COUNCIL OF EUROPE

No. 9 1 / 199 9 ENGLISH

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Nature: the common heritage of humankind

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Editorial Chief editor /I living heritage for Europeans H. Asgrimsson 3 Eladio Fernândez-Galiano Conception and editing Marie-Françoise Glatz E-mail: [email protected]

This issue's special adviser The values of natural heritage Alexandre Kiss

Scientific and ecological values: the plant kingdom J.-M. Pelt 4 Layout Economic, recreational and cultural values D. Fadden 5 Emmanuel Georges

Nature's intrinsic and ethical value J.-P. Ribaut 7 BietiotPrinte -r Gilly (Belgium)

Aesthetic value: interview with F. Back 8 Articles may be freely reprinted provided that reference is made to the source and a copy sent to the Centre Naturopa. The copyright of all illustrations is reserved. A common heritage - why? The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors Nature, the common heritage of humankind A. Kiss 10 and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council of Europe. The sea S. Mahmoudi /2 Since 1993 Naturopa has been printed The protection of the marine heritage outside the jurisdiction of States on chlorine-free paper. P. Van Klaveren / 5 A selective bibliography on the natural heritage is available, free of charge, Forests B. Manser 14 upon request to the Centre Naturopa.

Landscape: natural and cultural heritage M. R. Guido 15 © Cover, background: T. Stoeckel/NEL/Bios Vignette 1: 5. Cordier/Pluriel Vignette 2: Atlantide/Bruce Coleman Ltd Vignette 3: P. Folliet/Vanoise National Park To know, appreciate and protect our heritage Poem page 7: H. Reinhard/ Bruce Coleman Ltd Interpretation: a discipline for heritage J. Morales Miranda 18 Earth page 10: P.P.L./Sipa Image Role of botanic gardens L.Sutherland 20 This issue has been published with the financial support of Role and challenges of natural history museums M. Katsakiori 21 the Swiss Government. Slovak caves: hidden but magnificent elements P. Bella and J. Zacharova 22 Caring for the natural heritage in Wallonia, Belgium J. Stein 23 Unesco World Heritage List: inscription of Lake Baikal A. Pedersen and M. Rossler 25

Natural heritage: endangered masterpiece? Interrelation between nature and civilisation: the case of the Lapps M.-F. Glatz and A. Menthon 26

The environment at the Council of Europe 28

National Agencies of the Centre Naturopa 30 editorial

A living heritage for Europeans

At its last summit of Heads of and Governments - But, our natural heritage is the whole in October 1997 - the Council of Europe decided of the living environment of people, the to organise an awareness campaign on the cultural quiet and deep forest as well as the fields and natural heritage of Europe. we cultivate. It encompasses the mountains and countryside that collect and filter the water we drink, This Campaign, entitled "Europe, a common heritage", that purify the air we breathe. It is the oceans and seas was launched in Bucharest and Sibiu (Romania) last which connect people and provide us with fish, the land September and will last for a whole year. which feeds us. the physical space which humans share with many other living creatures. It is our common It is not by chance that the Committee of Ministers house. of the Council of Europe has decided to start the new century paying particular attention to the heritage The reader will be able to know more about natural we Europeans share. Heritage contributes to our heritage, to learn that the variety of biological forms common identity, to our sense of being part of the same and landscapes surrounding us have great scientific history, of the same land. Europeans need to face and cultural interest not devoid of economic utility, the challenges of the coming century knowing where of aesthetic and recreational value. they come from, what they have achieved, and what is their heritage. A harmonious living environment is equally important for the body as it is for the mind. One article will The Campaign will make Europeans aware that their discuss the concept of the common heritage of natural and cultural heritage is a vital resource for humankind, a term that was coined in the 1960s, their lives, for their intellectual and moral development at the same time some people started to worry about as well as for their wellbeing. Heritage is a shared asset the health of our planet. that conveys both a sense of belonging to a place and to a nation and the recognition of how much Other articles will invite the reader to discover we owe to other communities. It is also a vehicle and enjoy this rich heritage by means of interpretation for tolerance, for mutual understanding and for techniques, to learn of the important role that botanical admiration of the works of others. gardens and museums of natural history play in conserving our heritage. We are also convinced that, through the Campaign. Europeans will become much more aware of the great Examples of the management and protection of natural value of the natural and cultural heritage we share heritage in Belgium and the Slovak Republic will and of the role that heritage can have in the be presented, as well as the case of Lake Baikal, construction of democratic security and peace. the greatest mass of freshwater on our planet, now protected through inscription in Unesco's World This issue of Naturopa will contribute to the Campaign Heritage List. by dealing with the different aspects of natural heritage and by presenting nature as a common heritage All these articles, although on different levels, carry one of humankind. Promotion of information, public main message: our heritage is worth our attention awareness and a positive perception of nature and respect. conservation have been one of the Council Halldór Ásgrímsson Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of Europe's fields of of the Council of Europe action for many years, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland and Naturopa its mouthpiece.

Too often the natural heritage is narrowly understood as a few, rare spaces of great biological value away from the cities where most Europeans live. The values of natural

The scientific and environmental values of nature The plant kingdom

The status of the Earth's flora is converted botanical gardens and con- upon row of roses and tulips, etc. No assessed world-wide on a continuous servatories. This is what happened more wild grasses, or wild plants. No basis in the name of biodiversity. Once with Duprez's cypress. Cry's violet, more swamps, because we get sucked they have been carefully identified, on the other hand, was not so lucky. down in them, no more mangroves, species are listed according to the because we get lost in them, and no threats they face and divided into five The extent to which the general pub- more violets, cornflowers, poppies or categories: extinct, endangered, vul- lic remains unaware of these phe- chestnut trees, because they are of lit- nerable, rare, or not endangered. For, nomena is surprising, especially given tle use. like the animal kingdom, the plant the reaction triggered by pollution or kingdom is an essential part of our quality of life issues. An extinct species Why bother? natural heritage. produces no emotion and no infor- Why should we defend endangered mation, for the simple reason that no species? Why go to such lengths to Endangered species one is even aware of it. That a plant protect species chat are of no use, or, The difference between species that species can be threatened with extinc- to be more precise, of no use to us? are extinct and those threatened with tion may even seem incongruous. Yet, The answer is, purely and simply, extinction may be imperceptible. It is each time a species becomes extinct, because we are all part of, and one estimated that several hundred of the there is a part of Life that disappears, with, this living world in which we are world's species are currently reduced and for ever. An extinct species is irre- rooted by our very bodies and by emo- to a single specimen or no more than trievable. Each time a species disap- tions such as those that bind us so a few specimens, often scattered over pears, a part of our world heritage dies tightly not only to our kinsfolk but also a single site. The last remaining spec- with it. to our dog, our garden and our house- imen has only to be destroyed as a plants, etc. A living world built every- result of inadequate protection mea- The right to be different where of the same molecular bricks 1 sures for example" , and the whole Biodiversity conjures up one of the (DNA, proteins, sugars), subject every- species disappears for ever, unless in few new values to have developed dur- where to the same needs (the need to the meantime its seeds have been ing the 20th century, namely the right grow, breathe, feed and reproduce), planted and cultivated in specially- to be different. What goes for humans and competing and co-operating also goes for plants. Just as the human everywhere with other living organ- race displays a multiplicity of cultures, isms. For Life is One in the rich diver- ethnic groups, and languages, so too sity of its progeny. It is as if each time the plant kingdom offers itself up in the we cause a part of Life to be lost, we great diversity of its species. suffer the same loss ourselves. Large- scale awareness of environmental Put in extreme terms, it is possi- issues is awakening us to this world ble to imagine a world where the only which, much more than simply our species left would be the Fifty or "environment", is the vital mainstay so which, by themselves, account of our emotions. for 90% of the plants we use. A world of wheat and potatoes, Balance of nature spruce forests, and row Within the vast network linking all liv- ing beings, each species has its own place and it is impossible to imagine a world reduced to only those species that are of use to man. There is the question of nature's survival, which would be inconceivable without the diversity by which it is ruled. In the absence of such diversity, what would become of the world's vast ecosys- tems? Could we still talk about great balances being at work in nature? What would be the effect on the ani- mal kingdom, bearing in mind that 50% of insects, for example, feed on very different plants. And what would

Colour dictionary on natural history and natural phenomena, edited by a society of naturalists, 1833-34 © Edimedia be the effect on climates when we What we must do is learn to look at know the extent to which they depend nature and plants in a different light. on these great plant formations? Any action in and upon nature needs to be carried out wisely and cautiously Scientific values and with a little show of love for all Can we, who always think in terms of nature's creatures, especially as in what is "useful", and by which we practice the most immediate threat is essentially mean of use to us, be not always easy to spot. absolutely sure that those plants which are now extinct would never have Jean-Marie Pelt served any purpose? What if one of Excerpts from Plantes en peril (Fayard. 1997) President of the European Institute of Ecology them had contained a substance active I rue des Recollets against cancer or AIDS? And what if F-57000 Metz another had had a scent that will never now be discovered because it was so rare as to have never been identified? Might it not be possible to acclimatise new plants effectively as horticultural species? What new medicine could be ( I ) Pressures on plants include overgrazing, the use obtained from plants from families of pesticides and other chemicals, the destruc- tion of forests through fire or felling, the wide- known to be rich in species with phar- spread recourse to agrarian and forest monocul- macological properties? And what if tures. the construction of hydroelectric dams, water drainage and pollution, the devastating we discovered new foods, new tim- effects of industrialisation and urbanisation, min- ber woods, new textile fibres? In short, ing and quarrying, the construction of roads and we know hardly anything about the railways, tourism along coastlines and in moun- tain areas, damage caused by off-road vehicles, vast majority of plants that make up excessive trampling, competition from plants the enormous plant kingdom. What introduced by man. the picking of botanical spec- we do know, however, is that with imens with pharmaceutical ot cosmetic proper- ties. or rhizomes and bulbs for horticultural pur- The elder is febrifuge and sudorific, each plant that disappears, each poses, not to mention the spontaneous dwindling it calms chronic inflammations of species that becomes extinct, a little of plant populations which, once the number of the respiratory tract and also has of this kingdom's potential is lost. individuals falls below a certain threshold, lose all diuretic and antispasmodic qualities ability to reproduce. © Edimedict

The economic, recreational and cultural values of nature

Not everything that counts can be counted arise from economic analysis. Much of tion on other sectors was a factor in and not everything that can be counted the allocation is in response to legal securing funding. Tourism is one of counts. obligations, such as the implementa- the key sectors in the Irish economy Einstein tion of the EU Habitat Directive. How- creating an industry worth 4 billion ever, the impact of nature conserva- euros in 1998 and providing 8.2% of « Nature is beyond value, for it sustains all jobs in the nation. One of the «»5 life. Yet it is under severe pressure cornerstones of the tourism industry •U from human activity. There is no time is the need for a good quality envi- 'fi to evaluate the benefits of nature, now ronment - by far the most popular U is the time to act to protect our natural activity of overseas visitors to Ireland Ä is hiking and hillwalking. Visits to her- M environment. And to act globally. Sci- « ence has taught us how interconnected itage properties - both natural and ». nature is and how our impacts affect cultural - received particular atten- S -u the whole world. Humankind's first tion and 67 million euros were ö sight of Earth from the Moon offered invested in visitor facilities at State- S a wonderful symbol of this interde- owned properties in the last five years. © pendence. These include national parks and nature reserves as well as gardens and « historic properties. The contribution of Economic values s nature conservation to tourism is well >—4 The total number of people employed « understood by political leaders in Ire- by the State in Ireland in direct nature » conservation is 263 and the operat- land and is increasingly appreciated by tu ing budget for 1999 is 29 million euros. EnvironmentaI quality is one of local communities who benefit from * the cornerstones of Irish tourism the economic activity. This investment did not necessarily Kl The values O f natural

