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Collaborative Management of World Heritage Sites: A Critical Review
Conference presentation

Collaborative Management of World Heritage Sites: A Critical Review

Robert J Fisher and Tim Wong
Angkor: Landscape, City and Temple (Sydney, Australia, 18-Jul-2006–23-Jul-2006)
University of Sydney
2006
url
http://web.archive.org/web/20051216080906/http://conferences.arts.usyd.edu.au/index.php?cf=9View
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Abstract

Human Geography Forestry Sciences
Collaborative management, involving various types of partnerships between communities and management authorities, has become a major worldwide theme in the management of many protected areas of various types. It obviously has great potential relevance to the management of world heritage cultural sites. Although it has been applied in some cases (such as Kakadu National Park), the full potential has not been explored. This paper presents a critical discussion of experiences in the application of collaborative management to Protected Areas in general. It then looks more closely at experiences relevant to world heritage cultural sites. Although it focuses on South East Asia, it draws on international examples. Implications for the Angkor World Heritage Site will be specifically addressed. The results of collaborative management in protected areas have been mixed and contested. Clearly, in many cases, the management continues to be driven by management authorities with only token community participation. Nevertheless, there have been positive experiences and there is wide support for wider application. The paper pays particular attention to the difficulties in managing sites for the multiple (and often conflicting) objectives of various stakeholders. This includes managing tensions between local community interests and wider national and even global interests. How have these tensions been dealt with by collaborative management in protected areas generally and in world heritage sites? Can a wider landscape approach contribute to managing world heritage sites for multiple objectives? What lessons can be learned from various experiences that may be relevant to world heritage sites? Other issues covered will include the capacity of world heritage sites to contribute to poverty reduction and the role of collaborative management in this.

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