World heritage and its role in a national nature conservation system

Abstract

This article sets out to use the importance of the World Heritage system to highlight the needs for a national approach to a nature conservation system. The World Heritage system is outlined and then viewed, more specifically, in the Australian context. The listing of Australian sites has engendered considerable controversy. Notably, arguments arise over how much of an area "fits' the World Heritage criteria: these criteria are listed and the importance of site integrity is emphasised. The existing national parks system and other protected areas are reviewed and proposals for achieving a national nature conservation system, incorporating World Heritage sites, are set out. Methods of landscape analysis for planning a national system are described. The concept of biosphere reserves is to be included in the plan. Finally, the benefits of such a system are outlined, with World Heritage sites placed as a premier sub-set of protected areas. -V.J.Taverner Show more