Indeed, Why? Is it the flight to the cities in concern for conservation has not hap- globally, eco- the last decades? John Muir, one of pened suddenly: "The long fight to tourism is the founding fathers of the US save wild beauty represents democ- considered to conservation movement, anticipated racy at its best. It requires citizens to represent a con- the move to nature: "Thousands of practice the hardest of virtues - self siderable portion of world tourism. tired nerve-shaken over-civilised peo- restraint. In one study the estimate was that ple are beginning to find out that ecotourism accounted for some going to the mountains is going A sense of restraint probably under- 40-60% of international tourism: home; that wilderness is a necessity, pins the concept of sustainable devel- "Global tourism (domestic and inter- and that mountain parks and reser- opment. It influences and, in turn, is national) is the largest and fastest vations are useful not only as foun- influenced by our cultural values. But growing industry in the world, accounting for I 2% of the world gross o national product ... the groundwork •5 analysis presented here brings us to •wildlife-related tourism probably have much more economic significance than many conservationists had ini- •i tially imagined"."1

Nature also supports many other eco- nomic sectors. To return to Ireland, the aspiration for agriculture here is to produce quality food with minimal levels of chemicals. This requires that the quality of the environment is main- tained and enhanced. In Ireland more research is needed into the economic value of nature across a variety of sec- tors - monetary values need not Today the tourism industry represents about 6% of total direct employment become the primary reason for nature in western Europe (OECD, 1994) conservation, but such research can assist in conservation decision- making. tains of timber and irrigating rivers, now we are straying into ethics, the but as fountains of life". subject of Mr J.-P. Ribaut's article. Recreational values Time was that humans feared nature. Cultural values Dave Fadden Director The Alps were the abode of evil spir- This view of nature as a source of Duchas The Heritage Service its. The idea of someone climbing leisure is a cultural view. Over the mil- 7 Ely Place mountains was considered to be odd lennia the perceptions of nature have IRL-Dublin 2 to say the least. In my own walking changed. For the ancient Celts, for E-mail: [email protected] experience, I have seen the Wicklow example, nature was crucial to their Web: http://www.heritageireland.ie Mountains in Ireland very much spirituality. Water was significant. In empty of ramblers and the few that Ireland holy wells became St. Brigid's (1) The Economics of Global Tourism. Fern L. Fillon. did go there were treated with some James P. Foley, and André J. Jacquemont (from wells with the advent of Christianity. Protected Areas Economics and Policy. ISBN 0- bemusement by farmers who saw the Today, many of these wells still hold 8213-3132-9) hills as an economic resource for a sense of spirit. In rural Ireland the (2) Edwin Way Teale, Circle of Seasons sheep. connection with the land was strong. In the folk music many of the dance All is changed. In the last 20 years in tunes were named after animals or Ireland the number of walkers has natural phenomena. Nature viewed risen dramatically. There is footpath solely as a utility is probably more asso- erosion in places where it would have ciated with the industrial age. Now we been unimaginable before. In Britain have nature as a source of pleasure walking is considered to be the biggest and, for some conservation activists, recreational pursuit. It is not only the it has become a religion in itself. volume of activity but also the variety - mountain biking, white-water raft- Our attitude to nature will, therefore, ing etc. never be static and our present Natures intrinsic and ethical value

Weiter, schneller, mehr (further, faster, Our obsession with quantifying and more): this trilogy marks the excellent securing a return on everything has its study Zukunjtsfdhiges Deutschland (sus- limits. It is possible, albeit approximately, "1 believe a leaf of grass is no less than tainable Germany) and accurately to estimate the economic value of a the journey-work of the stars, describes the objectives of contempo- national park, and indeed this has been rary society. attempted on a number of occasions. And the pismire is equally perfect, But how does one assess the pleasure and a grain of sand, and the egg of the wren, The hunt for profits is omnipresent, obses- that is derived from the beauty of its And the tree-toad is a chef-d'œuvre sive and unacceptable when we mea- landscapes, the sound of a waterfall and sure the price, in terms of mergers of so on, and how does one then quantify for the highest. the economic effect of this pleasure and industrial and financial giants, redun- And the running blackberry would dancies and so on. a weekend's relaxation on, for exam- ple, individuals' behaviour (perhaps mak- adorn the parlors of heaven, To many people, striving to protect the ing them more relaxed or less aggres- And the narrowest hinge in my hand puts beauty of nature and its intrinsic worth sive)? How does one quantify the impact comes as a surprise, that is when they do of nature on the health insurance sys- to scorn all machinery, not find such an attitude ridiculous, child- tem, via our health? And the cow crunching with depress'd ish or absurd. "By all means safeguard head surpasses any statue, nature because it is useful, and supplies The approach of indigenous peoples us with raw materials, water or game. Indigenous peoples have much to teach And a mouse is miracle enough to stagger But please let's not take it any further!" us in this debate, as we have learnt from sextillions of infidels." the Klingenthal symposiums, which But regardless of our religious or spiri- periodically bring together representa- Walt Whitman, Song of Myself tual convictions, do we have the right to tives of all ways of spiritual thinking - Extract from Paroles de nature. destroy or debase what we have not cre- not only of the major religions but also Albin Michel Jeunesse, 1995 ated and does not belong to us? What of various of the world's indigenous peo- about future generations? ples, as well as rationalists and atheists Just published in this same series, Paroles de sagesse eternelle. - to consider a particular environmen- Albin Michel. October 1999 Untold value tal problem. Whereas our approach to So what is the value of nature? Undoubt- nature is essentially utilitarian, with an from our parents. A bulldozer that rips edly it has an economic value, which in automatic tendency towards domina- open the earth sheds its blood and some cases we can quantify: for exam- tion, native peoples regard themselves crushes its bones, even if our ancestors ple the latex that gives us rubber, crude as an integral part of nature, and there- can no longer speak.""1 oil or the stag that becomes game. But fore respect it, and its component parts, what value do we attach to that same as they respect their fellows. "We are a part of the earth, and it is part stag as a stag, or to the robin redbreast of us... the earth is our mother; everything warbling his autumn song as I write "The earth is like our mother and father. that happens to the earth happens to the these lines? Or to a beautiful sunset? Invading our land is like cutting us off sons of the earth. If men spit on the ground they spit on themselves... the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth... everything belongs together, as 121 blood unites a single family." <93 «

Our justification for conserving nature and its natural resources is essentially eco- «U nomic, with an emphasis on sustainabil- ity and future generations, and that is a « good thing. But nature will only be saved ». in the long term if we learn to love, respect S and appreciate it in its own right. B

Jean-Pierre Ribaut Chair of the Sauvegarde o et gérance de la Création (protecting and managing creation) Committee «<0 Pax Christi S 27 rue Rabié F-33250 Pauillac «S » (1) Malaysian Penan aborigine «« Fawn F.uropean pond turtle (2) Seattle, Indian chief Duvanish. 1853 Ei The values of natural

The aesthetic value of nature Interview with Frédéric Back

Born in 1924, Frédéric Back lived in Strasbourg and studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Rennes before settling in Montreal in 1948. With the coming of television in the 1950s, his career turned towards animated films.

With "CracJ", the story of a Quebec rocking chair, "The man who planted trees" based on the text by Giono, and "The mighty river", tribute to the St Laurent river, Frédéric Back is now internationally recognised for his animated films. His entire work is marked by its poetic content and is a witness to his commitment to environmental protection.

His films have been awarded an Oscar and have won prizes at many festivals. Today they are shown all over the world in the educational and environmental protection fields.

Could you tell us about your career, in ing the symptomatic features of a tions, 1 also took part in annual the course of which you have made changing world, first in Brittany, then exchanges of animated youth films several animated films about nature or the environment in general, such as in Alsace and Canada. When a graphic on behalf of Radio-Canada and the "The man who planted trees", "The arts studio was set up at the Radio- European Broadcasting Union, creat- mighty river" or the one you're work- Canada television company in 1952, ing messages which, when conveyed ing on at the moment. I was able to share with the public the in this highly attractive form, can help innovative creations of a group of bold to develop awareness of urgent I've always liked drawing, especially programme-makers. My work con- causes. animals and the farm work 1 used to nected in illustrating and designing help with when I lived in Alsace. When models, sets, and special effects for Thirty years ago, consumption levels a student at the Ecole Estienne in Paris music and science programmes also were running sky-high as we deliber- and then the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in occasionally included producing an ately ignored the consequences of Rennes from 1939 onwards, I had the animated film, but it was not until wasting natural resources and the extreme good fortune to be taught by Hubert Tison set up his animation stu- harm caused by pollution. Solar and 11 Mathurin Meheut' , whose paintings dio in 1968 that 1 came to devote all wind-powered energy, like ecologists depicting life underwater and on land my time to perfecting this particular themselves, were considered old- are so beautiful and so powerful. With- art form. Through my active involve- fashioned. The future lay with nuclear out being able to match his talent, I ment in several animal rights' and power. applied myself to studying and draw- environmental protection associa- What is the most important message about nature you try to convey in your films?

¿kilt* Nature is the best example of adapt- ability and long-term survival. Knowl- edge of the laws of nature should encourage us to use such laws for inspiration but, all too often, we only study them in order to find better ways of circumventing them. Past populations showed that it was pos- sible to live off natural resources with- out exhausting them and without eradicating other living species. Unfor- tunately, however, conquerors came and were in a hurry to exploit this wealth until there was none left. At the heart of such behaviour is the quest for happiness through posses- sion. I, for my part, try to align myself with the messages of people who heed the lessons learnt from history, expe- rience, and wisdom. In the face of the population explosion which self- destructively devours so much energy and so much of the natural environ- ment, such solidarity is vital. 1 te mighty river, 1993 described this destructive, insatiable rapaciousness that renders all happi- reach nature we first have to wind actions ness impossible in my film "Tout- our way through a purgatory of inco- have rien"'21, the title of which was inspired herent displays. conse- by "L'histoire du soldat" by Stravin- quences sky and Ramuz. There are more than What has been your greatest satisfac- on a scale six billion of us on our miraculous tion as a producer in this field? we often fail planet Earth, which is lost in an infi- It was a privilege to be able to address to compre- nite nothingness. If our life is to have such important themes with the help hend, but all have any meaning, the diversity and beauty of fabulous technology, the co-oper- an influence on the of this Earth must be preserved. ation of a talented musician and the future of our world. The power of the support and advice of Hubert Tison. individual is a reality. How do you deal with the beauty of The continuity of my work in the envi- nature through your films? ronment field has helped to reinforce The present extent of environmen- Most of the time I work alone on ani- my message. The awards I have tal awareness was unthinkable mation, so I have to confine myself to received and the use made of my films 30 years ago and, even though we alternating between great riches and have confirmed the need that exists still have a long way to go, now at extreme poverty. With a short film, in a field few producers have ventured least there is hope. Let us keep up there is very little time in which to to explore. I hope that my own suc- the good work. familiarise the audience with charac- ters, different settings, and a subject. I believe that content is more impor- tant than the visual means of con- veying it, so that film scenes need to conjure up the works of known and loved artists, like a familiar piece of music that instantly strikes a chord. It is all the more thought-provoking as a result.

You've been living in Canada for many years. How does the appreciation of nature differ between Europe and North America?

