General Coordinators and Editors of the Petra IMP Ms. Giorgia Cesaro, UNESCO Amman Office Ms. Aylin Orbasli, UNESCO Consultant Technical Team Eng. Tahani Al Salhi, Petra Archaeological Park Mr. Ibrahim Farajat, Petra Archaeological Park Mrs. Hanadi Al Taher, Department of Antiquities Mr. Hussam Hijazeen, Department of Antiquities Secretariat Ms. Areej Farajat, Petra Archaeological Park Eng. Shatha Mubaideen, Department of Antiquities Ms. Zaha Akroush, UNESCO Amman Office Petra World Heritage Site INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN 2019 6 PETRA WORLD HERITAGE SITE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN 7 Foreword by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is endowed with an exceptional variety of archaeological sites, spanning the entire history of human presence in the region. Many of these sites have an Outstanding Universal Value, as recognized by the inscription of five of them in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Petra was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985, in light of its extraordinary rock- cut architecture and advanced water distribution and storage systems which are a testimony to the Nabataean civilization that populated the site during Hellenistic times. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Department of Antiquities (DoA), as signatories of the World Heritage Convention, ensure the protection and adequate management of Jordan’s World Heritage sites. In the case of a complex site like Petra, an integrated approach to heritage management and planning is required. The Integrated Management Plan perfectly addresses this need by proposing a sustainable and participatory approach to heritage preservation, while ensuring successful tourism and local community engagement. It is a great pleasure to present the finalized Integrated Management Plan for the World Heritage Site of Petra, which is the result of a thoroughly participatory process that engaged a diverse number of stakeholders over a total duration of four years. It echoes the commitment of the Government of Jordan to protect such precious heritage sites, preserving them for future generations. I am grateful to Department of Antiquities team and the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority that have been a key part of the core project team. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the many stakeholders, local community groups and academics that have participated in this process. This Integrated Management Plan is now an operational tool in the hands of the Ministry, the Department of Antiquities and the PDTRA. Its implementation and follow-up will ensure the ongoing preservation of this unique site. H.E. Majd Mohammed Shweikeh Minister of Tourism and Antiquities 8 PETRA WORLD HERITAGE SITE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN 9 Foreword by Chief Commissioner of Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority The Petra Integrated Management Plan represents the culmination of a long-term partnership between the UNESCO Amman office, the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) and the Department of Antiquities of Jordan (DoA) for the preservation of the World Heritage Site of Petra. Since 2015, the PDTRA has partnered with UNESCO and the DoA working towards the development of an Integrated Management Plan for the property. This participatory and consultative process initially began with the elaboration of a road map for the identification of possible shortfalls in previous planning initiatives and progressed to encompass the development of the plan. For the first time in the history of the World Heritage Site of Petra, the development of a management plan saw the participation of several stakeholders, ranging from the local community to academia and the Government, using an inclusive consultative process. The choice of an integrated, sustainable and participatory approach to heritage preservation ensured the success of the initiative, as it merged the often differing requirements of tourism at the site, local community engagement and heritage conservation. The PDTRA will now lead the implementation of the Plan over the coming years, in accordance with the action plan designed. Capitalizing on the joint efforts of different parties, PDTRA employees will be able to implement the Plan in accordance with its key policies, building a strong sense of ownership. The PDTRA is committed to protecting the unique World Heritage Site of Petra while ensuring tourists enjoy its marvels and safeguarding the livelihoods of the local community. It is with great pleasure that we present the finalized Integrated Management Plan for the World Heritage Site of Petra. H.E. Dr Suleiman Farajat Chief Commissioner, Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority 10 PETRA WORLD HERITAGE SITE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN 