Assessing landscape management challenges of the Pyrenees-Mont Perdu property after two decades on the UNESCO World Heritage List (1997-2018)

Abstract

An analysis is made of the current landscape management challenges facing the Pyrenees-Mont Perdu transboundary property, registered on the World Heritage List since 1997. For this purpose, the followup reports on the state of conservation of the property that the World Heritage Centre has periodically prepared are analysed, as well as the decisions approved by the World Heritage Committee regarding measures to correct problems. The bibliographic, cartographic, and statistical analysis completes the methodological procedure used. Two particularly outstanding challenges are identified. The first is to increase coordination between Spain and France following the approval of a management plan for the property. The second challenge is to establish effective measures to maintain seasonal movement of herds, and the associated cultural landscape, as a fundamental attribute of the outstanding universal value of the property. Due to the complexity of this purpose, the social, economic, and administrative obstacles to be overcome are analysed. The conclusion is that to promote pastoral activity and preserve the cultural landscape of the property, it is essential to develop an overall territorial approach, translated into a comprehensive and cross-sectoral policy with adequate economic and technical resources.