From Conservation to Sustainable Development—A Case Study of Angkor World Heritage Site, Cambodia

Abstract

The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO has called for a strategic commitment from its States Parties to strengthen links between heritage conservation and sustainable development. Fulfilment of this commitment will require integration of the conservation of sites with the sustainable use and management of natural resources in a larger area beyond the boundaries of sites. Identification and demarcation of areas for conserving World Heritage sites and sustainable development of broader regions must derive from an in-depth knowledge of people-environment relationships. The management of Angkor-an iconic World Heritage site-has been primarily focused on conservation and restoration of monuments within the boundaries of the site. However, that focus is now shifting towards addressing environmental, social and economic challenges for sustainable development of the broader landscape described in this paper as the Angkor ecosystem. Angkor has the potential to demonstrate the application of an ecosystem approach to sustainable development-advocated under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The site could be a laboratory for new research on cultural ecosystem services as a tool for bridging site conservation to the sustainable development of the Siem Reap province where the site is located.