Wednesday, September 21, 2011

UNESCO World Heritage Centre and IUCN Representatives to visit Yellowstone


At the invitation of the United States government, the Director of the World Heritage Centre and a representative of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are headed to Yellowstone later this month to get a first-hand look at how the National Park Service is addressing challenges facing the world's first national park which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

A variety of threats to the park prompted the World Heritage Committee to place Yellowstone on its List of World Heritage in Danger in 1995. The park was subsequently removed from the list in 2003. Since then, the United States has continued to report on the conditions of the park to the World Heritage Committee.

During this visit to Yellowstone, part a routine monitoring effort, the World Heritage Centre and IUCN representatives will tour Yellowstone and meet with staff members to learn more about management of the park and actions being taken to address issues facing it.

As part of their visit, the park will host a public listening session with the World Heritage delegation in West Yellowstone on Wednesday evening, September 21. The meeting will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn West Yellowstone Conference Hotel. The World Heritage representatives are hoping to attract individuals representing a wide array of divergent interests and viewpoints to attend and briefly share their thoughts and concerns.

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