Rebuilding the International Conservation Landscape

Brenda Barrett, Editor | Eleanor Mahoney, Associate Editor | Deanna Beacham, Outreach Assistant

February 2023 | Vol. 12 No. 2

The Importance of International Connections

It is no surprise that as the world recovers from the isolation of the pandemic, rebuilding international ties has become a priority. For those in the conservation community, the long-delayed UN Conference on Biodiversity held in Montréal (December 2022) was an important moment of reconnection. It was a landmark event in forging a stronger linkage between culture and nature with the goal of a more sustainable future. Read about the conference's Nature Culture Summit. The Living Landscape Observer is pleased to feature a report on the conference from Tim Badman, Head of Heritage and Culture at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

There are other signs of revitalization on the international scene in this newsletter, including an update on the Biosphere Reserve program in the United States. And, in other good news, World Heritage USA (also known as US/ICOMOS) has helped open the door to the United States rejoining UNESCO and specifically participating in the World Heritage program. Finally, mark your calendar for the upcoming ICOMOS Triennial General Assembly in Sydney Australia August 31 – September 9, 2023.

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The Living Landscape Observer is a website, blog and monthly e-newsletter that offers commentary and information on the emerging field of large landscape conservation.

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Look Back and Learn

Biosphere Reserves:

A Second Chance for the United States?

UNESCO’s international Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program stands out as one of the earliest initiatives in large landscape conservation. Biosphere reserves have inspired numerous other efforts over the past several decades. Yet, most people in the United States, including many in the conservation community, are unfamiliar with this international designation. Today the program is managed by the U.S. Biosphere Network (USBN). It includes 28 regions across the United States where communities and organizations work together to connect people and nature.

Elder Charlie Patton, Mohawk Elder, opening the Nature and Culture Summit with (seated) Q”apaj Conde, the Summit Moderator, and Lucy Mulenkei of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) © UN Biodiversity

Update:

UN Biodiversity Conference Montreal December 2022

The UN Biodiversity Conference 2022 finally took place in Montréal, Canada from December 7-19 under the theme “Ecological Civilization: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth.” The event's main objective was for governments to adopt the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. This framework makes many direct and indirect references to culture, and the diversity of values and world views that link people and nature, stating that it will place biodiversity “at the heart of the sustainable development agenda, recognizing the important linkages between biological and cultural diversity."

Shockoe Hill Burying Ground Historic District, looking from the Hebrew Cemetery toward the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground. Image Credit: Dan Mouer

Correction: Recognition of African American Cemeteries in Virginia

Our December 2022 post on Virginia's Historic African American Cemeteries has been corrected to clarify that the National Register nomination for the Shockoe Hill Burying Ground Historic District includes the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground. Many thanks to Lenora McQueen and Lena MacDonald for this important clarification.

View of National Mall from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument, August 28, 1963

Photo by Warren K. Leffler, LOC, LC-U9- 10360-5

Documenting Landscapes of Protest: Webinar Available

Watch this excellent presentation by Dr. Roneva Keel. Dr. Keel recently completed a study for the National Park Service (NPS) documenting the past and present of protest on the National Mall and other nearby parks. Her study explores how First Amendment activities in the National Capital Region have transformed the way citizens engage with the federal government. It also examines the role the National Park Service, as a steward of these lands, has played in shaping democracy in the 20th and 21st centuries.

News and Notes

Update: U.S. Support for UNESCO World Heritage Fund

The FY 23 Omnibus Appropriations Act included an authorization for the President to waive prohibitions of funding UNESCO, which includes the World Heritage Fund, upon a finding that to do so would enable the United States to counter Chinese influence or to promote other national interests, World Heritage USA (also known as US/ICOMOS) and other preservation partners recognize that much work will be needed to implement and fund this provision. However, this is a critical first step to ensure the US’s participation in the World Heritage program.

Upcoming Events & Webinars

National Council on Public History Annual Conference, April 12 - 15, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia

ICOMOS 2023 Triennial General Assembly, August 31 to September 9 2023, in Sydney, Australia. Registration

is open.

NATURE, CULTURE,COMMUNITY www.livinglandscapeobserver.net

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