The UAE’s first mountain nature reserve, Fujairah’s Wadi Wurayah National Park, WWNP, has been put on the UAE’s tentative list of nominations for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
The nomination has been submitted to UNESCO’S World Heritage Centre for assessment on the basis of the Outstanding Universal Value, OUV, of Wadi Wurayah’s natural heritage.
A formal nomination document was drawn up by the Fujairah Environment Authority, working in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Department of the Ministry of Culture and Youth. This was then submitted to UNESCO by the UAE National Commission for UNESCO.
A detailed explanation of the Park’s environment and biodiversity and of its international significance will now be prepared for evaluation by UNESCO scientific teams.
WWNP, which covers an area of 220 sq km, is managed by the Fujairah Environment Authority. It was first declared as a nature reserve in 2009.
It has been recognized since 2010 as an important wetland, under the terms of the international Ramsar Convention, because of its freshwater ecosystem and has also received recognition under UNESCO’s ‘Man and Biosphere’ programme.
Scientific studies have shown that the Wadi Wurayah National Park is home to at least 860 different species of plants and animals, including rare mammals like Caracal and Blanford’s Fox and the UAE’s only native orchid, the Helleborine Orchid.
Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, added, “This announcement is a testament to collective efforts to sustain and preserve UAE heritage sites. I commend the efforts of the Fujairah Environment Authority and other Fujairah institutions in working to preserve and protect Wadi Wurayah, a key part of the country’s biodiversity.”
Its addition to the UAE’s Tentative List of World Heritage sites registered with UNESCO brings the total number of UAE registered properties to 13, including both tangible and intangible heritage of the UAE.