Rubber
WHS related to the harvesting or cultivation of rubber.
Connected Sites
| Site | Rationale | Link |
| Calakmul | "The latex industry moved from the Huasteca region to the Peninsula in 1890. During the first half of the XX century, the area was characterized by the exploitation of the hicozapote tree (Manilkara zapota). The forests of Campeche and Quintana Roo supplied approximately 80% of the natural latex market, the resin of the chicozapote that is used for the production of chewing gum.........In 1931, Calakmul, one of the most important cities of the Maya civilization, was discovered. From then on to the beginning of the 90´s, the grounds of these ruins were rarely visited by rubber tappers, enabling the place to remain intact until systematic archaeological excavation and conservation programmes began to be developed." (2014 Extn Nm file) | |
| Central Amazon Conservation Complex | History of human occupation - "low-impact......by the soldados da borracha ("rubber soldiers"), who walked the forests of the region in search of rubber sap and game. With the decline of the rubber market, this population migrated to urban centers" (Nomin file) | |
| Chiribiquete National Park | "At the beginning of the XX century, the Karijonas were displaced by the Colombian and Peruvian rubber tappers against whom they tried to rebel. The German ethnologist Theodor Koch-Grünberg described the first struggles that took place in 1903. The clans were killed and enslaved" (Nomin file). Lost Tribes' Saved through Creation of Massive Colombian Park - "No one has inhabited these sites for many, many years. The Amazonian Picassos who painted these masterpieces are believed to have been members of the Karijona tribe, a once fierce and populous group. A Spanish soldier who visited the region in the 1790s estimated a population of about 15,000 Karijonas. Introduced diseases in the 19th century decreased the numbers of Karijonas to around 10,000. The turn of the 20th century brought the evils of the rubber boom when groups like the infamous Casa Arana killed, enslaved and mutilated thousands of Karijonas and other neighboring tribes......by 1920 the Karijonas had dwindled to around 1,000, and today — sadly — only 60 remain." | |
| Kew Gardens | "The Temperate House, a Grade I listed building, dates from the 19th century and is the largest Victorian glasshouse in existence today. It was built as part of a 19th century experiment to successfully cultivate rubber trees outside South America – a feat that had never been achieved before." | |
| Lenggong Valley | "The Bukit Bunuh-Kota Tampan core zone sits on six lots of land with rubber and oil palm trees owned by either individuals or companies." (nom file) | |
| Manu National Park | "In 1839, interest in exploring Manú National Park area increased when Charles Goodyear sparked a rubber boom after producing the first heat resistant rubber. His discovery triggered a massive demand for rubber, and rubber trees in Manú National Park region were targeted to meet the need. Another rubber baron Carlos Fitzgerald created the Fitzgerald pass across the Madre de Dios River for rubber transportation. In 1880, about 8000 tons of rubber was exported from Peru and by 1900 exports had climbed to 27,000 tons. Rapid deforestation and competition from South East Asia collapsed the Manú National Park rubber industry in 1914" | |
| Rio de Janeiro | Botanical Gardens: João Barbosa Rodrigues was director of the gardens from 1890-1909. He specialised in the study of indigenous tribes and their harvesting and use of rubber. "As rubber became Brazil’s primary export product, the rubber trees began to wither in the fields, threatening latex production capacity. The old extraction method was questioned and cultivation of Hevea became more attractive. Nevertheless, in Brazil extraction was still seen as the most viable way to collect latex on a large scale and move it quickly to port. In 1881 in the Rio de Janeiro Botanic Garden, João Barbosa Rodrigues took the initiative to plant rubber trees. His tests established that Hevea brasiliensis was the variety best suited to latex" (in the ed endemic blight prevented Brazil from establishing a a Rubber plantation system). | |
| Singapore Botanic Gardens | "Criterion (ii): The Singapore Botanic Gardens has been a centre for plant research in Southeast Asia since the 19th century, contributing significantly to the expansion of plantation rubber in the 20th century" (OUV) | |
| Tak'alik Ab'aj | "After its abandonment around 900 CE, the property was reclaimed by dense vegetation, and in more recent times, coffee, rubber and sugar cane plantations were created, but they do not reach archaeological levels in the soil." (Integrity Statement UNESCO) |
Suggestions?
Do you know of another WHS we could connect to Rubber?
A connection should:
- Not be "self evident"
- Link at least 3 different sites
- Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.
- Add some knowledge or insight (whether significant or trivial!) about WHS for the users of this site
- Be explained, with reference to a source