South-South Cooperation Case Study

Nomination of the Iraqi marshlands as a World

Heritage Site to enhance Cultural and Natural Resource
Management
I. Executive Summary
The Iraqi Marshlands are considered to be one of the most important ecosystems in Iraq,
and the Middle East. They cover a large area of the southern parts of Iraq and possess a
multiplicity of unique natural and human resources. The area is home to a rich range of
biodiversity that includes aquatic fauna and flora, and avifauna. The indigenous people of
the Marshes, the Madan tribes, continue to observe cultural practices that are millennia
old. Their well-being is closely linked to that of the marshlands as their livelihood is
largely based on resources drawn from the wetlands.
Despite the environmental and cultural significance of the Iraqi Marshlands, they have
suffered significant damage, especially since the 1970s. By 2003, up to 90% of the
original Marshlands had been destroyed by drainage, dam construction on the TigrisEuphrates river system and uncoordinated management efforts. A number of exercises
have been undertaken that have seen approximately 40% of the original marshlands
rehabilitated. The Marshlands still face significant challenges, some of which are a legacy
of the past destruction, while others, such as planned oil extraction are more recent.
In 2009, the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the UN Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) initiated a joint project that was intended to lead to
the nomination and listing of the Iraqi Marshlands as a World Heritage Site. The
nomination and listing however were not the only objectives of the project dubbed,
World Heritage as a tool for enhancing Natural and Cultural Management of the Iraqi
Marshlands. As its name suggests, the projects principal objective was to use the World
Heritage nomination process to develop management plans that would ensure sustainable
development of the Iraqi Marshlands, and conserve the areas inherent historical, cultural,
environmental, and socio-economic values.
The World Heritage nomination process is complex, especially because the Iraqi
Marshlands are to be listed as a mixed heritage site based on their natural and cultural
values. Capacity building is required for the Iraqi individuals and institutions involved in
drafting the nomination file as well as the development and implementation of the
marshlands management plan. The Iraqi Marshlands have regional ecological
significance and this calls for international cooperation especially among the countries of
the Tigris-Euphrates river basin. South-South Cooperation has played a vital role in the
project especially with regards to capacity development for the nomination process and
development of a sustainable ecosystem management regime for the Marshlands.

II. Actors and Their Roles:

Recipient Entity

Basic Information

Role

Government of
Iraq - Ministries of
Environment,
Planning, Water
Resources,
Municipalities and
Public Works,
Science and
Technology,
Natural History
Museum, and State
Board of
Antiquities and
Heritage

Sector: Government, national

environmental policy and management
Center of Operations: Baghdad
Ownership: Public

Responsible for management of the

Iraqi Marshlands as a World Heritage
Site based on natural and cultural
values.
Responsible for legislation on the
management of the sites
Drafter of nomination file and
development of management plan for
the Iraqi Marshlands.

Recipient Entity

Basic Information

Role

Local
governorates

Sector: Government, national

environmental policy and management
Center of Operations: Marshland areas

Responsible for local conservation of

the Iraqi Marshlands and monitoring
the Marshlands.
Contributed to assessment and field
studies
Organized capacity development
sessions for local residents

Ownership: Public

Recipient Entity

Basic Information

Role

Marsh local
communities

Sector: Civil Society

Center of Operations: Marshland areas

Responsible for community-based

conservation and management of the
Iraqi Marshlands for their sustainable
livelihoods
Contributed to assessment and field
studies

Ownership: Public

Initiating Entity

Basic Information

Role

United Nations
Environmental
Programme
(UNEP)

Sector: Environmental policy and

management
Center of Operations: Headquarters in
Nairobi, Kenya, with worldwide
operations

Responsible for the overall project

planning, implementation and
monitoring. Joint coordinator with
UNESCO of the nomination process
and development of the World Heritage
management plan.
Organized capacity development
sessions.

Ownership: International UN
organization with funding from UN
member countries.

Initiating Entity

Basic Information

Role

United Nations
Educational,
Scientific and
Cultural
Organization
(UNESCO)

Sector: Cultural heritage management

and preservation
Center of Operations: Headquarters in
Paris, France with worldwide operations.
Ownership: International UN
organization with funding from UN
member countries.

Joint coordinator with UNEP of the

nomination process and development of
the World Heritage management plan.
Organized capacity development
sessions jointly with UNEP. Monitors
and assesses cultural and
anthropological conditions of the
Marshlands.