In North America, there is still great variety in the way people appreciate, need and use nature. In Europe, tra- ditions and laws have maintained The man who planted trees, 1987 regional differences, which go to make up coherent wholes, integrated cess offers encouragement to others. Frédéric Back with the natural environment of each The world needs their creations. 3514 avenue Kent area. North America, on the other Montreal Canada H3S IND «i hand, is marked by individualism. 55 The short life-span of buildings and We know that since the release of "The the taste for change have left mere man who planted trees", there have (1) Mathurin Meheut, Honorary Painter to the Navy, been many attempts to emulate the Museum in Lamballe (Cotes d'Armor, France) h vestiges of the past. Technological V hero of this film. In your view, what is « developments, urban sprawl and the magic ingredient we need in our (2) All. nothing, to have everything is to have noth- industrial production have ousted awareness-raising efforts to ensure ing. One happiness is complete happiness. Two is as if happiness does not exist.. family farms and rural crafts, replac- people don't stop at knowledge of a a problem, but go on to try to find a solu- k ing them with huge agricultural » tion? -u concerns. With the disappearance of « animals and farm workers from our The ingredient of success is rarely « fields and fishermen from our magic. It is only through hard work, S seascapes, gone are so many sources sincerity, perseverance and patience o of artistic inspiration. Unfortunately, that we manage to galvanise people t» these intensive farming methods, into action and change things. Jean u S ghastly suburbs and interminable Giono's beautiful tale gives us the roots shopping centres have found their B of a happiness within everyone's » way across the water. More and reach: generosity which is its own » more, cities resemble an untidy jum- reward. Like the acorns planted by « ble of individual samples, and to Elzeard Bouffier, our words and our k A common heritage - w

Nature, the common heritage of humanki

According to the dictio- vention: indeed, we refer to it as "the gible part of the biosphere that has nary, the heritage is an Earth's ecosystem". Although some not been essentially transformed by asset shared by a of the fundamental components of humankind. The 1973 Washington community and our living environment - the atmos- Convention on International Trade in regarded as a phere, water, oceans, animal and Endangered Species of Wild Fauna legacy handed plant life - may have been damaged and Flora (CITES) declares that wild down from by human activities, the system still species in their many beautiful and our ances- functions, at least until further notice. varied forms are an irreplaceable part tors. Nature Its fundamental mechanisms include of natural systems and must be pro- certainly fits the assimilation and use of solar tected for present and future gener- I this des- energy, the water cycle, the regener- ations, and that peoples and States ; cription: it ation of organic matter and other sys- should be the best protectors of such has been tems governing the various life forms. species. The 1979 Bonn Convention bequeathed It may be argued that nature is in fact on Migratory Species of Wild Animals to us by our not only the Earth and living crea- reiterates this idea, adding that each forebears tures, but also that which forms the generation of humankind holds the and we must basis of its existence, the series of resources of the Earth for future gen- conserve it and processes enabling the Earth's ecosys- erations and has an obligation to hand it down in tem to function. ensure that this legacy is conserved the best possible condition to future The meaning generations. of the term "heritage" The foundation of our heritage, then, What is nature? is first and foremost made up of the To put this question in its true series of processes governing the bio- perspective, we should consider sphere. The situation in which we find human beings' place in the history of ourselves is rather like that of some- our planet Earth. The Earth has one who inherits not only the assets existed for some four and a half bil- of an industrial firm - the buildings, lion years and, it would seem, can raw materials, and so on - but also all expect to go on for a comparable the things needed to make the fac- period. Human beings first appeared tory operational: energy resources, about two million years ago, but have machines, organisation, the work- an indeterminate life expectancy. force. Clearly, we must preserve all Anything which existed before the these and pass them on to future gen- origins of the human race is inde- erations, whose lives will depend on and through wise use. For its part, the pendent of it and can thus be regarded them: that is precisely the meaning of 1979 Bern Convention on the Conser- as nature. Nature has been trans- the term "heritage". vation of European Wildlife and Nat- formed by our ancestors, sometimes ural Habitats states that wild flora and to an extent verging on the disastrous, Why should this heritage be "com- fauna constitute a natural heritage of with the result that people wonder mon"? It follows from the definition aesthetic, scientific, cultural, recre- whether it is still possible to call it of nature that it cannot be cut into ational, economic and intrinsic value "nature", except perhaps for a few pieces to suit the whims of private that needs to be preserved and parts of the Earth that have remained owners or borders. It is in the inter- handed on to future generations. relatively untouched by human activ- ests of the entire human race in the ity, such as the polar regions or a num- first place to conserve the processes Hence it is generally acknowledged ber of large forests or very high moun- governing all life on Earth, that is, fun- that the biosphere's fundamental tains. damental parts of nature. That is why processes and certain of its compo- an international convention to which nent parts constitute a heritage which However, it may be argued that the almost all States have acceded, the we cannot merely treat as we wish. term "nature" should not only be con- 1992 Framework Convention on Cli- Nevertheless, the term "common her- fined to particular parts of the planet. mate Change, declares that the itage", which offers the best prospects The planet as a whole forms the bio- Contracting States have a duty to pro- for safeguarding the public interest, sphere, the only place in the universe tect the climate system for the bene- met with considerable opposition dur- - as far as we know - where higher fit of present and future generations. ing the preparatory stage of the 1992 life forms are possible, a system in Rio de Janeiro Convention on Biolog- the scientific sense of the term. Its Response at international level ical Diversity. The concept itself was existence is governed by mechanisms It is obvious that public interest misunderstood: many States felt that that are independent of human inter- includes the preservation of the tan- it encroached upon their sovereignty h y ? nd

and upon individual ownership rights. fall within the jurisdiction of States Should humankind be deemed to be or private owners, but those who hold invested with all rights over nature such assets have an obligation to and its products, in particular genetic conserve them and pass them on to resources? Such fears are reflected in present and future generations. the preamble to the Convention, which, while declaring that the That is why we can and we must see conservation of biological diversity is nature in terms of the common her- a common concern of humankind, itage of humankind. We are free to immediately adds that States have enjoy nature's benefits and resources, sovereign rights over their own bio- but we must ensure that they are logical resources. passed on to generations to come: Ivenach Castle park, England "We do not inherit the earth from our The Unesto definition ancestors; we borrow it from our chil- A better understanding of the very dren and grandchildren". concept of the "common heritage of humankind" makes it easier to appre- Alexandre Kiss Chair, European Council on ciate its significance. The 1972 Unesco Environmental Law Convention concerning the Protec- 29 rue du Conseil des Quinze tion of the World Cultural and Nat- F-67000 Strasbourg ural Heritage provides that the iden- E-mail: [email protected] tification, conservation, enhancement and transmission to future genera- tions of the cultural and natural her- itage are primarily the responsibility of the State on whose territory these heritage items are situated. A dis- tinction is thus made between, on the one hand, sovereignty or even indi- vidual ownership rights over assets constituting the common heritage of humankind and, on the other, the duty to conserve this heritage and pass it on to future generations. World heritage assets, such as castles, entire towns or natural parks indisputably

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S o S S o o Étretat cliffs, France "S A common heritage w

The sea, our common heritage

The commonness of the sea is not a until then a focus on the economic aspect newly declared fact. The well-known of the uses of the sea, received an envi- Roman law concept of res communis ronmental dimension in the Declara- denotes that the sea cannot be appro- tion of Principles. This new dimension priated, and should be considered as is more concerned with the obligations something common for the use by all. of States rather than their rights. The principle of the freedom of the high seas as enunciated by the Dutch Paragraph 11 of the 1970 Declaration of to the way the concept of sustainable lawyer Hugo Grotius in the beginning Principles declares that, due to the sta- development is conceived. This grand of the 17th century was a reiteration tus of the high seas as a common her- norm is now the governing principle in of the status of the sea as an asset for itage of humankind, States should take almost all international environmental common use by all. appropriate measures for the preven- agreements and in a great number of tion of pollution and contamination and national environmental legislation. One "Common heritage" is a more recent other hazards to the marine environ- of the main ideas behind sustainable concept with respect to the sea. It was ment, including the coastline, and of development is that environmental first Arvid Pardo, Malta's representa- interference with the ecological balance resources should be managed with a tive to the United Nations, who of the marine environment. It further view to meet the needs of the present declared in the UN General Assembly stresses that States should also take mea- generation without jeopardising the pos- in 1967 that the high seas are the com- sures for the prevention of damage to sibility of the future generations to meet mon heritage of humankind. He was the flora and fauna of the marine envi- their own need in those resources. In particularly addressing the status of ronment. this sense "common heritage" has been the seabed and ocean floor beyond complemented with other similar the limits of the national jurisdictions, Barcelona Convention concepts such as "common concern of as well as their resources. Malta's As regards the European seas, in its pre- humankind". concern at that time was basically eco- amble the 1976 Barcelona Convention nomic. Common heritage was sup- for the Protection of the Mediterranean The commonness of the sea either as a posed to be the guiding principle for Sea against Pollution designates the heritage left from previous generations regulating the rights of all States in the whole sea area covered by that to us to be rationally used, or as a com- enormous mineral resources of the Convention as a common heritage. The mon asset whose proper administration deep seabed. Barcelona Convention is in fact the First is assigned to us as trustees, entails a and so far one the few purely environ- number of legal obligations for all of us. mental conventions which have applied The right to enjoy the sea and to use it the concept of "common heritage" to and its resources is subject to the oblig- denote a sense of shared interest and ations of preserving it and protecting it concern for a common valuable envi- against deterioration and exhaustion of ronmental resource. its resources. The obligations are not limited to actively taking measures to The application of the "common her- that effect in the form of, for instance, itage" in the marine environmental diminishing or stopping emission of pol- context during the 1970s had, as its lutants into the sea. It is an obligation that point of departure, emphasis on the co- we think about the consequences of all operation of States. The 1992 Rio Con- our activities, even those that appar- ference on Environment and Develop- ently have no or very remote relevance, ment and its Agenda 21 extended the on the marine environment. It is also duty of protecting and preserving the an obligation that we take precaution- marine environment as a common her- ary measures even when we are not itage to all. The idea is that the sea is sure about the adverse effects of our not the common heritage of States. activities on the marine environment. Before it was commercially exploited, the humpback whale's world population was estimated at 150 000 individuals. Although States have the primary oblig- From 40 000 individuals in 1930, it has fallen today to 6 000... ation for adopting concrete and co-ordi- Finally and most importantly - and that nated measures to protect the environ- is worth repeating and emphasising - the United Nations Declaration ment as a whole, it is a shared duty of common heritage character of the sea of Principles all - States, legal persons and individu- implies a shared responsibility for its Three years later, in 1 970, an impor- als - to contribute consciously to such protection. Protective measures should tant Declaration of Principles was protection. be taken by all and at all levels. adopted by the UN General Assembly to Said Mahmoudi solemnly declare the deep seabed and Concept of sustainable development Professor of International Law its resources as the common heritage The modern interpretation of the rights Faculty of Law of humankind. Common heritage, and obligations related to the sea as a Stockholm University S-106 91 Stockholm which, like res communis concept, had common heritage is closely connected E-mail: [email protected] h y ?

The protection of the marine heritage outside the jurisdiction of States Example of the Mediterranean

In the spirit of Professor Mahmoudi's arti- zone stretching from Provence through give effect to the report on Oceans and cle opposite, is it not the case that the Ligurian Sea to the Tyrrhenian Sea the Law of the Sea presented each year humankind took on a responsibility and covers the hot spot of pelagic bio- to the General Assembly. Alongside the towards nature as a whole in Rio de diversity formed by the Ligurian cur- intergovernmental structures, the Inde- Janeiro in June 1992 by placing itself "at rent and its meanders; pendent World Commission on the the centre of concerns for sustainable • an Agreement on the Conservation of Oceans, set up in 1995, proposed in its development" and reasserting the intrin- Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterra- final report the creation of a Global Ocean sic value of biological diversity? nean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area; Observing System. This "watchdog" of • the amendments to the Appendices our seas should be capable of providing "Regulation free" areas to the Bern Convention aligning it with States with essential information to per- It is true that the greater the distance from the coast, the more national law loses force and is replaced by interna- tional co-operation and diplomacy. Is the right to control always a matter of choice? For conservation purposes, is it not actu- ally more of a duty? Are coastal States which choose not to exploit fishery resources outside of their territorial waters for their own exclusive benefit not assum- ing the role, in the eyes of the international community, of guarantors for the care- ful use of these resources and compli- ance with the international measures that lay down the rules for such use in the areas under the jurisdiction of States?

Marine currents, these fertile ocean expanses without borders; could they not benefit from the approaches considered for protecting the sterile atmosphere of outer space?

