Mount Huangshan
Factors affecting the property in 1998*
- Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
- Other Threats:
Pine-wilt disease infesting the legendary Huangshan pines
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Large amount of waste generated by tourists (issue resolved)
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1998
Total amount approved : 50,000 USD
| 1998 | Mt. Huangshan - World Heritage mixed site (Approved) | 5,000 USD |
| 1993 | Organizing a training workshop at Mt Huangshan and ... (Approved) | 20,000 USD |
| 1991 | Urgent works for the safeguarding of Mount Huangshan, ... (Approved) | 20,000 USD |
| 1991 | Contribution to cover the participation costs of 2 ... (Approved) | 5,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 1998**
September 1998: joint World Heritage Centre / IUCN mission
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1998
The IUCN-Centre site mission in September 1998 found Mt. Huangshan’s management of visitors and tourism development to be exemplary. However, the mission team urged the management to consider implementing a “one-way” walking route for visitors moving across and around peaks in order to further minimize congestion. Even if site management proceeds with its plan to develop a long distance path to the Nine Dragon Peaks to alleviate pressure on the more popular scenic spots, it should not permit the development of any new hotels in the vicinity of those Peaks. The natural heritage values of this site are receiving increasing attention and the team welcomed the management’s interest to promote research on biodiversity of the area and to communicate the findings to visitors. The State Party needs to be encouraged to support the management’s concern to combat the pine-wilt disease that appears to be infesting the legendary Huangshan pines.
The Bureau commended the State Party for its effective management of visitor and tourism development in the site and invites all concerned authorities of the State Party to:
(a) establish a “one-way” walking route for visitors moving across and around peaks;
(b) not permit the development of new hotels in the vicinity of popular scenic spots, including the Nine Dragon Peaks;
(c) promote research on biodiversity of the site and communicate the findings to the visitors and
(d) take all necessary measures to combat the pine-wilt disease infesting the legendary Huangshan pines.
The Bureau recommended that the report of the mission to China be transmitted to the relevant Chinese authorities, and for review by ICOMOS.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1998
22 COM VII.30
Reports on the State of Conservation of Mixed Properties Noted by the Committee
VII.30 The Committee noted the decisions of the twenty-second extraordinary session of the Bureau as reflected in the Report of the Bureau session (Working Document WHC-98/CONF.203/5) and included in Annex IV on the following properties:
Tasmanian Wilderness (Australia)
Mount Taishan (China, Peoples Republic of)
Mount Huangshan (China, People's Republic of)
Ohrid Region with its Cultural and Historical Aspect and its Natural Environment (Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of)
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (Mali)
Tongariro National Park (New Zealand).
No draft Decision
China
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
