UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Forested Protected Areas which may merit
consideration for World Heritage Nomination
This is not an exhaustive list, but an illustration of forest protected areas which may merit consideration for nomination on the World Heritage List.

AREA		COUNTRY		MAIN NATURAL VALUES
*NEARCTIC*
1. South Moresby NP	CANADA		147,000ha temperate rainforest area on the south end of Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia; Despite extensive logging in surrounding areas, S. Moresby was protected in 1988 through efforts of local Haida people and Islands Protection Society. Consists of hemlock, other temperate tree species and endemic flora and fauna (blacktail deer).
2. Volcan Nevado de Colima National Park	MEXICO		22,000ha dry pine forest in west, central Mexico; high biodiversity - Mexico contains 10% of world's terrestrial vertebrates (1352) and plant (25,000) species.
3. Kalimiopsis Wilderness and Siskiyou Region	USA		Over 5 million ha wilderness area known for its extensive biodiversity (3500 flora species) and forest habitat; coniferous and mixed evergreen forests; unique landscape of canyons, perodotite, volcanic debris, ophioliote crust, rock ridges, and three wild and scenic rivers; named after a unique pre-ice age shrub, the Kalimiopsis contains over 100 coniferous and hardwood tree species (madrone, pine ,fir, cedar, spruce and 5 sensitive species) and over 200 herbaceous plants and ferns - many endemic and sensitive; one of largest roadless areas in the U.S.
*PALEARCTIC*
4. Carpathian Forest Reserve and NP	UKRAINE		20,000ha protected forest area in Zakarpatska region; covers only 4% of the country, but contains 33% of the Ukraine's forest resources, over 50% of plant species (2110 total) and highest forest concentration area (53% of region is forest); severe threats have endangered the area, but structural changes are planned to promote the Carpathians as a recreation zone to reduce the industrial impact; recent projects funded by GEF, the MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank for conservation biodiversity.
*AFROTROPICAL*
5. Korup National Park	CAMEROON		126,000ha Biosphere Reserve; contains much of Cameroon's tropical moist and lowland evergreen rainforest with over 3500 flora species; sustainable forestry and community development project.
6. West Gabon Complex	GABON		Expansive tropical lowland & hill rainforest; habitat for baboon, mandrill, colobus monkeys; home to Baka people; numerous flora, fauna and protected areas including Ipassa Makokou (15,000ha Bio Reserve).
7. Montagne D'Ambre Protected Areas	MADAGASCAR		Four protected areas in north Madagascar; tropical dry and moist evergreen forest; one of country's richest areas of biodiversity and ecological diversity; transition zone between dry deciduous and eastern moist forest permits a species rich transition zone with high endemism, karstic pinnacles, caves, etc.; rivers are only year round water source for local people.
*INDOMALAY*
8. Andaman Island Protected Areas	INDIA		Six national parks and 94 wildlife sanctuaries on Andaman and Nicobar islands covering 70,800ha; tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous, beach, bamboo and mangrove forests; high rate of biodiversity of flora species, esp. on Andaman.
9. Western Ghats	INDIA		Over 15 million ha area with eight national parks and 39 wildlife sanctuaries; moist evergreen forest across mountain range; rich in species diversity (84 of India's 112 endemic amphibians); monkeys, squirrels and bats live in tree canopy; deer and elephants browse in lower branches and understorey; clear felling was stopped in mountainous areas by Chipko movement.
10. Gunung Leuser NP	INDONESIA (SUMATRA)		one of largest tropical rain forests protected areas in Indonesia (835,500ha); montane, swamp, subalpine and lowland dipterocarp rain forest; over 2000 flora species; Biosphere Reserve, ecosystem development project and Orang-utan Rehab Centre (orang-utans, gibbons, tigers, monkeys, elephants, leopards, Sumatran rhino); waterfalls, hot springs, volcanic rock.
11. Kutai Game Reserve	INDONESIA (KALIMANTAN)		200,000ha Biosphere reserve is best example of tropical rainforest on Kalimantan one of Southeast Asia's largest lowland montane rainforests; 262 dipterocarps and 83% of Borneo's forest species.
12. Irian Jaya Tropical Forest Protected Areas	IRIAN JAYA		Irian Jaya is one of the largest expanses of pristine tropical rainforest (35 million ha) in Southeast Asia; lower montane forests occur below 3000m and upper montane and subalpine forest above 3400m; swamp, eucalyptus, beach, and mangrove (2nd largest behind Sundarbans) forest; sago palm is staple foodsource; two national parks and seven nature/game reserves.
