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Strict Nature Reserves
While preparing for my upcoming trip to Kazakhstan I found out that both parks that together form the Saryarka WHS are ‘Strict Nature Reserves’. We already have a connection for that (of course), and I took the opportunity to refresh it. I had always thought that these Strict Reserves wouldn't allow for tourist visits (we had that in our connection description as well: "a zone with the highest wilderness protection and not open to tourism"), but it turns out that the story is different.
What is meant by “Strict”?
IUCN over the years has developed a system to categorize protected areas – the most recent incarnation dates from 1994. It is meant to provide international standards and is used locally to provide a basis for legislation. This system ranks from high to lower levels of protection, represented by categories I to VI with I being the highest. See this source for how it works, the quotes below were taken from this document.
The Strict Nature Reserve is category Ia. Here, “human visitation, use and impacts are strictly controlled and limited to ensure protection of the conservation values”. The reserves protect natural features “that will not survive outside of such strictly protected settings” and can be studied in near-pristine circumstances. They are “managed for relatively low visitation by humans”.
There’s also a category Ib, “Wilderness Area”, which also doesn’t survive on tourism revenue. They are larger and less strictly protected from human visitation than category Ia. I think we can have a separate connection for them too. I’ve found a few WHS already: Shirakami-Sanchi, Barrington Tops National Park (Gondwana Rainforests), Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park & Wrangell–Saint Elias Wilderness, and some of the Cold Winter Deserts of Turan.
Updates
I verified our connected sites by checking their IUCN category status (mostly via the UNEP-WCMC website). We lost Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng there. Also, Białowieża Forest doesn't seem to be one (according to this statistic, Poland has no Ia sites) although it includes an area named "Special Reserve". I also removed the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries as the status of the part that could be (Wolong Natural Nature Reserve) is unsure.
I added the following new sites that I got from doing a query on the UNESCO website and drawing inspiration from the No Road Access and Not open to tourists connections:
- Los Alerces (photo 2)
- Heard and McDonald Islands
- West Norwegian Fjords (partly: a few small reserves)
- Pantanal (partly: the private reserves)
- Surtsey
Ones that did not meet the cut where I perhaps expected it: Shirakami-Sanchi (it's Ib), Central Amazon and Lorentz NP (both reclassified to category II, a National Park), and Chiribiquete ('only' a National Park as well - its strict access rules may be more safety-based than conservation-based). The latter 3 are too vast - a common denominator among Ia sites is that they are fairly small.
A mixed bunch
The resulting list of 20 connected WHS is a mixed bunch. My main conclusion is that very few WHS are made up of a Strict Nature Reserve only. In most cases, and especially with serial sites, there are both strict and less strict parts.
Fully covered are:
- Heard and McDonald Islands
- Aldabra
- Gough & Inaccessible Islands
- Mt. Nimba
- Saryarka
- Srebarna (Photo 3)
- Sundarbans NP
- Surtsey
Consequences for accessibility
So in most cases you can just visit another location to avoid the conditions of the Strict area. And even among those that a Strict Reserve fully covers, none of the WHS is inaccessible to the general public. There are few restrictions at Yakushima (Photo 1) and Saryarka. Others may be expensive (Aldabra, Gough, Heard and McDonald), dependent on good weather conditions for landing, or you need a (hiking or climbing) permit - but you can get there in the end. Even entering the core zone of the Indian Sundarbans seems a possibility nowadays - at "Nethi Dhupani island located in the Western range of the National Park where regulated tourism (13 boats per day) is permitted" (IUCN Outlook 2020) and you can loop around Surtsey (in its marine part) by boat.
If you know of additional Ia or Ib category sites, or special requirements for getting into them, please let us know
Els - 12 May 2024
Comments
Els Slots 12 May 2024
I register them in the same connection with the note "Partly", Carlo. Thanks for the research!
Carlo Sarion 12 May 2024
You may add Hubei Shennongjia and Archipiélago de Revillagigedo too:
http://world-heritage-datasheets.unep-wcmc.org/datasheet/output/site/hubei-shennongjia/
http://world-heritage-datasheets.unep-wcmc.org/datasheet/output/site/archipielago-de-revillagigedo/
My partner went on a diving trip in Socorro in Revillagigedo and yes, it's pretty much highly restricted.
The following sites on the other hand have components whose IUCN designation is either 1a or 1b. I don't know how you would consider this under the Strict Nature Reserve connection though.
1. Xianjiang Tianshan - 1b Tomur Peak National Nature Reserve, West Tianshan Mountains National Nature Reserve, and Bayinbuluke National Nature Reserve
2. Western Tien-Shan - 1a for Aksu-Jabagly State Nature Reserve and Besh-Aral State Nature Reserve
3. Western Caucases - 1a for Kavkazskiy State Biosphere Reserve
4. Virgin Komi Forest - 1a for Pechoro-Ilychsky Reserve
5. Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve - 1a for Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve (not the national park)
6. Shiretoko - 1a for Onnebutsedake Wilderness Area
7. Laponian Area - 1a for Sjaunja Nature Reserve
8. Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay /tatshenshini-Alsek - 1b for Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park
9. Central Sikhote-Alin - 1a for Sikhote-Alinskiy Nature Preserve (Zapovednik)
10. Banc d'Arguin National Park - 1a for Cap Blanc Integral Reserve
Els Slots 12 May 2024
I also found Putorana and Wrangel Island to be Ia (from the less than 1,000 visitors a year connection).