The responses to these challenges still the Barcelona Convention and mit them to govern collectively all of our too often employ conventional conser- enabling many marine species, pri- maritime zones. vation tools and are still too much inspired marily pelagic ones, to enjoy the pro- by concepts suited to land environments, tection of this dynamic legal instru- If we put the territorial obsessions of past the transposition of which sometimes ment. centuries behind us and follow the exam- hinders imagination. ple of what was done for Antarctica, one It is only through a network of innovative, day we will perhaps pay as much atten- Intergovernmental agreements harmonised and coherent intergovern- tion to the marine environment as to our Somewhat removed from this traditional mental agreements that the desire of the vegetable and flower gardens, our forests and our mountains. Will these vast context, and out of a desire not to divide riparian States to protect their common Ä the sea up into a large number of exclu- heritage can be consolidated. regulation-free areas, where the bound- & sive economic zones (EEZ), the States aries between what is legally correct and bordering on the Mediterranean have The future what is not politically acceptable are adopted almost simultaneously: On the world level, however, this com- unclear, find salvation in the near future <33 plexity of agreements and multiplicity of in the concept of "governance" that has <3 • a new Protocol to the Barcelona Conven- institutions is becoming increasingly cum- been put back on the agenda by the Inde- tion concerning specially protected bersome to manage and its impact is pendent World Commission on the k Oceans? 4> areas and biodiversity. This covers a being felt even inside the national mon- Ä large number of pelagic species and itoring structures. The need to co-ordi- Patrick Van Klaveren offers the possibility of establishing vast, nate all these actions was highlighted at 8 Technical Adviser to the Minister o multinational protected areas exten- the last meeting of the Commission on Plenipotentiary with responsibility s Sustainable Development and has ding beyond the areas under national for International Co-operation for the s sovereignty or jurisdiction. One resulted in the creation of an Advisory Environment and Development o example is the 100 000-km2 refuge Group to the Secretary General of the Villa Girasole u 16 boulevard de Suisse United Nations - a Group intended to which has just been established in the MC-98000 Monaco E-mail: [email protected] naturopa n ° 9 1 / 1999 common h e r i t a g

Forests Why should they be considered a common heritage?

Who has never suffered from being stuck Yet rainforests are first and foremost sands of deaths and of damage costing on a motorway in the middle of a heat home to populations such as the billions, the principal victims being the wave? Conversely, who has not wel- Pygmies in Congo and Cameroon and local population. comed being able to park in the shade the Penan in Borneo. For thousands of of a tree? years they have lived in harmony with Sand from African deserts on Alpine these forests. Long ago, they were glaciers, the Chernobyl disaster, the 3 000 years ago, virgin forest still covered already implementing the Rio rec- hole in the ozone layer and DDT in Inuit most of Europe. Vast areas were subse- ommendation on sustainable use of mothers' milk all show that the inhab- quently cleared to meet the needs of forests. As hunters and gatherers, they itants of this earth are linked to one agriculture and shipbuilding and to sup- live - so to speak - off the interest another by winds and ocean currents. ply the necessary energy for glass man- from the forest without touching its The climate is warming up. ufacture, the metallurgical industry and capital: the trees. saltworks.

The role of the forest Only when this unbridled exploitation provoked landslides, avalanches and floods, and human beings suffered its consequences themselves, did people realise the protective role played by the forest and - late last century - introduce legislation in this sector.

Today, we are aware of the many func- tions of the forest ecosystem: it is a source of energy, a producer of timber, a regu- lator of climate and water resources, a living environment and a place of recre- ation. In ethical terms, this awareness means that economic interests have to be reconciled with respect for life. The Virgin forest in Sarawak more a government protects the cultural heritage consisting of biotopes unique ... but one that is under threat Time for action! by virtue of their beauty and variety of But now, major companies obtain In order to protect forests, which are our species, the better it fulfils its moral concessions in rainforest areas, on every common heritage, two principles must responsibility towards future genera- continent, deriving short-term com- be implemented at national and inter- tions. mercial profits from the delivery of these national level: jungle giants - cut up and made into A very diverse environment... broom handles, floorboards, skirting • absolute protection of the remaining Unfortunately, less than 1% of Europe's boards, picture frames, curtain rails, intact virgin forests, with a total ban virgin forests remain intact. In some doors, various articles of furniture and so on road construction and exploitation European countries today, as well as in on - to consumers in industrialised coun- for international trade; Japan, the proportion of woodland is tries. • sustainable use of all other forests for increasing thanks to cheap imports of the production of timber, with due wood and energy, whereas forests are In this way, the forest-dwellers are regard to the environment. being depleted in the tropics. Unlike arid being deprived of their only asset and areas, where the decline of the forest is life-support system. Industrial exploita- The aim might be to classify some 20 % related to the local population's need for tion of virgin forests is bound to lead of land as biotopes and forests to be pro- fuel, rainforest areas have never been to the decline of these magnificent, tected in view of their significance. Indus- short of firewood. still largely unexplored ecosystems, trialised countries could come to the some of whose trees are over a thou- assistance of third world countries in As well as representing enormous quan- sand years old. preserving this common heritage. tities of wood, the last intact areas of rainforest in South America, Central The floods in Thailand in the 1980s, Bruno Manser Africa and South-east Asia host extremely those caused by the overflow of the Bruno Manser Foundation diverse fauna and flora. Compared to Yang Tse in China last year, the cyclones Heuberg 25 CH-4051 Basle the one hundred or so species of Euro- in Central America and the forest fires E-mail: [email protected] pean trees and shrubs, Malaysia alone of human origin in Brazil and Indone- Web: http://www.bmf.ch has over 700 identified species of trees sia were all brought about by the over- available for commercial exploitation. exploitation of forests. The result: thou- h y ?

Landscape: a natural and cultural heritage

Over a quarter of a century after Euro- Furthermore, not only was there an pean Architectural Heritage Year increase in the number and size of (1975), the Council of Europe has heritage items, but the field of inter- launched the "Europe, a common her- est was extended to include docu- itage" Campaign with the aim of pro- mentary sources. Landscape, no moting a more up-to-date and wider longer regarded simply as a beautiful concept of heritage encompassing vista, has developed along similar ilMflir movable and immovable assets, sites, lines, together with the acknowl- the natural environment, non-mater- edgement of environmental values ial assets and the landscape. Indeed, and the need for nature conservation, the landscape, given that it has been primarily under the influence of the shaped by both human beings and countries of northern Europe, where nature, is a particularly appropriate the concept of landscape is tradition- theme to represent the Campaign mes- ally linked to the natural features of the sage. territory.

Acknowledgement of the importance A wider scope Landscapes are the expression of the relationship of landscape is by no means recent: The approaches of the traditional dis- that develops between humankind and the environment back in the late 19th century, several ciplines, the natural sciences and the European countries introduced legis- humanities tend to merge today with be diversified and range from conser- lation to protect regions of particular regard to the landscape since there is vation to reclassification, and include interest. It is only recently, however, virtually no European virgin territory rehabilitation and creative develop- that a more sophisticated vision of left, given the impact - both positive ment in order to bring about a better landscape has emerged at interna- and negative - of human activities on quality of life for the people living tional level, resulting from the pooling the environment. there. of research in a range of disciplines. As a result, the concept of landscape This cross-sectoral approach to land- Manuel Roberto Guido today encompasses a variety of dis- Ministry of Cultural Assets and Activities scape requires us to abandon Central Office for Environmental and crete values, enabling landscapes to approaches focusing merely on the Landscape Assets play a bigger part in the context of our conservation of regions which are par- Piazza del Popolo 18 common heritage. The landscape has ticularly rich in terms of natural, 1-00187 Rome environmental value as part of an cultural or aesthetic features at the E-mail: m.guido@mbca-ucbap. interbusiness. it Web: http://mbca-ucbap. interbusiness. it ecosystem; cultural value as the his- expense of those where any transfor- toric evidence of a site and the trans- mation is possible. In contrast, the formations it has undergone or as a concept of landscape, because of the feature to be learned about and stud- multiplicity of values it encompasses, ied, and which provides inspiration to must be extended to the whole of the writers and poets; aesthetic value as territory. However, because these val- a visual and representative expres- ues vary in terms of concentration and sion of the relationship forged over the degree of impairment sustained, the centuries between human beings action taken on the landscape must and their environment; and social value, in that it increasingly reflects human identity.

A broader definition This change in the concept of land- scape is the result of a series of processes deriving from human and scientific disciplines. The Italian abil- ity to identify and preserve elements of its heritage dates back to the Roman era, when particular care was devoted to religious artefacts. Subsequently, art works were included in the her- itage to be conserved and then, much later, the major archaeological remains, monuments, their sur- roundings, minor architecture, his- toric town centres and the landscape. The Abbot's Tower, near Ferrara, Italy "What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered."

Ralph Waldo Emerson Extract from Paroles de nature Albin Michel Jeunesse 1995

Mankind is a part of nature and life depends Competition for scarce resources creates conflicts, on the uninterrupted functioning of natural whereas the conservation of nature and natural systems which ensure the supply of energy resources contributes to justice and the and nutrients. maintenance of peace and cannot be achieved until mankind learns to live in peace and to forsake Civilisation is rooted in nature, which has shaped war and armaments. human culture and influenced all artistic and scientific achievement, and living in harmony Extract from The World Charter for Nature with nature gives man the best opportunities Adopted and proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on 28 October 1982 for the development of his creativity, and for rest and recreation.

Every form of life is unique, warranting respect regardless of its worth to man, and, to accord other organisms such recognition, man must be guided by a moral code of action.

Man can alter nature and exhaust natural resources by his action or its consequences and, therefore, must fully recognise the urgency of maintaining the stability and quality of nature and of conserving natural resources.

Lasting benefits from nature depend upon the maintenance of essential ecological processes and life support systems, and upon the diversity of life forms, which are jeopardised through excessive exploitation and habitat destruction by man.

The degradation of natural systems owing to excessive consumption and misuse of natural resources, as well as to failure to establish an appropriate economic order among peoples and among States, leads to the breakdown of the economic, social and political framework of civilisation.

Vivaldi, "The four seasons" Score reproduced with the kind permission of Schott Musik International - Mainz/Paris T o know , appreciate Eal n Interpretation: a discipline for heritage

Among the varied environmental communication strategies (pedagog- ical-didactic, diffusion campaigns, mass media, etc.), heritage interpre- tation stands out particularly because it is carried out in situ, in other words, it takes place where visitors are, in places of heritage significance, which can be protected or not protected areas. This means that all those per- sons who are not usually in touch with other communication strategies, can be reached at one moment or another when "visitors" in a natural, rural or cultural environment. All of us can be "visitors", from Europe or from abroad, without forgetting the local inhabitants of the areas being visited. Interpretation tries to make educational activities appealing. Here, a bird-watching observatory in a wetland As mentioned above, interpretation practice is not only limited to the nat- The interpretive media and messages values hidden in the heritage features" ural protected areas (national or are the visible aspects of interpreta- that generally would be only under- regional parks, etc.), it also refers to a tion. Visitors will find offers like guided stood by specialists and researchers. large range of places with heritage val- or self-guided trails, leaflets, inter- Europe is full of places and landscapes ues. It would be anachronic - if not pretive signs and other media, which of great significance, not only from erroneous - to separate today the contain a message revealing the site the ecological point of view, but also cultural and historical heritage from significance in a stimulating and pro- by their history, and the visitor often the natural. The natural environment voking way, and, best of all, in a clear does not have the keys to appreciate is strongly influenced by the human way. As well as showing the site sig- what he is visiting. (historical) action. Therefore, 1 use here nificance, interpretation has the mis- the concept "heritage" in a wide sense. sion of contributing to the prevention Interpretation must attract the visi- or solution of a problem: avoiding envi- tor's attention, it has to be significant In situ discovery ronmental or cultural damage on a and easily understood, and it has to be Our Spanish Association for Heritage local or global basis. That is to say, interesting and amusing. It must Interpretation has adopted the defin- the fact of being in situ should not be contain relevance to the visitor's ego, ition of interpretation as "the art of in an obstacle to the positive attitudes so it can captivate him or her in a per- situ revealing the natural, cultural or that can surpass the limits of the visit sonal way, through strong, provoking historic legacy to the public visiting itself. and evocative words. It has to be struc- these areas in their leisure time", a tured around an easy-to-remember definition which is inspired in others, Well chosen messages idea, a complete sentence synthesis- but emphasises the context: the gen- How to achieve effectiveness in inter- ing the message like a newspaper eral public visiting a site of heritage pretive practice? Effectiveness is the headline. This sentence can also be value in their leisure time. objective achievement; interpretive the headline of panels and brochures facilities should succeed in improving or of the interpreters' activities. This large group - the general public the conservation conditions of a par- - is very heterogeneous: different age ticular place. And in the interpretive Without these ingredients, the hardest and origin (local people or tourists), message, which 1 would define as the efforts will not achieve real commu- and the level of interest and type of imaginative treatment of the infor- nication and will be sterile. To tell you group (families, friends, couples, etc.) mation to be presented to the public, the truth, 1 must say that in Europe are also diverse. However, it being lies the achievement of this goal. It is the interpretive discipline is not suffi- their leisure time, one thing is clear: the "language" used that determines, ciently developed, except in those these persons are not looking for "edu- in part, the success of this action. As regions with a strong Anglo-Saxon cational" or any other activities that with publicists, we look for a suitable influence, where there is a major the- can remind them of school. They prob- message for a particular audience. oretical and practical knowledge. ably do not look for interpretation However, there is a critical difference Many institutions of different coun- either. And this is the challenge: to between interpretation and adver- tries use the term interpretation incor- make attractive a set of activities that tisement. Interpretation is not look- rectly, not corresponding with the have, with no doubt, an "educational ing for a sale - in the commercial essence of the discipline, which is to intention". sense - it "just wants to bring up the reveal the meaning of a particular protect o u h i t a g e