Supporting
Entity

Basic Information

Role

International
Union for the
Conservation of
Nature (IUCN)

Sector: Natural resource management,

biodiversity conservation
Centre of Operations: Headquarters in
Gland, Switzerland with worldwide
operations.
Ownership: International UN
organization with funding from UN
member countries.

Advisory body on natural heritage to the

UNESCO World Heritage Convention.
Conducted analysis of suitable criteria
for World heritage nomination of the
Marshlands

III. Background
The Iraqi Marshlands (also known as the Mesopotamian Marshlands) were once the
largest wetland ecosystem in the Middle East. At their peak, they covered more than
20,000 km2 and spanned across the mid- to downstream sections of the Tigris-Euphrates
river system, spilling over into Iranian territory. The marshlands are host to an incredible
range of biodiversity including rare waterfowl, migratory birds and freshwater fish. They
also play a central role in the economic and cultural life of the local populace, the Madan
tribes. The rich socio-cultural history of the Marshlands stretches back into antiquity with
some scholars even labeling this region the home of the biblical Garden of Eden.
From the 1970s, the Iraqi Marshlands were extensively damaged due to upstream dam
construction, drainage, over-exploitation and uncoordinated management efforts. This
resulted in the destruction of up to 90% of the wetlands by 2003 with accompanying
losses in biodiversity and livelihood support systems. Following political regime change
in 2003, there have been concerted efforts to restore the Marshlands. Approximately 40%
of the original marshlands have been successfully rehabilitated thanks to the efforts of the
Iraqi government, local communities and international actors. However, there are
significant challenges to overcoming the legacy of several decades of destruction. This is
compounded by the emergence of new threats such as oil exploration, demographic

trends and competition over land and resources as well as climate change. Poorly
coordinated, fragmented and inconsistent initiatives have hampered the effectiveness of
the rehabilitation efforts.

A. Marshlands land cover, 1973.

B. Marshlands land cover, 2000.

World Heritage Nomination - A pathway to sustainable development of the Marshlands

In 2004, the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) launched the project Support for
Environmental Management of the Iraqi Marshlands to address short-term and urgent
needs of the Marshlands areas in the post-conflict situation. Five years later, in conjuction
with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) UNEP
launched a joint initiative that was intended to see the Iraqi Marshlands nominated as a
mixed World Heritage site due to the unique combination of natural and cultural
elements. The joint project, World Heritage as a tool for enhancing Natural and Cultural
Management of the Iraqi Marshlands intends to use the nomination and management
planning process to ensure the long-term sustainable development of the Marshlands and
to conserve the historical, cultural, environmental and socio-economic characteristics of
the area. It should be noted that the World Heritage nomination while a desirable goal is
not the specific aim of the project. Rather, the nomination and inscription process is a
means to provide incentives and guidance for the development of a sustainable
management regime for the marshes which integrates and builds on similar existing
initiatives.
Specific objectives of the project are:

To establish a long-term preservation and management plan of the cultural and

biological diversity of the area referring to the World Heritage nomination
process

To implement sustainable socio-economic development practices that reflect the

natural and cultural conditions of the Iraqi Marshlands, as described in the plan

To build capacity and to raise awareness among the local population as well as
national, governorate, and local institutions in order to encourage their
participation in the site preservation, and management framework operations

To raise recognition of the importance of the Iraqi Marshlands within the

international community so as to support equitable use and sustainable
development of the area

The joint UNEP-UNESCO project is closely coordinated with the Ministry of

Environment of Iraq, and fully funded by the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and
Sea, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Iraqi Universities
and NGOs. Mixed World Heritage sites possess outstanding universal value(s) and meet
at least 2 of 10 criteria (one for natural and another for cultural) outlined by World
Heritage Operational Guidelines. Iraqs Ministry of Culture placed the Marshlands on a
Tentative List for the World Heritage Sites in 2003 based on UNESCOs criterion v
(cultural value) 1 e.g. archeological artifacts, similarities between current Madan and
ancient Sumerian culture.
A 2011 report prepared by the IUCN stated that there was sufficient evidence to support
further work towards a full World Heritage nomination of the Iraqi Marshlands, in
relation to World Heritage natural criteria "x" (biodiversity) 2 and "ix" (biological and
ecological processes). 3 The two criteria were reported to be closely related to the
marshlands cultural value as both the economy and norms of the marsh inhabitants are
highly dependent on the areas biodiversity and ecosystem. Implementation of the project
is occurring in three stages:
Stage 1: Mar 2009 Sep 2010
Induction training on the World Heritage concept; basic data collection; identifying gaps
and potential partners; and promoting common understanding on the Outstanding
Universal Values of the Iraqi Marshlands

