Periodic Report on the Application of the World Heritage Convention

SECTION I OF THE PERIODIC REPORT
ON THE APPLICATION OF THE
WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION

APPLICATION OF THE
WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION
BY CANADA

QUESTIONNAIRE -
SECTION II REPORTS
OF THE WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION PERIODIC REPORTING PROJECT

II.5 Factors Affecting the Property

5) Please briefly identify under the following headings - Development Pressures, Environmental Pressures, Natural Disasters and Preparedness, Visitor/tourism Pressures, Number of inhabitants within property, buffer zone and Other - major factors likely to affect the World Heritage values of the property. First discuss those that were identified in the original nomination, in the same order in which they were presented there, then those that have been discussed in reports to the World Heritage Committee since inscription, and then other identified factors.

This section should provide information on all the factors which are likely to affect a property. It should also relate those threats to measures taken to deal with them, whether by application of the protection described in Section 4 (e) or otherwise.

Not all of the factors suggested in this section are appropriate for all properties. The list provided is indicative and is intended to assist the State party to identify the factors that are relevant to each specific property.

FOR EACH FACTOR, then please specify:

• Key actions that have been taken to address the factor
• Any plans that have been prepared to deal with it in the future
• State whether the impact of the factor appears to be increasing or decreasing and state the timeframe for which the comparison is being made (In describing these trends, please use the year of inscription as a baseline)

Development Pressures

5a) Information should be given about pressure for demolitions or rebuilding ; the adaptation of existing buildings for new uses which would harm their authenticity or integrity ; habitat modification or destruction following encroaching agriculture, forestry or grazing, or through poorly managed tourism or other uses ; inappropriate or unsustainable natural resource exploitation ; damage caused by mining ; the introduction of exotic species likely to disrupt natural ecological processes, creating new centres of population on or near properties so as to harm them or their settings.

Environmental Pressures

5b) Environmental pressures can affect all types of property. Air pollution can have a serious effect on stone buildings and monuments as well as on fauna and flora. Desertification can lead to erosion by sand and wind. What is needed in this section is an indication of those pressures which are presenting a current threat to the property, or may do so in the future, rather than a historical account of such pressures in the past.

Natural Disasters and Preparedness

5c) This section should indicate those disasters which present a foreseeable threat to the property and what steps have been taken to draw up contingency plans for dealing with them, whether by physical protection measures or staff training. (In considering physical measures for the protection of monuments and buildings it is important to respect the integrity of the construction.)

Visitor/tourism Pressures

5d) In completing this section what is required is an indication of whether the property can absorb the current or likely number of visitors without adverse effects, i.e. its carrying capacity. An indication should also be given of the steps taken to manage visitors and tourists. Amongst possible impacts from visitation that could be considered are:

1. Damage by wear on stone, timber, grass or other ground surfaces ;
2. Damage by increases in heat or humidity levels ;
3. Damage by disturbance to the habitat of living or growing things ;
4. Damage by the disruption of traditional cultures or ways of life.

Number of inhabitants within property, buffer zone

5e) Include the best available statistics or estimate of the number of inhabitants, if any, within the property and any buffer zone and describe any activities they undertake which affect the property.

5f) Other Factors

II.6 Monitoring

(see Section 6 of the current Nomination Form)

Administrative arrangements for monitoring property

6a) Is there a formal monitoring program established for the site? In this case, “monitoring” means the repeated and systematic observation and collection of data on one or more defined factors or variables over a period of time.
Yes      No

6a1) If YES, please describe it, indicating what factors or variables are being monitored and which partners, if any, are or will be involved in the program.

Key Indicators for measuring state of conservation

6b) At the time of inscription of the property on the World Heritage list, or in the process of reviewing the status of the property at subsequent meetings, have the World Heritage Committee and the State Party identified and agreed upon key indicators for monitoring the state of conservation of the property's World Heritage values?
Yes      No

6b1) If YES, please list and describe these key indicators, provide up-to-date data with respect to each of them, and also indicate actions taken by the State Party in response to each indicator.

6b2) If NO key indicators were identified by the World Heritage Committee and/or used so far, please indicate whether the World Heritage Site management authority is developing or plans to develop key indicators for monitoring the state of conservation of the property's World Heritage Values.

Results of Previous Reporting Exercises

6c) Please describe briefly the current status of actions the State Party has taken in response to recommendations from the World Heritage Committee at the time of inscription or afterwards, through the process known as "reactive reporting". (Note: The answer to this question will be "not applicable" for many sites.)