place instead of giving facts and data, am not talking about propaganda, but and to stimulate curiosity more than about support and collaboration, merely satisfy it. There are cases of which can be legitimately used to help "environmental information" that are the institutions to better realise their far from being interpretation. Let us functions as guardianships of our her- hope that the imminent creation of itage, undoubtedly a great task. the European Interpretation Network will enhance development of this dis- Jorge Morales Miranda cipline in our region. Interpretive Planning and Training Consultant Chair of the Spanish Association An effective management tool for Heritage Interpretation o I would like to emphasise that inter- c/Fray Junípero Serra. BQ 2. I Izq. Creation pretation is a management tool. E-l 1207 Algeciras of an interpretation E-mail: [email protected] Through good interpretive program- network ming, the benefits are synergically passed to other management plans The Council of Europe is setting up such as for administration or finance, a network of natural heritage inter- those in the area of maintenance and pretation centres. The aim of this security, and those in charge of pub- network is to promote education lic relations - the image of the insti- and communication as tools for tution. Interpretation which is in tune conservation policies for the Euro- with the public will promote a posi- pean natural heritage and to cre- tive behaviour on the site, making peo- ate a real communication platform ple aware of the importance of its con- between its members, in order to: servation. Appropriate designing of trails, centres or interpretive points • ensure contact between profes- helps to make optimal use of the sionals working in different space, moving the visitors from vul- structures but with common nerable sites to others with a higher aims; carrying capacity. • develop a system of continuous training for persons responsible Finally, whether we want it or not, for programmes within these interpretation will always be the "pub- centres and to encourage the lic face" of the institution supporting exchange of material and expe- it. It is therefore inevitable that poor rience; (or non-existing) interpretation will • promote the setting-up of negatively affect the institution's regional or international initia- image. On the contrary, good inter- tives, in particular on east-west pretive services will give a positive co-operation; public image of an institution. And I • present the interests and opin- ions of experts who are members of the network when policies concerning their fields are elab- orated.

The launching of this network is foreseen for September 2000 (see article pages 28-29).

Warden supervising a school outing in the Vanoise National Park know appreciat a

Role of botanic gardens

There are almost 350 botanic gardens in of, and commerce in, wild plant because they are situated close to large the European Union member States that resources. Over-collection has a direct urban populations. These gardens are in are visited by more than 20 million peo- impact on wild populations and plants a prime position to assist in the protec- ple every year. Although many people with medicinal uses suffer in particular. tion of European natural heritage through think of them simply as parks with a col- Botanic gardens are one of the groups of programmes of environmental educa- lection of exotic plants preserved in cul- institutions that are addressing this issue, tion. tivation, they contain valuable plant col- by monitoring the impact of this trade lections which are grown for particular and by bringing plants into cultivation to The ultimate aim of these programmes purposes - for reference, research, con- take the pressure off the wild collections. is to develop attitudes and values in vis- servation, plant breeding and for restora- Botanic gardens such as Royal Botanic itors that lead to positive actions towards tion programmes. Many botanic gardens Garden Edinburgh Scotland and Royal protecting and nurturing the environ- also have facilities such as germplasm Botanic Gardens Kew UK are researching ment. People are encouraged to appre- banks, herbaria, and ethnobotanical and palaeobotanical museums. With their expertise and facilities, botanic gardens can make a significant contribution to the conservation of Europe's plant and land- scape heritage through their conserva- tion, scientific research and educational activities. Botanic garden managers see this as the most important long-term aim and justification for their institutions.

Conservation and scientific activities Many European botanic gardens are important research centres. They already undertake research in taxonomy, biology and the traditional uses of wild plants, as well as investigating economically use- ful plants such as fruits, medicinal and aromatic plants, land races and orna- mentals. Increasingly they are becoming more involved in biodiversity conserva- the horticultural cultivation of endan- ciate the natural world and value biodi- tion and have become important cen- gered species such as Origanum dicta- versity, as a first step towards making tres not only for ex situ conservation but mus from Greece, to reduce the pressure an active contribution to the protection for fully integrated conservation. on natural populations from over- of Europe's natural heritage. collecting. One major factor in the degradation of the Of considerable importance European environment is the utilisation The seed banks of European gardens also Botanic gardens can play an important play a vital role in the conservation and role in contributing to the protection of protection of Europe's natural heritage. Europe's natural heritage by: The Sóller Botanic Garden in Spain has created a seed bank to conserve the diver- • conserving a broad range of the gene- sity of native Balearic plants for the ben- tic diversity of endangered taxa and efit of present and future generations. Its locally useful plants; priority is to conserve the germplasm of • contributing to broad-based recovery wild species that are under threat from programmes for threatened taxa; tourism and building development. It • enhancing the long-term survival of also works with the Balearic government, plant populations in the wild; and other institutions like national parks, • raising the awareness of the public and to carry out reintroduction programmes, decision-makers of the contribution enhance existing wild plantings and pro- that botanic gardens can make to pro- vide seed for use by local people. tecting Europe's natural heritage.

Education activities Lucy Sutherland Developing an awareness of the need to Education Officer Botanic Garden Conservation International m conserve wild plants amongst the general Successful programme on restoration of the last laurel forests Descanso House public is already seen as a priority by oil the Gran Canaria island and on reintroduction of 199 Kew Road the dragon tree (Dracaena draco) in the wild, led botanic garden managers. The majority GB-Richmond TW9 3BW by the Vieray Clavijo Botanic Garden of botanic gardens are easily accessible E-mail: [email protected] protect o u e r i t a g e

Role and challenges of natural history museums

The museum concept was conceived at the end of medieval times and was based on the collections of royal fam- ilies. At that time gathering of the material was mainly aimed at osten- tatiously displaying the power and influence of monarchs and it was not accessible by the public. The 19th cen- tury represents a radical change in the history of museums since the public are now allowed to enter. Museums now serve a constantly increasing number of visitors as well as the The Goulandris natural history museum, Natural history museum, demand for the transmission of knowl- Athens, Greece, founded in 1964 Vienna, Austria edge and communication. ties for reception, information, refresh- stood that it must convince the pub- The field of activity of museums has ment and recreation must be pro- lic of its importance, charm them widened with the creation of natural vided. through its collections, exhibitions and history museums, scientific museums, events, attract visitors through its etc. following the rapid development However, the most radical change has image and the services it offers, pre- in natural and earth sciences, new been in the philosophy of the natural serve the message of the past in the technologies, new environmental history museums. The old-style midst of the endeavours of the pre- concerns and the efforts to offer new museum was a treasure house of dead sent, come up with new answers and products. memories (for example, collections new products. In order to achieve this, of stuffed animals), the possessor of it has sought originality, offered infor- A change in philosophy rare and unique species, an official mation, cultivated dialogue. The "typical visitor" no longer exists place, the realm of silent authority, for natural history museums. Visitors repelling questions, analysis or criti- Presentation methods are more edu- vary greatly in their social class, ori- cism. Its contemporary counterpart cational and have given way to dia- gin, age, education and interests. To is a place alive to documentation and logue. Dialogue sharpens the powers deal with these different groups the interpretation, open to questions, lis- of observation, serves the process of museum has to adopt a new attitude: tening to its public, cultivating a living v learning, enriches one's imagination 03 the visitor is now treated as a guest, experience of the past and a faith in and powers of reflection and enhances B the future of civilisation and of our -S¡¿ with the museum endeavouring to environmental sensitivity. •m meet his demands and needs. environment. f. '»¡Y U The visitor can select different pro- « The architectural design of the Interactive museums grammes to suit his own education h ' museum must accommodate equally New times bring new markets, clients and interests and time available to 3 the public, the collections, the labo- and needs and thus objectives must him, and make use of various means O ratories and staff. Comfortable facili- change too. The museum has under- of communication: texts, maps, draw- O ings, audio-visual aids, multi-media. u §i" The contemporary museum has given o its visitors the chance "to learn, to dis- a< cover, to seek, to enjoy, to enhance ts their sensitivity, to refresh their minds, «s to find new awareness, to discover inspiration through every possible

means". <3

U Maria Katsakiori u Public awareness and environmental k education officer B. The Goulandris Natural History Museum S. Greek Biotope/Wetland Centre B 14th km Thessaloniki-Mihaniona GR-570 01 Thermi S E-mail: [email protected] o «s kHSS. Horseshoe whip snake, Iberian peninsula and north-west Africa

n a t u r o p a 9 1 / 19 9 9 rio know, appreciate an

Caves - hidden but magnificent elements Example from the Slovak Karst

Of the current list of 582 World Her- implies an important commitment cultural activities, in 1997 hydrolog- itage sites, four occur in Slovakia. on the part of the signatory. A man- ical monitoring of the underground Three of them are listed as a cultural agement programme was therefore water streams was commenced. In heritage1" and the only natural her- developed and approved by the Min- 1996-97 a geophysical survey was itage site are the caves of the Slovak istry of the Environment in January carried out to identify unknown Karst. These caves became a World 1997. underground space in the western Heritage site in December 1995 as a part of the cave system. A unique part of the bilateral nomination pro- Specific management result was evidence of viseit which ject Caves of the Slovak and Aggtelek measures may be found only in two other sites Karst, a common heritage of the Complex care for caves means a lot in the world. The barrier of the Slovak Republic and Hungary. of different activities - survey, Čertova diera Cave entrance was research, monitoring, practical man- installed in 1996 preventing "unin- Values to be preserved agement, technical measures to vited" visitors entering into this cave The Slovak and Aggtelek Karst rep- enable visits to caves from the system. resent a typical karst plateau region entrance buildings and underground of the temperate climate zone, with tours. Under the co-ordination of the Gombasecka Cave several genetic and morphological Administration of Slovak Caves many To limit agricultural activities in the types of caves and abysses. Of the other professional and voluntary bod- infiltration zone in the Silická total area of 600 km2, about two- ies are actively involved in imple- Plateau, a proposal for the protec- thirds is situated in Slovakia and one- mentation of management plans. tive zone is being developed as the third in Hungary. At present over Activities to preserve the World Her- cave is occasionally flooded. In 1997 800 caves and abysses with diverse itage Site are concentrated on four a technical project was carried out to carbonate speleothems are known. caves that are open to the public. In direct flood water. The Silicka lad- all of them, measures have been nica Cave is also a part of the Silica- For the World Heritage nomination taken to raise public awareness (per- Gombasek hydrogeological system. project, 21 caves were selected manent exhibitions or information In 1998 a barrier was built to sepa- among the most valuable and typi- panels). To eliminate growth of rate the ice and non-ice parts of this cal ones (1 1 in Slovakia'-', 9 in lampflora inside the caves, new less cave in order to stabilise speleo- Hungary"1 and one crossborder cave intensive lights have been installed. climatic conditions for the ice for- system at Domica-Baradla). Specific measures have been imple- mation. This barrier also prevents mented in particular caves to solve entrance into the Archeological the main problems. National Dome. and international protection Slovak and Aggtelek Karst are pro- The Do mica Cave Jasovska Cave tected by national legislation. Accord- As the most dangerous problems are The monitoring of chiropterofauna ing to the Act No 287/1994 of the' possible floods and water pollution over the past years is done with the Legal Codes on Nature and Landscape from the soil sediments due to agri- co-operation of volunteers. Speleo- Protection, all caves in Slovakia are protected as nature monuments, for which the most strict level of pro- tection is valid. The most important ones have been declared national nature monuments. To preserve the whole area, the Slovak Karst Pro- tected Landscape Area and the Aggtelek National Park have been designated.

