[meteorite-list] Vredefort Dome Nominated for World Heritage Site

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimesNEW/newsst/newsst1119964340.aspx

UN recognises SA heritage sites
Sunday Times (South Africa)
June 28, 2005

Three new sites in South Africa may become United Nations world heritage
sites.

They are the Vredefort Dome in the Free State, the Taung Skull fossil
site in the North West and the Makapans Valley in Limpopo.

The nominations were unveiled in Johannesburg today by Arts and Culture
Minister Pallo Jordan at a briefing on the Unesco (United Nations
Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage
committee meeting to be held in Durban next week.

"The prestige of having world heritage sites in a country raises
awareness of heritage and conservation," said Jordan.

"The ultimate goal of having the sites recognised is to enhance the
quality of collective existence and preserve them for future generations."

He said each site was chosen because it had something to offer.

The Vredefort Dome was formed by a meteorite hitting the earth - thought
to be the biggest meteorite strike yet known - and is regarded as
valuable for scientific research.

Taung is where an early Hominid skull was discovered.

The Makapans Valley was home to some of the earliest settlements in
South Africa.

South Africa is already home to six world heritage sites and hopes are
high that the new three nominations will be approved by the world
heritage committee, said Jordan.

To prevent these sites from being de-listed as world heritage sites, an
African World Heritage Fund will be set up to maintain and preserve them.

These sites include Robben Island, the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park and
the Cradle of Humankind at Sterkfontein near Krugersdorp.

"Robben Island is one such site that was in danger of being de-listed
because the WHC inspected found it was not well preserved," said Jordan.

"This fund will ensure that this site and others are well preserved and
will not be de-listed."

There are over 788 world heritage sites situated in 143 countries.