11 Foreword by UNESCO Representative to Jordan A management plan represents a fundamental tool to inform management policies that enhance the protection of World Heritage sites, developed during the process leading to the inscription of a property on the World Heritage List. Petra was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985, in light of its extraordinary rock-cut architecture and advanced water distribution and storage systems; a testimony to the Nabataean civilization that populated the site during Hellenistic times. Over the years, four management initiatives were developed but did not receive Government endorsement. The UNESCO Amman office welcomed the request of the Department of Antiquities (DoA) of Jordan to work on the development of a new management plan for the site following to an urgent World Heritage Committee decision for the preservation of the property. A four-year process was then initiated in the framework of the specialized technical assistance provided by UNESCO to the national authorities for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, ratified by Jordan in 1975. Under the auspices of UNESCO Amman office and in full coordination with the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) and the DoA, the process started in mid-2015 with the preparation of a Road Map document identifying gaps in previous management planning strategies and continued during the period between 2016-2018 with the development of the Integrated Management Plan. Building on previous planning initiatives, most notably the 1994 UNESCO Management Plan, the objective of the Petra Integrated Management Plan (IMP) is the protection of the World Heritage Site and its Outstanding Universal Value in accordance with international good practice and guidance and by continuing to realize the potential of the site to serve tourism, as well as economic and social development of the PDTRA Region and its communities. To serve the complexity of a site as diverse as Petra and ensure the local ownership of the plan, an integrated, sustainable and participatory approach was applied in an effort to engage the participation of several stakeholders, ranging from the local community to academia and the Government, using an inclusive consultative process. The Petra IMP is rooted within the broader context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and specifically integrates concerns for environmental sustainability, resource management, and local economic and social development as part of all 95 policies. It is a great pleasure to present the finalized Integrated Management Plan for the World Heritage Site of Petra and turn it over to the national and local authorities that will guide its implementation over the next five years, in line with the action plan agreed upon that seeks to ensure full national ownership. Ms Costanza Farina Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Jordan 12 PETRA WORLD HERITAGE SITE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN 13 Contents List of maps 12 List of figures 13 List of abbreviations 15 SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction 19 1.2 Authorship 19 1.3 Aims of the Integrated Management Plan 21 1.4 Remit of the Integrated Management Plan 21 1.5 Background 21 1.5.1 The 1968 US National Parks Service Masterplan 22 1.5.2 The 1994 UNESCO Management Plan 22 1.5.3 The 1996 US/ICOMOS Management Analysis and Recommendation 23 1.5.4 The 2000 National Parks Service Operating Plan 23 1.5.5 The PDTRA Strategic Master Plan (2011) 23 1.5.6 The 2012 Conservation Pan and 2014 Conservation Action Plan 23 1.6 Overview of methodology 25 SECTION 2: DESCRIPTION AND DOCUMENTATION 2.1 General description and site boundaries 27 2.1.1 Geographic location 27 2.1.2 Site boundaries 27 2.2 Geology, hydrology and climate 27 2.2.1 Overview 27 2.2.2 Data sources 30 2.3 History 30 2.3.1 Brief summary 30 2.3.2 Data sources 35 2.4 Landscape and natural environment 35 2.4.1 Overview 35 2.4.2 Data sources 37 2.5 Social and economic context 38 2.5.1 Overview 38 2.5.2 Data sources 39 SECTION 3: SIGNIFICANCE AND VALUES 3.1 Statement of Outstanding Universal Value 41 3.1.1 Brief synthesis 41 3.1.2 Criteria for inscription 41 3.2 Values associated with the sites 42 3.2.1 Cultural historical value 42 3.2.2 Artistic/aesthetic value 42 3.2.3 Research value 42 3.2.4 Intangible values 43 3.2.5 Landscape and setting values 43 3.2.6 Natural and biodiversity values 43 14 PETRA WORLD HERITAGE SITE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN 3.2.7 Social and communal values 44 3.2.8 Education value 44 3.2.9 Economic value 44 SECTION 4: MANAGEMENT CONTEXT 4.1 Ownership and management 47 4.1.1 Ownership and responsibility 47 4.1.2 Legal status 47 4.2 Planning, Land-use and infrastructure 49 4.2.1 Overview 49 4.2.2 Data sources 50 4.3 Excavations and Archaeological investigation