Protection and visits to all caves open to the public are under the responsi- bility of the Administration of Slovak Caves in Liptovsky Mikulas, while the protection of the other caves is a duty of the Slovak Environmental Agency. Both bodies are organisations of the Ministry of the Environment.

Listing sites in the World Heritage List means not only confirming out- standing values, but at the same time therapeutical procedures have been no condensation of water on the arag- implemented since 1995 and the onite filling was observed. building of a new entrance was fin- ished in 1996. In 1997 the Slovak Positive bilateral Museum of Nature Protection and co operation Caving finalised the inventory of his- Slovak and Aggtelek Karst is just one torical letters. In 1998 an entrance example of a natural heritage and corridor was adjusted for better common management programme safety of visitors. Volunteers of the of bilateral co-operation between Slo- (1) The Vlkolinec (folk architecture reserve), the Spis- Slovak Speleological Society com- vak and Hungarian nature protection sky Castle, and the historical town of Banska Šti- piled documentation on the whole authorities. The most important pro- avnica, Jasovska Rock cave system. At pre- ject is to keep nature protection on (2) Silicka ladnica Cave-Gombasecka Cave, Krásno- sent geomorphological research is the political agenda, to promote co- horská Cave. Hrusovska Cave, Skalistý potok being carried out on the genesis of operation and to guarantee adequate Cave-Kunia Abyss, Drienovská Cave, Jasovska Cave, Snezna diera Cave. Zvonivá Abyss, Divia- these caves. resources for survey, research, mon- čia abyss. Obrovská Abyss and Ochtinska Arag- itoring and practical management onite Cave.

Ochtinska Cave measures. (3) Vecsem-bukk Abyss. Vass Imre Cave. Meteor Deciding on visitor carrying capac- Cave, Rejtek Abyss, Szabadsag Cave, Kossuth ity has been identified as the most Cave. Beke Cave. Rákoczi I Cave and Rákoczi Pavel Bella 2 Cave. important problem due to the risk Administration of the Slovak Caves that condensation and increased C02 Hodzova 11 content might damage aragonite fill- SK-031 01 Liptovsky Mikulas ing. However, results from the mon- E-mail: [email protected] itoring in 1996-97 did not prove neg- Jana Zacharová ative changes of the cave's climatic Department for Nature conditions due to visits. Possible and Landscape Protection changes in temperature and humid- Ministry of the Environment Námestie L. Štúra 1 ity stabilise very soon after visitors SK-812 35 Bratislava 1 leave the underground spaces and [email protected]

Caring for the natural heritage The example of Wallonia, Belgium

It has become normal practice to since this seems to meet our expec- What is at stake? refer to nature in terms of heritage. tations concerning the natural her- A heritage in which there is no However, what distinguishes the nat- itage. investment, and which is aban- ural heritage and how will this influ- doned by its "proprietor", is a ence the way we care for it? The heritage is "all the material and heritage that is falling into ruin and immaterial elements which combine disappearing. While this notion is However prestigious, dictionaries to maintain and develop the iden- readily understandable in the con- rarely define heritage satisfactorily. tity and autonomy of its 'proprietor' text of, for example, architectural Of course, they include the notion of in both time and space through a heritage, when there is someone - the transmission of a legacy from gradually evolving environment". In owner or just tenant, private or generation to generation, but their other words, the heritage does not public, individual or collective - who approach is often relatively passive. exist as such in the absence of a has certain options for managing it, property relationship with a "pro- this is not the case with the natural We will therefore adopt the defi- prietor" who invests in it and man- heritage. nition given by Henry Ollagnon'", ages it. r|o know, a p p Ij e c i a t e a

The elements that constitute this This is the approach, based on the heritage - birds, dragonflies, but- above considerations, that is being terflies, the water in the streams and tested in Belgium, in the Wallonian so on - are often considered to be Municipal Nature Development examples of res nullius, that is an Plans. It offers a response to the pre- element that does not in itself belong sent need to accept responsibility to anyone. for the natural heritage at the local level. How then can individuals be moti- vated to care for all or part of a her- Jacques Stein Nature Directorate itage that belongs to no one as if it Directorate General of Natural Resources was their own? and Environment Ministère de la Région wallonne This is the purpose of the Municipal Avenue Prince de Liège 15 B-5100 Jambes (Namur) Nature Development Plans (MNDPs), E-mail: [email protected] first established in Wallonia in 1996. To date, 41 of the 262 Wallonian municipalities have subscribed to (1) Ollagnon. H.. 1990 - Stratégie patrimoniale pour la gestion des ressources et des milieux naturels, this pilot scheme. proceedings of the colloquy Gérer la nature?, Trav. Cons. De la Nat.. 15/1: 195-222 MNDPs: an atfive approach Scarce chaser, particularly There are two elements to this sensitive to pollution approach: municipal ecological net- works and partnerships of all those grated approach to the natural her- concerned. itage, which must be managed as common property. Ecological networks have a twin role. Their establishment undoubtedly In practical terms, this approach calls helps to improve biodiversity and for the setting-up of well organised landscapes and they must also be and well led partnerships, in which seen as a way of persuading those each participant - decision-makers, who have hitherto shown little incli- community leaders, specialists, facil- nation or tendency to accept respon- itators, and so on - understands his sibility for the natural heritage to do or her own role and that of others, so. and in which everyone's own iden- tity and special skills are strength- Partnerships are needed because ened. traditional forms of individual or col- lective management are not suited to a modern, geographically com- prehensive biological and landscape diversity conservation strategy.

The natural heritage must now be placed in the hands of, and man- aged by, a community of individu- als and/or bodies - in other words, a diverse range of individual or col- lective action centres - that jointly apply a series of negotiated rules of conduct in managing a particular element of the heritage, whether or not this is "owned" by them. When problems arise, the community of participants in this process must act as one. All acknowledge a common interest in the quality of the natural environment and in finding solu- tions to the problems it raises. These are the foundations of a new inte- dm protect our tage

Unesco World Heritage List Inscription of Lake Baikal

For the Russian people, and the world. Lake Baikal is a natural treasure. Located in Siberia near the Mongolian border, the lake holds 20% of the world's fresh water and harbours more endemic species of plants and animals than any other lake in the world. Surrounded by mountains, forests and wild rivers, the lake is an amazing and breathtaking example of physical beauty. Its international signifi- cance as a natural site, was recognised in December 1996 when it was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Compared with other great lakes of the world. Lake Baikal is enormous: 636 km long and 80 km wide. The length of the coastline is about 2 100 km. Baikal's vol- ume (23 600 km') is greater than any 365 rivers flow into Lake Baikal other freshwater lake and at 1 637 m, it is the world's deepest lake. trial enterprises have increased the lake's processes, superlative natural phenom- pollution levels. The construction of the ena and an area of exceptional natural A profusion of life Irkutsk Dam has raised the water level beauty and aesthetic importance, and Baikal's water, called "living water" is contributing to a decrease in fish popu- significant and important habitat for famous for its spiritual and medicinal lation and the erosion of the northern threatened species. qualities. The water is fed by a series of barrier islands. While officially protected, springs and these, along with the lake's poaching of wildlife around Baikal is a Since inscription there has been increas- depth, volume and geographical posi- growing problem. In addition, and of ing activity to protect the lake. Of note has tion, explain Baikal's self-purification qual- great concern to environmentalists, there been the April 1999 adoption of the Law ities and why it is alive with aquatic life. has been a marked increase in timber on Lake Baikal by the State Duma of the felling. Russian Federation, providing a frame- The wildlife in and around the lake is work for further protection. In addition, equally rich. Animals living in the sur- International recognition the region has seen a number of efforts rounding taiga include brown bear, sable, Because of its ecological importance, in to implement sustainable development Manchurian deer and elk and the lake is the early 1980s the Russian Government plans and projects, including support home to the world's only freshwater seal, began to review the possibility of nomi- from international organisations. the nerpa. nating Baikal to the World Heritage List. In 1996 Lake Baikal was inscribed by the Current preoccupations Ancient culture World Heritage Committee on the basis Today, the Unesco World Heritage Cen- Baikal is steeped in culture. Buryats and of it being an outstanding freshwater tre and the World Conservation Union Evenks are a living link to Baikal's past. ecosystem, containing examples of the (IUCN) work with the State Party and with Evenks, the area's oldest indigenous peo- major stages of the earth's history and out- organisations around Lake Baikal to mon- ples, live in scattered valleys around the standing geological features, examples itor its state of conservation. The World lake. Buryats, Mongolian people who of on-going ecological and biological Heritage Committee has expressed seri- have made the area their home long ous concerns about the pollution prob- before Genghis Khan swept through Asia lems facing the site and the urgent need in the 13th century, are now integrated to re-profile the controversial Baikalsk into Russian society. Since 1923 they Pulp and Paper Mill. In the future these have occupied their own autonomous immense conservation issues will need republic on the lake's eastern and north- the continuing collaboration of the Russ- ern shores, the Buryat Republic. Buryat ian and international communities to culture still retains its own identity as evi- support those programmes that safe- denced by the lake being a sacred site guard this unique ecosystem. and a focus of many regional legends. Art Pedersen and Mechtild Rossler Recent threats Unesco World Heritage Centre Industrialisation in the later half of the 7 place de Fontenoy 20th century has made its mark on the F-75352 Paris 07 SP •«.uu uh u opcvioo nun. i/cc/i ietui UtiM E-mail: a.pedersen@unesco.org on the south bank of the lake. landscape and the waters of Baikal. [email protected] Here, a female capercaiUie Sixteen nearby towns and about 50 indus- Web: http://www.unesco.org h e r i ta g e e n d a

Interrelation between nature and civilisation The Sami, indigenous people of the North

The European Arctic can be defined sonal living quarters. Since the 16th Arctic environmental threats'41 as the transnational Euro-Arctic Bar- century, colonisation and new ways In comparison with most other areas ents region, including the northern- of life have influenced Sami culture. of the world, the Arctic is still rela- most parts of Russia, Finland, Sweden These have resulted in the formation tively clean, although no longer and Norway respectively. Within this of diverse cultural groups charac- unspoiled. It is affected both by emis- vast area, stretching from the Atlantic terised by different settlement areas sions from industrial activities within coast in the west to the Urals in the and activities. The designations most the region and by long-range trans- east, from the Arctic ocean to far known are Reindeer-herding Sami, port of pollutants from other parts of south of the polar circle, there exist Settled Inland, and Coast Sami. Nowa- the world. Atmospheric and ocean several indigenous peoples, with the days these cultural features are less transport pathways meet in the Arc- Sami, the Komi and the Nenets (or apparent as an increasing number of tic, which thus functions as a sink for Samoyeds) as the most known. The Sami are taking up non-traditional various types of pollutants. Current last two - the Komi and the Nenets occupations. Nevertheless, reindeer- regional threats are mainly caused - live in Russia, while the Sami herding is still an important part of by pollution but the danger comes inhabit all four countries in question. the Sami economy and the Sami peo- also from habitat fragmentation, Of the approximately 50 000 Sami, ple still retain much of their distinc- degradation or destruction; over-har- 30 000 live in Norway, 15 000 in tive culture. Food habits, living con- vesting of biological resources; Sweden, 4 000 in Finland and 2 000 ditions, employment or subsistence tourism in vulnerable areas; and in Russia. Nevertheless, the Sami activities are some of the character- introduction of alien species and dis- consider that the national borders do istics in which Arctic populations dif- eases. not exist. Moreover, it is also the only fer from others. people of the Nordic world with sta- The first AMAP's'5 assessment report tus as indigenous people. The Sami However, the most important thing (Oslo, 1997) shows that certain Arc- culture and language are common is that in the Sami's world view, man tic population groups are among the across the borders, and since 1986 and nature are inseparable. The Sami most exposed in the world to certain the Sami have had a common flag pre-Christian religion contains many environmental contaminants. Per- and a national song. They also pos- gods who steer the powers of sistent contaminants accumulate in sess their own information channels nature.' Thus, people live close to animals that are used as traditional - newspaper, radio and television. ' and in respect of the environment. foods. The Sami and Nenets peoples Their life is intimately linked to local are mainly exposed to radioactivity Man and nature's symbiosis resources that provide a substantial due to reindeer consumption, Initially the Sami were a hunting peo- proportion of energy and protein whereas the Inuits of Greenland, ple - living by fishing, hunting and requirements, as well as most Canada and Alaska, living off the sea, trapping, and breeding reindeer as a vitamins, essential elements, miner- are exposed to persistent organic pol- supplementary means of support. als, as well as spiritual connections to lutants (POPs) and mercury. The local society - sii'da - was com- the environment. Thus, traditional posed of families that lived together food is still given greater place. Main threats for part of the year and divided into Although whales, seals and seabirds The most serious environmental smaller groups to move between sea- are an important source of local threat to animals high in the Euro- food, fish has pean Arctic food-chains - polar bears ARCTIC OCEAN always been and glaucous gulls - is commonly the most im- considered to be POPs, such as DDT, GREENLAND Longyearbyen* Reykjavik ',• portant dietary SEA Franz Joseph Land PCBs, chlordane, etc. They are spe- mainstay. cially insidious for people and wildlife Reindeer car- as they break down very slowly. This cass are used persistence in the environment allows si *m- to prepare BARENTS them to accumulate in animals, and SEA various dishes to pass through the food chain. J TromsB including rein- Faeroe Islands Vadi««®vard0 nor' V deer broth Inafi s Pechenga The Arctic is also exposed to acidifi- Murmansk íolguyev i. V and boiled cation and radioactivity. Oxides of MURMANSK bone mar- • Rovaniemi Kola sulphur are the major acidifying com- NORWAY peninsula SWEDEN row. The fro- j&y J pounds in the Arctic that cause the zen mixture of Woj ' death of trees and erosion. They are • Arkhangelsk creamy milk FINLAND } ^ Ovina ARKANGELSK formed when fossils fuels burn and Helsinki and cloudber- THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION when sulphide ores are smelted. Most 1000km ries makes a sulphur in Arctic air comes from type of vita- The Arctic climate is extremely harsh and is characterised by great industrial areas further south. Eura- min C enriched variations in light and temperature, short summers, abundant snow sia and eastern North America are ice-cream.,v and ice in winter as well as vast areas of permafrost the major global sources. Contami- red masterpiece