Criterion v - to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which

is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has
become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.
2
Criterion x - to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of
biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the
point of view of science or conservation
3
Criterion ix - to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological
processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and
communities of plants and animals;

Stage 2: Oct 2010 Dec 2012

Further research and data analyses; implementing actions to fill gaps identified in Year 1;
formalizing institutional arrangements; development of management plan; and
establishment of a core team for drafting the nomination file.
Stage 3: Jan 2013 Dec 2013
Putting the management plan in place; strengthening institutional arrangements; drafting
and finalizing the nomination file with supporting institutional arrangements
IV. Financial Arrangements:
The UNEP-UNESCO joint program has a proposed budget of $3.11 million. The fund is
committed by the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea, and UNEP is
responsible for fund administration. The Government of Iraq also covers some logistical
costs for their staff and provides in-kind contribution to implementation of the project
activities.

V. South-South Cooperation (SSC) Components

The preparation for nomination of the World Heritage site is a complex process that
requires the participation of a multi-disciplinary team of experts, different levels of the
Iraqi government (local, governorate and national), academia, international organizations,
NGOs and the local community. South-South Cooperation has been used to address the
capacity constraints facing the project as well as to examine management approaches for
similar wetland ecosystems.
Capacity Development Workshops in countries within the region
Development of a management plan for the World Heritage Site nomination requires
rigorous data collection and analysis. This necessitated capacity development for the Iraqi
institutions and individuals involved. A number of capacity building workshops have
been conducted under different themes.
a) Data collection and analysis of preservation/management of natural / cultural
heritage
A series of workshops were held to increase the capacity, skills, and knowledge of Iraqi
government officials as well as local representatives of several governorates (Missan,
Thi-Qar and Basrah) on the World Heritage nomination process, especially for the Iraqi
Marshlands.
The first workshop was held from 27th to 29th June 2009 in Amman, Jordan. 11
participants from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Culture, State Ministry of
Marshlands and Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation as well as local
representatives from the three governorates participated. The training also included group
exercises and site visits to encourage active discussion among the participants.

The second workshop was held on 2nd and 3rd July 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey. This
training session organized by UNESCO featured presentations from IUCN, Canada-Iraq
Marsh Initiative (CIMI) and UNEP. The training sessions included demonstrations on
how to fill in the nomination files, assessment of information gaps and identification of
actions to be undertaken in the remaining stages of the nomination process.
b) Protected Area Management Plan Development and Implementation
Follow-up workshops to strengthen the capacity of Iraqi experts in preparation of the
Protected Areas Management Plan were held on October 2-6, 2011 in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
and on February 12-16 in Amman, Jordan.
The Iraqi staff who participated at the workshops would assist the Iraqi Government in
fulfilling the requirements, procedures and obligations for the preparation and submission
of the World Heritage nomination file for the Marshlands based on international
standards especially those of the IUCN, Ramsar and World Heritage Conventions.
c) Regional Red-List Assessment Workshop
This was held in January 2011 in Amman, Jordan. The workshop was jointly organized
by IUCN and the Royal Botanic Garden of Jordan as the first step to conduct Red-List
Assessment in the Marshlands and in the whole country for the future. As the biological
diversity of the Marshlands has a regional dimension, the workshop also intended to build
up a platform for species conservation at that level by exchanging the national red-list
data and assessment.
d) Nomination File Drafting
The most recent workshop held on February 18-19, 2012 in Amman, Jordan was
organized by UNESCO, Iraq. This was the first of a series of three workshops held to
draft the nomination file. Information covered during the workshop included an
introduction to the criteria for World Heritage sites; statements of integrity and
authenticity; and, basic requirements of management plans for mixed heritage sites.
Further workshops are planned for the two national teams (natural and cultural)
responsible for drafting the nomination file.
Learning experiences from others: Comparative Study Visits to Romania and Jordan
Two comparative study visits were held to evaluate management practices being
implemented in existing relevant World Heritage Sites. The visits were focused on sites
within the region, those with similar ecosystems, and those in other developing countries,
especially those sites combining cultural and natural values. The purpose of this activity
was to learn about in situ management of the natural/cultural values of the World
Heritage sites as well as the roles of local population in conservation efforts.
The first visit was to the Danube Delta World Heritage Site in Romania on 26-30 June
2010. This visit which was jointly organized by UNEP and the UNESCO Iraq Office saw
the participation of six high-level officials from relevant Iraqi ministries and three
representatives of local Marsh councils. The Danube River Delta system shares some
similarities with the Iraqi Marshlands although there are huge differences in hydrological

