T e Rock Islands Southern Lagoon as nominated by T e Republic of Palau for Inscription on the World Heritage List February 2012 1 This dossier is dedicated to Senator Adalbert Eledui 2 Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, Republic of Palau 3 Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................5 1. Identifi cation of the Property .......................................................... 8 2. Description of the Property ............................................................13 Natural heritage ..........................................................................13 Cultural heritage ..........................................................................26 2. History and Development ..............................................................46 3. Justifi cation for Inscription .............................................................55 Criteria under which inscription is proposed ...................................55 Statement of Outstanding Universal Value ................................... 69 Comparative analysis ...................................................................72 Integrity and authenticity............................................................ 86 4. State of Conservation and Factors Aff ecting the Property .................91 Present state of conservation .......................................................91 Factors aff ecting the property..................................................... 100 5. Protection and Management of the Property .................................105 6. Monitoring .................................................................................126 7. Documentation ........................................................................... 130 Image inventory ........................................................................ 130 Bibliography.............................................................................. 134 8. Preparer .....................................................................................140 9. Signature on behalf of the State Party .......................................... 141 4 Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, Republic of Palau Executive Summary State Party lakes surrounded by a lagoon with fringing reefs, Republic of Palau patch reefs, and shallow water marine areas. T e buf er zone includes all other territorial waters of State the state of Koror, minus those in the excluded Koror State urban area, and covers a total area of 1,640 square kilometers. Name of Property Rock Islands Southern Lagoon (RISL) A4 (or “letter”) size map of the nominated property, showing boundaries and buf er zone Geographical coordinates to the nearest second See Figure i, next page. Geographic Center: 134°20’34.48°E, 7°14’48.93°N. Justif cation /Statement of Outstanding Universal Textual description of the boundary of the Value nominated property T e RISL has superlative natural and cultural T e RISL consists of a 1,002 square kilometer area features. T e RISL is an outstanding example of and includes 445 limestone islands and 52 marine human interaction with a precarious environment. Ngerukewid Islands National Wildlife Preserve. Photo by Patrick Colin. 5 6 Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, Republic of Palau T e abandonment of Rock Island villages in the 2nd jellyf sh described from these lakes suggests that millennium AD is an exceptional illustration of the populations of other species will be recognized intersection and consequences of climate change, as endemics with long evolutionary histories population growth, and subsistence behavior on a delimited within individual lakes. society living in a marginal environment. T e Rock Islands are highly susceptible to climatic change T e RISL’s resilient reefs make it a critical area for based upon evidence from the transition of the the protection of biodiversity. With minimal human ‘Medieval Warm Period’ to the ‘Little Ice Age’ impact, the RISL serves as a natural laboratory for in the f rst and second millennium AD. Human scientif c understanding of coral reef recovery from impact on reef resources and reduced production a major warming event caused by climate change. of resources during the ‘Little Ice Age’ resulted All the endangered megafauna of Palau, 746 species in abandonment of villages at AD 1650-1750 of f sh, over 385 species of corals, at least 13 species and migration to nearby bigger islands with more of sharks and manta rays, 7 species of giant clams, resources. and the endemic nautilus are found in the RISL. T e limestone forests and mangroves include all of T e RISL bears exceptional testimony to a Palau’s endemic birds, mammals, herpetofauna and living cultural tradition. Contemporary Palauans nearly half of Palau’s endemic plants including the originated from ancestral Rock Island settlements critically endangered Ponapea palauensis. and identify with the aesthetic and cultural values of the RISL. Cave burials and rock art indicate past T e RISL is one of the best managed areas in cultural behavior. the world. T ousands of years of customary law combined with current National and State T e RISL is one of the most diverse, complex, Laws have resulted in ef ective conservation and and breathtakingly beautiful places on earth. Its protection. T e Koror State RISL Management lagoon is f lled with hundreds of gem like “Rock Plan was developed by the Koror community under Islands.” T ese limestone islands habitats are diverse the guidance of its elected and traditional leaders. and include marine lakes, caves, arches, tunnels, Koror State fully supports the establishment of the coves, forests, and wetlands, each with unique RISL as World Heritage Site and is committed to species. White beaches, mangroves, and fringing keeping the RISL as one of the one of the greatest reefs surround the islands and patch reefs create places on earth. an oasis for marine life. T e RISL is protected by an expansive barrier reef with deep channels and Criteria under which property is nominated passes with added richness in biodiversity. T e iii, v, vii, ix, x habitat complexity is a refuge for a highly diverse assemblage of organisms. Name and contact information of of cial local agency T e RISL’s biological and marine habitat diversity Ilebrang U. Olkeriil, Director ranks as one of the top in the world compared to Department of Conservation and Law Enforcement similarly sized areas. Koror State Government, P.O. Box 116 Koror, Palau 96940 No other place on earth has this number and Tel: (680) 488-8738/4001 variety of marine lakes within a similarly sized Fax: (680) 488-2862 area. Five new subspecies of Mastigias papua Email: [email protected] Figure i (previous page). A4 map of the nominated property, showing boundaries and buff er zone 7 1.Identifi cation of the Property 1. Identifi cation of the Property Geographical Coordinates to the Nearest Second T e approximate geographic center of the RISL is Country located at 134°20’34.48°E, 7°14’48.93°N. Republic of Palau Maps and Plans Showing the Boundaries of the State Nominated Property and Buf er Zones T e Rock Islands Southern Lagoon is wholly within Topographical Map the lands and waters of Koror State. Figure 1 shows the RISL property including boundaries, buf er zone, topographical relief, Name of Property conservation zones, and areas of legal protection. “Rock Islands Southern Lagoon”. T is document refers to the Rock Islands Southern Location Map Showing the Location of the Property Lagoon as “the Rock Islands”, “RISL”, or “the within the State Party Property”. Figure 2 is a map of Palau identifying the RISL and its coordinates. An aerial view of the Rock Islands. Photo by Ann Kitalong. 8 Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, Republic of Palau Other Maps and Buf er Zone Statement governors of Koror and Peleliu States signed a A map showing details of the northeast corner Memorandum of Understanding to jointly manage (abutting the excluded urban area), Figure 3, is and protect the German Channel portion of the included. Figure 4 is a Nautical Chart of the RISL, southern border of the RISL. Parts of the northern and is the only map currently available showing boundary adjoin waters surrounding the urban bathymetry of Koror and Palau. area of Koror, Palau’s economic center and former capital. T e boundary of the property was selected T e buf er zone for the property includes all waters to maximize the protection of important areas of within the jurisdiction of Koror State, out to 12 the lagoon, balanced with local capacity to manage nautical miles from land to the east and west the area and minimize threats and human impact. of the lagoon. Pelagic waters in the buf er zone T e Rock Islands Southern Lagoon Management are regulated by Palauan National Government Plan 2004-2008 (currently under revision) covers all regulations on f shing, shipping, and other activities. waters under Koror State jurisdiction. T e buf er zone maintains connectivity and interdependence with the pelagic environment. Area of Nominated Property (ha.) T e Rock Islands Southern Lagoon is 100,200 T e southern boundary abuts a conservation area hectares. T e area of the buf er zone is 164,000 in neighboring Peleliu State. In January 2011 the hectares. Figure 1. Descriptive map of the RISL. 9 Figure 2. Coordinates of the RISL. Figure 2. 10 Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, Republic of Palau Figure 3. Detail of the northeast corner RISL, with coordinates. 11 Soundings in meters. Map printed by the PALARIS (Palau Automated Land and Resource