nants that cause acidification are also involved in the phenomenon of Arc- tic haze, which obscures visibility when the sun finally returns to the Arctic after the long polar winter. Radioactivity is accompanied by the emission of ionizing radiation, which can damage living cells. Even if human exposure to radionuclides has declined since the cessation of above- ground nuclear weapons testing, Arc- tic peoples are exposed to higher lev- els of radionuclides than people in the temperate zone. Other sources come from by routine releases from European nuclear fuel reprocessing plants, the Chernobyl accident, and local contamination from dumping of nuclear waste, storage of radioac- tive waste, and spent nuclear fuel. Furthermore, Arctic people are also Illustration by Margarethe Wiig taken from the first school book to be published in the Lapp language in 1951 exposed to important natural and anthropogenic sources of heavy met- safety are in force at both national fit of today's and future generations. als, such as mercury, cadmium and and international levels in the Euro- The Arctic area offers opportunities lead; and oil pollution connected with pean Arctic, as the region is "still seen for research, which can lead to new the level of oil and gas prospecting as 'the last frontier' where it is not knowledge and add to our under- and extraction activity. Finally, cli- always necessary or possible to 'go by standing of the world around us. It is mate change, ozone depletion and the book' with respect to environ- of inestimable value as part of the ultraviolet radiation increase the mental safety"10'. Based on the cur- world's common humankind heritage. amount of ultraviolet radiation reach- rent threats, future development By protecting it, we protect ourselves. ing the earth's surface. Reflective trends and long-term goals suppose snow cover can make the effects the urgent development of legisla- Marie-Françoise Glatz Anne Menthon especially pronounced in the Arctic. tion including inspection as well as Centre Naturopa integration of environmental con- Council of Europe Effects on health cerns into economic and industrial E-mail: [email protected] The growing brain is particularly sen- activities in concrete terms. Invest- sitive to contaminants and the influ- ments should be realised to ensure for This article has been written follow- ence on foetal development is of spe- instance safe storage of radioactive ing the Seminar "Environmental cial health concern. Methyl mercury waste and operation of nuclear facil- problems in the Arctic" organised on and several POPs cross the placen- ities. Efforts should continue to inter- 30-31 August 1999 in Tromso (Nor- tal barrier and in some groups of peo- nationally restrict the production and way), on the occasion of a meeting of to ple PCB and mercury levels in moth- use of environmentally hazardous the Committee on the Environment, substances to reduce long-range a. ers' blood approach and exceed those Regional Planning and Local Author- v thought to cause developmental transportation of pollution to the Arc- ities of the Council of Europe's Par- t> •u effects in children. For a number of tic. Other goals must focus on sus- liamentary Assembly. U) tainable management of European POPs, health concerns also include 8 child development, reproductive Arctic marine living resources and Our thanks to Lars-Otto Reiersen. Exec- S ecosystems, and on the protection impacts and effects on the immune utive Secretary of the AMAP and to Einar "B system. The future of Arctic people of European Arctic wilderness areas Niemi, Professor at Tromso University U depends on preventing the degrada- and important habitats. for their valuable collaboration, as well to tion of the Arctic environment. as to the Norwegian authorities. S An inestimable asset S Challenges to be fated The significance of the Arctic goes ( I ) Niemi. E.. Indigenous peoples of the North. Semi- 13 nar on "Environmental problems in the Arctic", e The presence of contaminants in well beyond the region as such. In Tromso. 1999; site web: www.sametinget.se to umbilical cord blood, in human milk, 1996, the Lapponian Area (Sweden) (2) For the beginning of this part, data have been was registered as a mixed natural/ extracted from: Sami-Ethnographic Exhibition. in food, air, and water presents a Troms0 Museum to 17 01 political, social and public health chal- cultural World Heritage property . (3) Northern-Norway: A Way of Life. Tromsa Uni- lenge. For certain geographic areas, Europeans should recognise the versity. Tromso Museum. 1997 current dietary exposure to POPs, to unique values of the European Arctic (4) Data extracted from: Arctic Pollution Issues: A í State of the Arctic Environment Report. AMAP. t» environment - one of the world's methyl mercury and to cadmium are 1997 «t) high enough to indicate a need for largest ecosystems and areas of quasi- (5) Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme. public health measures. untouched wilderness - and its bio- It was established in 1991 under the Arctic Envi- ronmental Protection Strategy (AEPS). « diversity which need to be protected (6) The State of the European Arctic Environment. EEA •i*/. Old practices are still in used and and sustainably managed, and should Environmental Monograph No.3. 1996 s 'tai (7} Site web: http://www.unesco.org/whc/sites/ very few regulations ensuring par- see it as their common responsibility <3 774.htm; http://www.wcmc.org.uk/protected_ ticular concern for environmental to protect these values for the bene- areas/data/wh/lappon.htm 2 f V_

INFO COUNCIL 0

COUNCIL OF EUROPE Europe, a common heritage

At the Second Summit of Heads of State Owing to their close contact with the pub- The Award is intended for specific practical and Government in October 1997, the Coun- lic, local and regional authorities and initiatives (either completed or nearing com- cil of Europe decided to organise a public NGOs (non-governmental organisations) pletion) in the field of landscape quality, awareness Campaign on the cultural and are very often responsible for protecting, conducted in one of the following three cat- natural heritage of Europe. managing and developing landscapes in egories: Europe. It is therefore very important to • awareness, education and participation; This Campaign, entitled "Europe, a com- acknowledge their role and their efforts • scientific and technical activities; mon heritage", was officially launched in to improve people's living environment • protection, management and develop- September 1999 in Bucharest and Sibiu, in terms of the landscape. ment. Romania, and will continue for a whole year.

The objectives of the Campaign are to: • raise public awareness of the conserva- tion, management and development of the cultural and natural heritage; • highlight the human dimension and social cohesion function of the cultural and natu- ral heritage; • promote a common sense of belonging by emphasising the European way of life; • stress the importance of awareness of a shared cultural and natural heritage for the construction of a vast area of demo- cratic security in Europe.

The spirit of this Campaign is to promote an extensive definition of the heritage. It cov- ers both the natural and the cultural her- itage: the architectural environment, objets d'art, natural resources, sites (natural, his- The landscape is one of the fundamental elements of the cultural and natural heritage toric, archaeological, etc), landscapes and the non-material heritage. Accordingly, at the suggestion of its Con- The deadline for entries that have gress of Local and Regional Authorities of received national awards is 31 May 2000. The Centre Naturopa is contributing to this Europe, the Council of Europe has pro- An international panel of landscape Campaign by taking charge of the following posed launching the Council of Europe experts will meet in June 2000. The projects linked to the natural heritage. Landscape Award. The Award goes to Awards have a symbolic value and will be local and regional authorities and NGOs presented at the close of the Campaign Council of Europe that have implemented specific practical in autumn 2000. initiatives in the area of landscape qual- Landscape Award ity- Pan-European Network The landscape, which is a crucial element of Natural Heritage in people's living All the local and regional authorities and environments and NGOs of Council of Europe member Interpretation Centres contributes to local States are invited to enter the running "Nature museums" and other broadly asso- and regional cultu- for this Award. Initially, the national ciated structures (eg natural history and zoo- res, is a basic com- authorities will select the best initiatives logical museums, botanical gardens, open- ponent of the Euro- from one NGO and one local or regional air museums, information centres in pro- pean natural and authority, granting them the National tected areas or natural sites, etc) are valuable cultural heritage. The Landscape Award. In the second phase, tools for the preservation of the European theme of landscape the national authorities will transmit the natural heritage because they fulfil impor- has therefore been winning initiatives to the Council of tant functions relating to management and identified as a major Europe Secretariat with a view to the protection, research, education and public focus of the Cam- granting of the Council of Europe Land- awareness-raising. Unfortunately, not all paign. scape Award. such bodies have experts in all three of these EUROPE INFO

fields, and in fact many of them lack ests and opinions of experts belonging to the tourist and travel her- resources and expertise. network during the formulation of policies itage (grand hotels, har- relating to their particular fields. bours and railway sta- Interpretation of the natural heritage is a tions, boats and ships, form of communication aimed at promot- This network will be installed in several seaside and spa facili- ing understanding of the functioning and stages: ties), regional and appreciation of the value of the components national nature parks, of our natural environment. It is a specialised • initially, an evaluation should be conduc- and all other forms of and skilled activity, because in order to com- ted of the current situation in the various European heritage: municate effectively with people during their European countries in order to draw up an sports, industry, cin- leisure time interpreters must be knowl- inventory of existing facilities: the main ema, music, science, Information panels edgeable in the environmental sciences and "nature museums", regional, national and etc. on disturbing ibex able to promote conservation values imag- international programmes, networks of inatively, with tools borrowed from formal experts in communication and environ- Entries must be 13 x 18 cm unmounted education, entertainment, public relations, mental education, etc. and unframed colour prints. A maximum of marketing and the media. • subsequently, wide-ranging consultation three photographs per person may be sub- will be conducted with the inventoried mitted. The main criteria for selection are: The objectives of the network are: institutions, networks and initiatives in order to agree on the aims, partners, • relevancy to the theme; • promoting biodiversity conservation; resources and the implementation pro- • photographic research based on the • supporting the conservation, research and gramme of the network; theme; awareness-raising work of the institutions • lastly, the operational phase will be laun- • photographic criteria: composition, diffi- in the network; ched. culty in taking the shot, artistic merit, tech- • promoting education and communication nical quality, etc; as tools for conservation policies for the An international conference will be organ- • originality of the photograph. ßO European natural heritage; ised on the occasion of the launch of the • making the utmost use of the potential of network's operational phase in autumn There is no entry fee, but photographs will these privileged reception sites to heigh- 2000. not be returned. The deadline for entries ten public awareness of the interest of (date as postmark) is 31 May 2000. their natural heritage and the need to pro- European Photography tect it; An international panel made up of profes- • lastly, creating a veritable platform for Competition sional photographers and heritage special- communication among all members. This competition is open to all professional ists will meet in June 2000. The prizes are: or amateur photographers. The theme cho- CL. This platform should ensure contact between sen for the competition is the Campaign 1 st Prize: FRF 15 000 (2 286 Euros) O professionals working in different structures theme, "Europe, a common heritage". 2nd Prize: FRF 10 000 (1 524 Euros) but with common aims, develop a system 3rd Prize: FRF 5 000 (762 Euros) en of continuing training for persons respon- The photographs may, therefore, reflect any 4th to 13th Prize: FRF 1 000 (152 Euros) sible for programmes in these centres and of the myriad aspects of the Campaign, such 14th to 50th Prize: 10 photographic films. the exchange of material and experience, as the built heritage, rural, agricultural, coastal promote the setting up of regional or inter- or mountain landscapes, university, Prize-winners must grant reproduction rights national initiatives, in particular on east- monastery or castle gardens, botanical or to the Council of Europe and the Campaign west co-operation, and present the inter- zoological museum collections, caves, the national organising committees free of charge for use in any publication concern- ing the Campaign. The Council of Europe guarantees that the photographer's name will be clearly mentioned on all printed material.