conditions. The trip consisted of two components, viz, a field visit and meetings with
Romanian authorities which were organized to understand the institutional arrangements
for the ecosystem management of the Danube Delta. The meetings provided the Iraqi
delegation with lessons on institutional development for protected area management at
the international level. In addition to consulting two governance bodies of the Danube
Delta, the Iraqi delegation also visited the International Commission of the Protection of
the Danube River (ICPDR) in Bucharest to learn the co-management mechanism by
riparian countries of the trans-boundary water resources. The delegation also agreed with
the ICPDR to maintain contact for potential collaboration on the river-basin management
issues.
The second visit was a trip to Jordans Azraq Wetland Reserve in February 2012. During
this visit, participants received hands-on training about on-site conservation of a wetland
ecosystem. Although the Azraq Wetland is significantly smaller than the Iraqi
Marshlands, valuable lessons were learned on issues such as site monitoring programmes,
socio-economic projects as well as ecotourism programmes and facilities. The visit also
included a tour of a handicraft workshop within the Reserve that is staffed by local
women who produce silk screen prints, ostrich egg carvings, packaging and tailored
products. This served to demonstrate how to involve local communities in wetland
ecosystem management by engaging in economically beneficial activities.
Study on hydrological and ecological functions of Iraqi Marshlands to inform ecosystem
management practices of the Gulf
This component of the project is being done in conjunction with the Kuwait Institute of
Scientific Research and the Marine Science Center of the Basrah University in Iraq. The
study will assess the relationship between the environmental conditions of the Marshes
including water quantity/quality and influences on the marine ecosystem of the northern
Gulf, i.e. coastal fisheries in Kuwait. Analyses of potential functions of the Iraqi
Marshlands in the regional ecosystem will also be conducted. Part of the study will
include a series of consultation meetings among experts from Iraq and the Gulf countries
to produce an assessment report which will lay out action plans for the protection of the
Marshes and the Gulf marine ecosystem.

VI. Lessons Learned

At the time of writing, a review of lessons learned had not yet been conducted.

VII. Conclusion
The Iraqi Marshlands have come a long way since 2001 when UNEP alerted the
international community about the extensive destruction of this important ecosystem.
However, their current status is still a far cry from that described by the author Wilfred
Thesiger during his visit in 1950.

Memories of that first visit to the Marshes have never left me: firelight on a half-turned
face, the crying of geese, duck flighting in to feed, a boys voice singing somewhere in the
dark, canoes moving in procession down a waterway, the setting sun seen in crimson
through the smoke of burning reed beds, narrow waterways that wound still deeper into
the Marshes. 4
The joint UNEP-UNESCO project, World Heritage as a tool for enhancing Natural and
Cultural Management of the Iraqi Marshlands will assist in the development of a
management plan for the long-term sustainable development of the marshes as well as the
management and preservation of their natural and cultural resources. The project builds
on previous rehabilitation initiatives and attempts to coordinate local, national and
international community efforts to safeguard the wellbeing of the Marshlands. SouthSouth Cooperation has been vital in capacity development for drafting and
implementation of the marshlands management plan. It should be noted however that the
long-term well-being of the marshes will only be attained through regional cooperation
among the countries of the Tigris-Euphrates Basin, including Turkey, Syria, Iran and
Iraq.

VIII. Project Contacts

Initiating Entity

Contact

Details

United Nations
Environmental
Programme
(UNEP)

Ryuichi Fukuhara

Programme Officer, International

Environmental Technology Centre
(IETC), Division of Technology,
Industry and Economics (DTIE), UNEP
Address:
2-110 Ryokuchi Koen, Tsurumi-ku,
Osaka, 538-0036, Japan
Email:
ryuichi.fukuhara@unep.org

Wilfred Thesiger. The Marsh Arabs (1964). Penguin Classics.

Initiating Entity

Contact

Details

United Nations
Educational,
Social and
Cultural
Organization
(UNESCO)

Geraldine Chaterlard,

Programme Specialist, Cultural Sector,

UNESCO Iraq Office

Email:
g.charterlard@unesco.org

IX. Acknowledgements:
The following individuals and organizations provided their time and expertise to the
development of this case study:
Ryuichi Fukuhara, Programme Officer, International Environmental Technology Centre
(IETC), Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE), UNEP
Mwangi Chege, South-South Cooperation Intern, Interagency and Country Level
Coordination Unit, Division of Regional Cooperation, UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme, Division of Regional Cooperation, Interagency
and Country Level Coordination Unit, Nairobi, Kenya