Heritage Committee considers as
having outstanding universal value.
• These include 628 cultural, 160 natural, and 24
mixed properties in 137 States Parties.
World Heritage Sites
World Heritage Sites
World Heritage Sites
• Criteria for Natural Sites
– Exemplify major stages in Earth’s history
– Represent ongoing ecological processes
– Contain significant natural habitats
– Contains areas of exceptional beauty
World Heritage Sites
• Criteria for Cultural Sites
– Masterpiece of creative genius
– Exhibit an important interchange of human value
– Illustrate significant stages in human history
– Have exerted great architectural influence
– Be an outstanding example of a traditional way of life
representing a certain culture
– Be associated with ideas or beliefs of universal
significance
The Selection Process
• Stage One
– A national Tentative List is prepared by the State
Party. In order for a site to be nominated as a
potential World Heritage Site, it must first be on a
State Party’s Tentative List.
– A detailed nomination dossier is prepared by those
responsible for the site.
The Selection Process
• Stage Two
– The nomination dossier is submitted to the World
Heritage Centre, which checks that nominations are
complete. The centre may ask for additional
information from the nominating State Party.
The Selection Process
• Stage Three
– Experts from the International Council on Monuments
and Sites (ICOMOS) for cultural sites and from the
World Conservation Union (IUCN) for natural sites
visit the nominated site to evaluate its heritage values,
its protection and management regime, and to confirm
the level of support of the various stakeholders. The
international experts prepare a technical report, which
includes recommendations for consideration by the
World Heritage Committee.
The Selection Process
• Stage Four
– The World Heritage Committee makes a decision on
the nomination. It can inscribe the site on the World
Heritage List; refer the nomination back to the State
Party for more information; defer it until further
research work is conducted; or not inscribe the site on
the list.
– The timeframe from the reception of a nomination
dossier by the World Heritage Centre to the
Committee’s decision is at least 18 months.
World Heritage Sites in Canada
World Heritage Sites in Canada
World Heritage Sites in Canada
World Heritage Sites in Canada
• Cultural
– Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (1981)
– Historic District of Québec (1985)
– L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site (1978)
– Old Town Lunenburg (1995)
– SGaang Gwaii (Anthony Island) (1981)
World Heritage Sites in Canada
• Natural
– Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (1984)
– Dinosaur Provincial Park (1979)
– Gros Morne National Park (1987)
– Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay /
Tatshenshini-Alsek (1979)
– Miguasha National Park (1999)
– Nahanni National Park (1978)
– Waterton Glacier International Peace Park (1995)
– Wood Buffalo National Park (1983)
World Heritage Sites in Canada
• Proposed
– Áísínai’pi (Writing-On-Stone)
– Atikaki/Woodland Caribou/Accord First Nations
– Grand-Pré
– Gwaii Haanas
– Ivvavik/Vuntut/Herschel Island (Qikiqtaruk)
– Joggins
– The Klondike
– Mistaken Point
– Quttinirpaaq
– Red Bay
– Rideau Canal
Propose Your Own WHS
• Follow the criteria established by UNESCO,
create a visually stunning PowerPoint and
brochure/handout that…
Includes a regional location map
Includes a site-specific map
Identifies the type & details of site being proposed
Explains the significance of the site
Explains possible threats to the site
Identifies who and how the site will be managed
Propose Your Own WHS
• Be prepared to present (and defend!) your
proposal to the selection committee (i.e., the rest
of the class).
• Questions of all presenting groups will be required
from the selection committee!
• After all presentations have concluded, the
selection committee will tally up their observations
and determine which site(s) will actually become
designated as “World Heritage Sites”
National Parks of Canada
• Canada’s National Parks are a country-
wide system of representative natural
areas of Canadian significance.
• By law, they are protected for public
understanding, appreciation and enjoyment, while
being maintained in an unimpaired state for future
generations.
• National Parks have existed in Canada since
1885 and currently number 42, with new ones
being explored on an on-going basis.