13. Gunung Mulu NP	MALAYSIA (SARAWAK)		52,900ha protected area with expansive tropical lowland montane rainforest; 2371m Mt. Mulu; limestone massif; high endemism and biodiversity of flora and fauna; inhabited by Penan peoples.
14. Kinabulu NP	MALAYSIA (SABAH)		75,400ha park north Sabah; lowland montane tropical rainforest; high biodiversity with 75 of Borneo's 135 ficus species (13 endemic), and 72 Fagaceae species; 25% of fauna species are endemic, 290 species of butterfly and moth; 4094m Mt. Kinabulu.
15. Taman Negara NP	MALAYSIA (PENISULA)		434,000ha area is one of largest tropical rainforest reserves in Southeast Asia; lowland montane evergreen rainforest, high biodiversity with over 2000 flora species; 2189m Mt. Tahan (highest point on Peninsula); dam project was thwarted in 1970's.
16. Southern Laos Tropical Forest Reserves	LAOS		Most extensive undisturbed tropical evergreen forest region in Laos;, the lowland tropical forest of Belovens Plateau (80,000ha) Xe Piane (15,000ha) and Bung Nong Ngom National Parks have been identified as priority areas for conservation and consist of dense evergreen and semi-evergreen monsoon forests and open deciduous forest in flatter areas; numerous flora and fauna including threatened black gibbon, clouded leopard, tiger, Asian elephant and kouprey; proposed transborder site with Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
17. St. Paul National Park	PHILLIPINES		5,800ha park on north portion of Puerto Princesa Island; montane rainforest; subterranean river; high rate of endemism in plants, fungi, birds and reptiles.
18. Horton Plains and Peak Wilderness	SRI LANKA		Remote plateau is Sri Lanka's largest relatively undisturbed montane forest and habitat for many endemic flora and fauna species; the Peak Wilderness is a unique facet of nature of low dense and slow growing forest trees, a stunted species of clustracene(Keena) with its crown interlocked in a web of leaves; foliage of Horton Plains include species such as Rhododendron and magnolia; underlayer of forest has smaller trees and plants.
*AUSTRALIA/OCEANIAN*
19. Rennell Islands	SOLOMAN ISLANDS		Largest coral atoll in the world (86 x 15km) is mostly covered by dense forest with a 20m tall average canopy with numerous larger remergent trees; numerous endemic flora and fauna species (40% of birds); over 20 orchid species; limestone karsts; andlargest lake in South Pacific (Lake Tungano).
20. Le Popu-Pue NP	WESTERN SAMOA		Extending from central mountains to coast of Opula Island, this park is the best remaining tract of tropical rainforest in Samoa; only 2,857ha in size, but relative to size of island and two other rainforest reserves in W. Samoa (Falealupo and Tafua) comprise 7,000ha.
*NEOTROPICAL*
21. Bolivian Amazon Basin Protected Areas	BOLIVIA		Amazonian basin and lowlands of Bolivia are characterised by extensive areas of lowland moist forest and seasonally inundated savannahs; these open landscapes are traversed by numerous rivers bordered by dense gallery forests; within the savannahs, numerous forest islands dot the horizon providing habitat for the maned wolf, giant anteater, Amazon river dolphin and some of the highest concentration of plant species in the world. Protected areas include the Beni Biosphere Reserve (1.3 million ha), Isoiboro Secure (1.1 million ha) and others.
22. Jau National Park	BRASIL		2.2 million ha park in Northwest Amazonia; extensive lowland moist tropical and dense evergreen forest; complex variety of forest features including vines, palms, diverse forest species, and numerous vegetation types in the understorey; "centres of endemism" and high rate of threatened species.
23. Xingu National Park	BRASIL		2.2 million protected area in Maro Grosso, lower Amazonia (2^nd largest park in Brasil behind Jau); extensive lowland moist tropical forest and river system; complex vegetation and high endemism.
24. Serraniade de Macarena	COLOMBIA		63 0,000ha park in central Colombia; lowland moist, submontane and montane tropical forest; aesthetic beauty in Caño Cristales and stream areas of the buffer zone, vegetation, petroglyphs, Tablazo ridge, Guayabero canyon, and rapids of Angosturas.
25. Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta BR	COLOMBIA		Over 1.5 million ha area in the Cordillera Central, the highest coastal range of mountains in Colombia; rich variety of flora and fauna in the dense rain forest covering the northern slopes; southern slopes are drier; inhabited by the Kogi and Arhuaco Indians; there are no continuous forest above 1,200 m, but trees grow along the rivers up to 1,700 m and provide habitat for numerous flora and bird (15 endemic) species, especially at higher altitudes.