Els Slots 12 May 2024
You're totally right Carlo. I should have known about the Subantarctic Islands. Their 'Australian brother' Macquarie island is Ia as well. Will add them.
Carlo Sarion 12 May 2024
I just reviewed a couple of sites inscribed under natural criteria so this topic just looks so timely! This is interesting, countries have their own categories of conservation and resource use and do not necessarily adopt the IUCN protected area management classification system. The IUCN system does not also automatically fit for marine protected areas (MPAs) because of the nuanced issues in the marine environment, though I learned somewhere that they are actually applicable and helpful in creating legislative and operational settings in the establishment of MPAs (need to find that document somewhere). Anyway, in the case of nature reserves that form the NZ Sub-Antarctic Islands, I believe they are categorised under 1a:
http://world-heritage-datasheets.unep-wcmc.org/datasheet/output/site/new-zealand-sub-antarctic-islands
Ziwa National Monument (T)
Wojciech Fedoruk Poland - 29-Apr-24
Site visited in April 2024. Ziwa is not a place often visited by tourists – when we came the last entry in the visitors' book was from 12 days ago, and there were only a dozen or so entries from 2024. The place is located a bit off the tourist trails, although you can get here from Harare in about 4.5 - 5 hours (the last 30-40 minutes on a dirt road, 4x4 is at least recommended, if not mandatory).
Despite the relative inaccessibility of the place, when I got there I was surprised to find a museum of decent quality and a competent guide who showed us around the complex. As the State Party describes, Ziwa is a late Iron Age agricultural settlement dating to the 15th century (there is also evidence of its inhabitance much earlier), which remained occupied until around 1800 AD. Ziwa was characterized by terraces reinforced with stone walls, significantly increasing the potential of agriculture in the mountainous terrain. The stone was also used to fence houses, the central point of which was a stone pen for farm animals. People lived in huts made of clay and reeds. According to the guide, there were 10,000 people at the peak in Ziwa
Read OnCapital Fortifications of Hanyang (T)
Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 29-Apr-24
Since this nomination expanded, I thought I would write a review specifically for Bukhansanseong (about 12 km wall length). I visited Bukhansanseong (Mountain Fortress) in the Summer of 2008. I spent the whole day hiking in Bukhansan National Park and visited multiple gates (there are 13 gates total). I researched the route and I was keen to walk much of the fortress before making my way to the parks famous granite peaks. The terrain is more challenging than Namhansanseong Fortress (built earlier 1624-1626). Bukhansanseong was built rapidly (less than a year) and the design utilized the physical terrain.
Read OnArmenian Monastic Ensembles
Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero The Philippines - 28-Apr-24
There seems to be a shared frustration about Dzordzor in the group. I also did not get to see it during my visit. As previous reviewers have already tackled a great deal about St. Stephanos and St. Thaddeus monasteries, I'd like to focus on Chupan Chapel, which is conveniently located on the way to St. Stephanos from Jolfa, and Darrasham Chapel (AKA Church of the Holy Mother of God), both components of the St. Stephanos monastic ensemble. After visiting the monastery, the driver of the rented car took it upon himself to drive us further to check Darrasham Chapel, of which Solivagant was right when he said that it lies in the "no photography zone". Apparently locals can go near the structure and some, as suggested by a few rubbish, even use the area for picnics
Read OnFort and Shalamar Gardens
Els Slots The Netherlands - 14-Apr-24
Lahore undoubtedly is the most interesting city in Pakistan. It has the excellent Lahore museum, the Badshahi mosque, the narrow bustling streets of Old Lahore, and even two more Tentative Sites within its city borders. What has been inscribed though are the Mughal-era Fort and Shalamar Gardens.
The Fort and Gardens lie some 8 km apart and I visited them on two separate days in December 2023. Lahore Fort is situated within a large complex of monumental buildings. 'Hidden' behind an entrance gate and with a large parking lot are an important Sikh shrine (which I only saw from the outside, but it attracts many Indian Sikh pilgrims), the Badshahi Mosque and Lahore Fort.
Read OnAgra Fort
Campmany - 25-Apr-24
Most visitors likely visit the place after seeing the Taj Mahal. This might impact the overall impression after visiting such an incredible monument. Nevertheless, the Fort is quite impressive, this is a huge fortification with several gardens and palaces inside it. Some buildings have nice views of the Taj Mahal far away. I visited the fort at 9.30 in the morning on a Saturday, there were no queues and I enjoyed visiting most of the places empty of visitors. No "official" guides outside the gate to offer their services, so overall very enjoyble experience.
Read On