•World Heritage is the designation for places on earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.

•It is a global status symbol.

•Elevating Kaikoura beyond just national importance to one of international significance. Highlighting Kaikoura as one of the best places in the world

Kaikoura is working towards being added to the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai Aotearoa New Zealand’s World Heritage Tentative List.

The World Heritage List is established under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. New Zealand joined the Convention in 1984,

accepting responsibility for ensuring that the country’s World Heritage sites are identified, protected, conserved and transmitted to future generations. Having a Tentative List is part of that responsibility.

The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) maintains

Aotearoa New Zealand’s Tentative List and can nominate sites for inclusion on the World Heritage List.

A site must be on the Tentative List before it can be

nominated for World Heritage status. This includes

adding new criteria to an existing World Heritage site

(for example, adding cultural criteria to a natural site)

or making a boundary modification that is more

than minor.

Including a site on the Tentative List indicates an

interest in obtaining World Heritage status at a later

stage and a strong likelihood of meeting the UNESCO

criteria. No responsibilities or obligations come from

being on the list.

If a Tentative List site is nominated for World Heritage

status, a separate process follows. World Heritage

nominations are considered by the World Heritage

Committee and do come with responsibilities. While

being included on the Tentative List is the first step in

the nomination process, there is no guarantee of being

granted World Heritage status.

Local communities to manage World Heritage areas, with central Government having primary responsibility on an international level.

The protection and management of World Heritage areas can include using traditional practices.

Measures for protection and management are not

prescribed by UNESCO; they are described in the

nomination documentation for each site.

World Heritage areas may support a variety of uses, including uses that are ecologically and culturally sustainable, as well as those that

may enhance the quality of life and wellbeing of communities concerned.

It would be important to include information on customary ractices or traditional uses, including mahinga kai (food gathering), in an application for the Tentative List. This information should also be

included in the development of any nomination for inscription on the World Heritage List.

Under the Convention, New Zealand Central Government (the State) has the primary responsibility, whilst support local communities to manage it.

• ARTICLE 4: Each State Party to this Convention recognizes that the duty of ensuring the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage referred to in Articles 1 and 2 and situated on its territory, belongs primarily to that State.

• ARTICLE 5: To ensure that effective and active measures are taken for the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage situated on its territory, each States Party to this Convention shall endeavour, in so far as possible, and as appropriate for each country:

(a) to adopt a general policy which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of the community and to integrate the protection of that heritage into comprehensive planning programmes

Te Wāhipounamu: South West New Zealand

This 2.6million hectare area encompasses four national parks - Westland Tai Poutini, Aoraki /Mount Cook, Mount Aspiring and Fiordland

Subantarctic Islands

Together, the Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Snares Islands, Auckland Islands and Campbell Island.

Tongariro

The mountains - Ruapehu, Tongariro, Ngauruhoe - and adjoining lands formed the Tongariro National Park

• Kerikeri Basin historic precinct

• Napier Art Deco historic precinct

• Waitangi Treaty Grounds historic precinct

• Kahurangi National Park, Farewell Spit, Waikoropupu Springs and Canaan Karst System

• Kermadec Islands and Marine Reserve

• WhakaruaMoutere (North-East Islands)

• Canterbury High Country Braided Rivers and Lakes (Rangitata River, Rakaia River, Ashburton Lakes-Hakatere, Upper Ashburton River)

• Rotorua Geyser Fields and Geothermal Sites

• Stewart Island / Rakiura Archipelago

• Waters and Seabed of Fiords of Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) – An addition to Te Wahipounamu (South-West New Zealand) World Heritage Area