Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Tasmanian Wilderness
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List

Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake, Central Highlands
Type Mixed
Criteria iii, iv, vi, vii, viii, ix, x
Reference 181
UNESCO region Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription 1982 (6th Session)
Extensions 1989, 2013

The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area is a World Heritage Site in Tasmania, Australia.[1][2]

The area is one of the largest conservation areas in Australia, covering 15,800 km², or almost 20% of Tasmania after extensions in 1989 and 2013.[3][4] It constitutes one of the last expanses of temperate wilderness in the world, and includes the South West Wilderness.[5][6]

The Tasmanian Wilderness, a network of parks and reserves with steep gorges, underwent severe glaciation. Human remains dating back more than 20,000 years have been found in limestone caves in the area.[7]

In 2014, the Abbott Government proposed de-listing the Tasmanian Wilderness as a World Heritage Site so as to allow the logging of trees within the protected area.[8] If successful, the proposal would have marked the first time a developed nation had de-listed a site for economic purposes. The proposal was rejected by the 38th Session of the World Heritage Committee in June 2014, which met in Doha, Qatar. The Abbott Government has since stated it intends to respect the decision of the committee.[9] Other controversial environment related projects spearheaded by the Abbott Government include the Great Barrier Reef dredging project.[10] In 2016, the Tasmanian government withdrew the bid to allow logging in the Tasmanian Wilderness after a UNESCO report opposed the idea.[11]

National parks

The following national parks and reserves make up the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area:

Part of Bathurst Harbour, South West Tasmania
Lake Pedder from Mount Eliza, Southwest National Park

See also

References

  1. ↑ World Heritage Centre. "World Heritage List". UNESCO. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  2. ↑ Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania. "Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area". Tasmania Online. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  3. ↑ Australia. Dept of the Environment and Heritage (2004), Tasmanian wilderness : inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1982, extended in 1989, Dept of the Environment and Heritage, retrieved 1 April 2012
  4. ↑ Bridie Jabour: "Tasmania's old growth forests win protection after three-decade battle. World Heritage Centre has extended heritage listed boundary by more than 170,000 hectares" in The Guardian, 24 June 2013
  5. ↑ Russell, J. A. (James Alexander); Matthews, J. H; Jones, Richard, 1936-1986; University of Tasmania. Board of Environmental Studies (1979), Wilderness in Tasmania, Board of Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania, ISBN 978-0-85901-120-4
  6. ↑ Tasmania. Parks and Wildlife Service; Tasmania. Dept. of Tourism, Parks, Heritage and the Arts; Australia. Dept. of the Environment and Heritage (2005), Strategic partnerships project developing and improving partnerships to implement priority projects and research for the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, Parks and Wildlife Service, retrieved 1 April 2012
  7. ↑ United Nations Education; Scientific and Culture Organization. "Tasmanian Wilderness". UNESCO. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Unesco to rule on Tasmania forest and Great Barrier Reef". BBC. 15 June 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  9. ↑ Glenday, James (24 June 2014). "Federal Government will respect UN committee's Tasmanian forest ruling". ABC. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  10. ↑ http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-government-to-cut-74000-ha-of-forest-from-world-heritage-zone-20140131-31qy6.html
  11. ↑ "Australia drops Tasmanian Wilderness logging campaign". BBC. 20 March 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
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Coordinates: 41°34′59″S 145°25′01″E / 41.583°S 145.417°E / -41.583; 145.417

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