Joggins Fossil Cliffs a Potential UNESCO World Heritage Site

October 22, 2007

Joggins, NS - Experts from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) have begun a six day field mission to evaluate the Joggins Fossil Cliffs as a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Nomination Dossier for the inscription of Joggins on the list of World Natural Heritage Sites was formally submitted to the World Heritage Centre in Paris in January. The field mission is the important next step in the evaluation process that has, to date, involved extensive data assembly and an external review of the Joggins nomination by independent experts.

IUCN experts Tim Badman and Ms. Wesley Hill arrived on Friday, October 19th and will be in the area until Thursday, October 25th to evaluate the nominated property on the ground and discuss the nomination with the relevant national and local authorities, local communities, NGOs and other stakeholders.

The specific goals of the field mission are to become familiar with all aspects of the nominated property and double check that the nomination dossier is complete; to review the property boundaries and buffer zone boundaries; to evaluate the management system and management effectiveness; to review actual and potential threats to the property; and to review the nomination with all key stakeholders.

Wesley Hill is a Program Officer with the Geological Society of America (GSA) headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. Ms. Hill manages the GeoCorps America and Geo Ventures programs for GSA and serves on the UNESCO Geoparks Advisory Group.

Tim Badman joined IUCN as Special Advisor, World Heritage in August 2007. He was previously based in Dorset County Council (UK) as Environment Policy Manager and was the team leader of the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2001. Badman has been a member of the World Commission for Protected Areas since 2002 and has served on IUCN’s World Heritage Panel since 2003, carrying out a range of World Heritage evaluation missions.

The report from the field mission will be examined by the IUCN World Heritage Panel, which is expected to meet in December in Switzerland to evaluate nominations from around the world. Following an intensive review the IUCN will present the results and recommendations of its evaluation process to the World Heritage Committee at its annual meeting in June or July 2008. The World Heritage Committee makes the final decision on whether or not to inscribe the nominated property on the World Heritage List.

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Event - Media Briefing
When - Monday, October 22 - 9:40 a.m.
Where - Cumberland Economic Resource Centre, 35 Church Street, Amherst

Media will have an opportunity to question dignitaries representing all three levels of government and the IUCN Evaluation team with regards to the nomination of the Joggins Fossil Cliffs as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the development of the Fossil Cliffs into a world-class tourism destination.

For more information contact:
Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association
667-3638