What said UNESCO about the value of the HK marine environment

Too often we must hear that "High Coast has it's status of World Heritage thanks to its geological uplift" - giving you to believe that, until you don't move a rock or level a hill... everything is allowed.
So, let's go back to the bases and read the evaluation of the UNESCO Commission (THE HIGH COAST - SWEDEN - ADDENDUM TO 1999 IUCN TECHNICAL EVALUATION) to see that things are much more complex.
About the marine environment of the High Coast, the Commission claims that:
ii) The Marine Realm:
(...) The special feature of the marine realm, imparting the greatest scientific significance, is that it represents the submarine extension of the topographical continuum of landscapes undergoing isostatic uplift. Continual elevation of the land results in inlets becoming progressively cut off from the sea, transforming them into estuaries and ultimately lakes (some of which retain their name as bays). Meanwhile, shorelines are constantly reshaped, new islands are born offshore, and others become peninsulas as they unite with the mainland. The terrestrial influence progressively extends seawards into the Bothnian Sea. This process
has major effects for the associated plants and animals that must constantly adapt to the changing environments. Thus, the nearshore marine area constitutes an integral part of the ongoing geological evolution of the HC and, as such, it is an important natural component of the entire property. (...)
d) Integrity
Boundaries
The boundaries of the nominated property are located to encompass the principal area of national conservation interest, extending inland to include the full zonation of uplifted land and some of the highest shoreline, while excluding areas under large-scale forestry management by forestry companies. Seaward, the boundary incorporates key offshore islands and marine areas that are a logical extension of the topographic continuum of uplifted land surface, thus taking account of ongoing geological processes. (...)
So: are we still allowed to think that - polluting and damaging the sea - we're not threatening the World Heritage? Common sense should have already said "no". But here you have an absolutely authoritative font who already claimed it...
Here is the link to download the whole .pdf file (in English and French).





















Thu, February 1, 2007