Environment and Conservation
Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
January 29, 2015

Promoting Our Province's Natural Heritage

Mistaken Point Nomination Bid Submitted to UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Another significant milestone has been reached in Newfoundland and Labrador's bid to have Mistaken Point designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Provincial Government has been working with Mistaken Point Ambassadors Inc. to support the development of the nomination dossier for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The dossier has been received by the World Heritage Centre in Paris, France, this week.

Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve, located on the southern Avalon Peninsula near Cape Race, was originally established in 1987 to protect a diverse fossil record of animal evolution and protects the oldest and largest Ediacaran fossils (620-542 million years ago) known anywhere in the world.

"I am extremely pleased with the nomination package we have submitted for consideration. The submission truly represents the natural wonder of Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve. We will anxiously await the decision and hope this world-class location will be the latest recipient of this prestigious title."
- The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation

To support the development of the nomination dossier, the Provincial Government provided $431,527 to Mistaken Point Ambassadors Inc. under the Regional Development Program through the Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, and an additional investment of $209,000 was provided by the Department of Environment and Conservation to support the development of the nomination dossier.

"There is no place else in the world like Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve. To join Gros Morne National Park, Red Bay National Historic Site and L'anse aux Meadows National Historic Site as the province's fourth UNESCO World Heritage Site would be a great honour and would provide tremendous tourism opportunity for Newfoundland and Labrador."
- The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development.

Nominations for World Heritage status adhere to strict requirements set out by the World Heritage Committee and require extensive documentation supporting the justification for inscription. Additional information about Mistaken Point can be found in the backgrounder below.

"Inscription of Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve as a UNESCO World Heritage Site would highlight the incredible natural heritage located on the southern Avalon and have important implications for economic development in the entire region. I acknowledge the successful partnership between the Provincial Government and Mistaken Point Ambassadors Inc. in advancing the nomination of Mistaken Point and recognize the tremendous contribution the volunteers in the region have made to protecting and preserving the fossils to bring us where we are today."
- The Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs and MHA for Ferryland.

Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is the first provincially managed site to be considered for World Heritage status. All other inscribed sites are federally managed.

"Mistaken Point Ambassadors Inc. has been involved in the preparation of the nomination package for Mistaken Point and has played a lead role in promoting the project locally. One of our main objectives is to facilitate stakeholder engagement so that the on-site evaluation team will be assured of strong community support for the UNESCO nomination. We are proud to be part of highlighting this unique fossil site to the world. We hope that inscription of Mistaken Point as an UNESCO World Heritage Site could also be an economic generator for our region and the province as a whole."
- Loretta Ryan, Chairperson, Mistaken Point Ambassadors Inc.

The nomination package will now be reviewed by a series of experts of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and a site visit will be conducted in the summer or fall of 2015. A site evaluation team will report back to the World Heritage Committee and a final decision is anticipated by July 2016.

QUICK FACTS

• The Mistaken Point Nomination dossier for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List has been received by the World Heritage Centre in Paris, France.
• Mistaken Point is designated as an ecological reserve under the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Act.
• The site has more than 10,000 fossil impressions, ranging from a few centimetres to some two metres in length readily visible for scientific study and supervised viewing along the coastline.
• Mistaken Point Ambassadors Inc. was established in 2013 to partner with the Department of Environment and Conservation on the preparation of the World Heritage Site nomination for Mistaken Point.

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BACKGROUNDER

Mistaken Point Nomination Bid

Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is located southeast of Portugal Cove South on the southern tip of the Avalon Peninsula. The exquisitely preserved fossils found at the site are dated between 580 and 560 million years old making them the oldest-known, large complex life forms found on Earth and a critical milestone in the history of life on Earth.

Under the World Heritage Convention, UNESCO's goal is to ensure conservation of the world's natural and cultural heritage and encourage local participation in the preservation of that heritage.

The World Heritage Committee decides which heritage sites are inscribed on the World Heritage List, reviews the state of conservation of existing sites, allocates financial assistance through the World Heritage Fund, requests that participating States Parties take action to enhance the protection and management of threatened World Heritage Sites, and reports its findings to the General Conference of UNESCO.

Canada's existing World Heritage Sites:

• L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, Newfoundland and Labrador
• Nahanni National Park, Northwest Territories
• Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta
• Kluane/Wrangell - St.Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek, Yukon and British Columbia (and Alaska)
• Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, Alberta and British Columbia
• SGang Gwaay, British Columbia
• Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Alberta
• Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta and Northwest Territories
• Historic District of Old Québec, Québec
• Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland and Labrador
• Old Town Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
• Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Alberta (and Montana)
• Miguasha National Park, Québec
• Rideau Canal, Ontario
• Joggins Fossil Cliffs, Nova Scotia
• Landscape of Grand Pré, Nova Scotia
• Red Bay Basque Whaling Station, Newfoundland and Labrador

2015 01 29                              10:45 a.m.