For any additional information on these projects, please contact: Council of Europe Centre Naturopa F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex Tel: 33 (0)3 88 41 31 97/91 Fax: 33 (0)3 88 41 27 15 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.nature.coe.int http://culture.coe.fr/patrimonium Exhibition by the Centre Naturopa National Agencies of th

Albania Croatia Greece Lithuania Environmental Protection and Dr Ante KUTLE Mr Donald MATTHEWS Dr Kestutis BALEVICIUS Preservation Committee State Directorate for the Hellenic Society for Nature Ministry of Environmental Ministry of Health and Protection of Nature and Protection Protection Environmental Protection Environment 24 Nikis Street luozapaviciaus 9 Rruga "Bajram Curri" Ulica grada Vukovara 78 GR-105 57 ATHENS LT-2600 VILNIUS HR-10000 ZAGREB AL-TIRANA Fax 30-1 32 25 285 Fax 370-2 72 28 08 Fax 355-42 652 29 Fax 385-1 537 203 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Luxembourg Hungary M. lean-Paul FELTGEN Andorra Cyprus Mr Antonis L. ANTONIOU Mrs Louise LAKOS Ministère de l'Environnement Mme Natalia ROVIRA Environmental Service Department of European 18 Montée de la Pétrusse Ministeri de Medi Ambient Integration and International Ministry of Agriculture, Natural L-2918 LUXEMBOURG EDF del Covern Relations Resources and Environment Fax 352-40 04 10 c/Prat de la Creu 62-64 CY-1411 NICOSIA Ministry for Environment and E-mail: jean- AND-ANDORRA LA VELLA Fax 357-2 77 4945 Regional Policy paul. feltgen@mev. etat, lu Fax 376-86 98 33 PO Box 351 E-mail: mediambient@andorra. ad Czech Republic H-1394 BUDAPEST Malta Dr Bohumil KUCERA Fax 36-1 201 28 46 Mr lohn GRECH Austria Agency for Nature and E-mail: Mr Michael KHÜN Landscape Conservation Environment Protection Verbindungsstelle der 4-6 Kalisnickâ alojzia. [email protected]. itb. hu Department Bundesländer beim CZ-130 23 PRAGUE 3 M-FLORIANA Amt der Niederösterreichischen Fax 420-2 27 24 60 Iceland Fax 356-24 13 78 Landesregierung E-mail: [email protected] MrSigurdurÂ. THRÂINSSON E-mail: Schenkenstrasse 4 Ministry for the Environment [email protected] Denmark A-1014 WIEN Vonarstraeti 4 Ms Lotte BARFOD Fax 43-1 535 60 79 ISL-150 REYKJAVIK Moldova E-mail: National Forest and Nature Mr Alecu RENITSA Agency Fax 354-562 42 80 vstw-oe-laender@tbxa. telecom.at Ecological Movement of Moldova Ministry of the Environment sigurdur.E-mail: [email protected]. is Republican Periodical Publication Belgium Haraldsgade 53 Ireland "Nature" Flemish Region: DK-2100 COPENHAGEN 0 Ms Anne GRADY 13 S. Lazo Str. De Heer Koen DE SMET Fax 45-39 27 98 99 Education and Marketing Officer 2004 CHISINAU AMINAL-Afd. Natuur Estonia Düchas The Heritage Service Fax 373-2 23 71 57 Graaf de Serraris Cebouw Mr Kalju KUKK Department of Arts, Heritage, Emile Jacqmainlaan 156 - Bus 8 E-mail: [email protected] Ministry of the Environment Gaeltacht and the Islands B-1000 BRÜSSEL 24 Toompuiestee 51 St Stephen's Green Netherlands Fax 32-2 553 76 85 EE-0100 TALLINN IRL-DUBLIN 2 Drs Peter W. BOS Fax 372-62 62 801 Fax 353-1 66 16 764 Walloon Region: Ministry of Agriculture, Nature E-mail: [email protected] M. lacques STEIN Finland Conservation and Fisheries Division for International Nature Ministère de la Région Wallonne Ms Eeva ISOTALO Italy DORNE - Direction de la Nature Ministry of the Environment Management Affairs Dr.ssa Elena MAMMONE Avenue Prince de Liège 15 P O Box 399 PO Box 20401 Chef de Cabinet B-5100 ÏAMBES (Namur) FIN-00121 HELSINKI NL-2500 EK's GRAVENHAGE Ministère de la Politique agricole Fax 32-81 33 58 22 Fax 358-9 1991 9453 Fax 31-70 378 6146 E-mail: j.stein@mrw. Wallonie, be E-mail: [email protected] 18 via XX Settembre E-mail: [email protected] 1-00187 ROME Brussels Region: France Fax 39-06 48 84 394 Norway Mme NAULAERS Mme Sylvie PAU Ms Sylvi OFSTAD SAMSTAG Direction de la Nature Latvia Institut bruxellois pour la gestion Ministry of Environment et des Paysages Mr Uldis CEKULIS de l'environnement Myntgaten 2 Ministère de l'Aménagement du Vides Filmu Studija (Wildlife and G ulledelle 100 PO Box 8013 DEP territoire et de l'Environnement Environmental Film Productions) B-1200 BRUXELLES N-0030 OSLO 20 avenue de Ségur Pils iela 17 Fax: 32-2 775 7611 F-75302 PARIS 07 SP Fax 47-22 24 95 60 LV-1050 RIGA Fax 33-1 42 19 19 92 E-mail: sylvi.ofstad@md. dep.no Fax: 371-750 3589 Bulgaria E-mail: E-mail: [email protected] Mrs Elizaveta MATVEEVA [email protected] Poland Ministry of Environment and Mr Marcin HERBST Water Liechtenstein Germany National Foundation for NNPS Mrs Helga INDEN-HEINRICH Mrs Regula IMHOF Environmental Protection 67 W. Gladstone Street Deutscher Naturschutzring eV Liechtensteinische Gesellschaft für BG-1000 SOFIA Am Michaelshof 8-10 Umweltschutz ul Krzywickiego 9 Fax 359-2 52 16 134 D-53177 BONN Im Bretscha 22 PL-02 078 WARSAW E-mail: Fax 49-228 35 90 96 FL-9494 SCHAAN Fax 48-22 656 6542 [email protected]. bg E-mail: [email protected] Fax 41-75 237 4 0 31 E-mail: [email protected] Centre Naturopa

Portugal Sweden Turkey Prof. Helena FREITAS Mr Ingvar BINGMAN Dr Osman TA$KIN Liga para a Protecgäo da Head of Information Department Turkish Association for the INFOS Natureza Swedish Environmental Conservation of Nature Estrada do Calhariz de Benfica 187 Protection Agency and Natural Resources P-1500 LISBOA Blekholmsterassen 36 Menekse sokak 29/4 The National Agency in Belgium Fax 3S1-1 778 3208 S-106 48 STOCKHOLM TR-06440 KIZILAY-ANKARA Fax 46-8 698 14 85 Fax 90-312 417 95 52 As one or the Council of Europe's Romania E-mail: E-mail: founder members, Belgium has [email protected] had a National Agency since the Mrs Adriana BAZ ttkd. der@superonline. com Directorate for Biological Diversity Centre Naturopa's inception. Switzerland However, its structure and Conservation and Management Mme Marie GARNIER Ukraine organisation have been adapted of Protected Areas Pro Natura Dr Tetiana HARDASHUK to reflect the country's Ministry of Waters, Forestry and Wartenbergstrasse 22 Green Ukraine institutional reforms. Until the Environmental Protection CH-4052 BALE National Ecological Centre early 1990s, when many powers Bd Libertatii 12, SectorS Fax 41-61 317 91 66 P 0 Box 89/7, were transferred to the regions RO-70542 BUCURESTI E-mail: [email protected] 39 Predsiavynska St and communities (Flemish region Fax 40-1 41 00 282 252150 KYIV "The Former Yugoslav Fax 38-044 269 9925 and community, Brussels region. Republic of United Kingdom Walloon region, Walloon-Brussels Russian Federation community, German-speaking Macedonia" Mr lohn LINCOLN Dr Nina DOBRYNINA community), the National Agency Mr Aleksandar NASTOV English Nature International Co-operation was managed nationally, and Office of the National Agency Northminster House Department there are certainly those who "Naturopa" GB-PETERBOROUGH PE1 1UA State Committee of will recall successive officials like Ministry of Environment Fax 44-1733 455 103 Environmental Protection Marc Segers and Jean Renault. Dresdenska Street 52 E-mail: john.lincoln@english- B. Grusinskaya str. 4/6 MK-91 000 SKOPIE nature.org.uk 123812 MOSCOW Fax: 389-91 366 931 Today, the three regions distribute Fax 7-09S 2S4 82 83 E-mail: [email protected] documents published by the Centre Naturopa to their target San Marino readership. However, they do not Mr Paolo RONDELLI confine themselves to this. Ministry of Environment The National Agency has Cond rada Omerelli 43 participated directly in certain RSM-47890 SAN MARINO issues of the publication Naturopa San Marino as special adviser or the author Fax: 378-549 88 526S of articles. It has also suggested authors for forthcoming issues Slovakia or for the Questions and Answers series of brochures. It has I Ms Zuzana ¡URICKOVA o disseminated and publicised the Department of Nature and CORRESPONDENTS existing brochures: Biodiversity, •M Landscape Protection Agriculture and Biodiversity, •U Ministry of the Environment Belarus USA Tourism and Environment, etc. B Mr Vladimir F. LOGINOV US Fish and Wildlife Service Nám. Ĺ. Štúra 1 It has contributed to colloquies Ž Institute for Nature Resources Department of the Interior SK-812 3S BRATISLAVA coinciding with the annual Exploitation and Ecology WASHINGTON DC 20240 to Fax 421-7 5956 20 31 meeting of National Agencies. Staroborysovkyi trakt 10 E-mail: jurickova.zuzana@flora. Fax 1-703 358 2849 220023 MINSK Finally, the address list for lifeenv.gov.sk Fax 375-172 64 24 13 recipients of Centre Naturopa publications has been revised Slovenia Israel to ensure that strategies developed by the Council 4) Mr lanko ŽER/AV International Affairs « of Europe are brought Ministry of Environment and Ministry of the Environment -u Physical Planning P O Box 34033 to the attention of Belgian Duna ¡ska cesta 48 95464 IERUSALEM decision-makers.

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f Council of Europe * Centre Naturopa F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex Fax: 33-(0) 3 88 41 27 15 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.nature.coe.int $ The Council of Europe celebrates its 50th anniversary! § Created in 1949, just after the war, this intergovernmental organisation works towards a united Europe, based on liberty, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

With its 41 member States, the Council of Europe is a privileged platform for international co-operation in many fields - education, culture, sport, youth, social and economic affairs, health - including environment and regional planning.

The aim of the Centre Naturopa. information and documentation * centre on nature conservation in Europe, is to raise awareness among Europeans. At the origin of important information campaigns, it also produces several publications, including the magazine Naturopa.

Naturopa is published three times a year in five languages: English. French. German, Italian and Russian.

In order to receive Naturopa regularly, please contact the * National Agency in your country (see addresses on pages 30-31). Next issue's theme Employment and environment

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