Nomination for a World Heritage Site 2009 - Phoenix Islands ...

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY State Party State, Province or Region Name of Property Geographical coordinates to the nearest second Textual description of the boundary(ies) of the nominated property Justification Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (text should clarify what is considered to be the outstanding universal value embodied by the nominated property) 5 Kiribati Phoenix Islands Phoenix Islands Protected Area Longitude Latitude 174.242794 0 W 0.983476 0 S 169.706032 0 W 0.983476 0 S 169.706032 0 W 6.466132 0 S 173.220373 0 W 6.470758 0 S 173.510230 0 W 6.616143 0 S 175.865776 0 W 6.617835 0 S 175.865776 0 W 2.091330 0 S PIPA‘s boundaries consists of a heptangular (7 corner points) shaped area that encompass some 408,250 sq km and includes 8 atoll islands, two submerged reefs and at least 14 identified seamounts and their surrounding mainly deep water marine area. As a vast expanse of largely pristine mid-ocean environment, replete with a suite of largely intact uninhabited atolls, truly an oceanic wilderness, the PIPA, the largest marine protected area in the world (408,250 sq km), is globally exceptional and as such is a superlative natural phenomenon of global importance. A feature of the marine environment of PIPA is an outstanding collection of large submerged volcanoes, presumed extinct, rising direct from the extensive deep seafloor with an average depth of more than 4,500 metre and a maximum depth of over 6,000 metres. Included in the collection of large volcanoes are no less than 14 recognised seamounts, submerged mountains that don’t penetrate to the surface. The collection of atolls represent coral reef cappings on 8 other volcanic mountains that approach the surface. The large bathymetric range of the submerged seamount landscape provides depth defined habitat types fully representative of the mid oceanic biota. The widely recognized local endemicity and distinctive species assemblages associated with seamounts generally, specifically demonstrable in PIPA, is evidence of on-going insitu evolution of marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals. PIPA is of crucial scientific importance in identifying and monitoring the processes of sea level change, growth rates and age of reefs and reef builders, (both geologically and historically) and in evaluating effects from climate change. The reef systems are so remote and exhibit such near pristine conditions that PIPA can serve as a benchmark for
Criteria under which property is nominated (itemize criteria) understanding and potentially restoring other degraded hard coral ecosystems. The islands are acknowledged as critical sites for ongoing study of: global climate change and sea-level events in that they are located in a region less affected by other anthropogenic stresses; the growth of reefs, evolution of reef systems, biological behavioural studies, recruitment processes in isolation, size classes and population dynamics of all marine organism groups and reef species diversity studies. As such, the oceanic Central Pacific islands are natural laboratories for understanding the natural history of the Pacific. As a known breeding site for numerous nomadic, migratory and pelagic marine and terrestrial species, PIPA makes a significant contribution to on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of global marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals. Due to its great isolation, PIPA occupies a unique position in the biogeography of the Pacific as a critical stepping stone habitat for migratory and pelagic/planktonic species and for ocean currents in the region. PIPA embraces a range of associated marine environments that display high levels of marine abundance as well as the full spectrum of age and size cohorts, increasingly rare in the tropics, and especially in the case of apex predator fish, sea turtles, sea birds, corals, giant clams, and coconut crabs, most which have been depleted elsewhere. The overall marine trophic dynamics for these island communities across this archipelago are better functioning (relatively intact) compared with other island systems where human habitation and exploitation has significantly altered the environment. PIPA provides important natural habitats for in-situ conservation of globally important oceanic biological diversity, both marine and terrestrial. It is the most important secure habitat of the local endemic and now endangered Phoenix petrel and serves as crucial breeding and resting area for a number of threatened migratory birds. PIPA collectively provides very important habitat for the continued existence of a number of globally endangered species (e.g. Napoleon wrasse, hawksbill turtle), vulnerable species (e.g. Whitethroated storm petrel, Bristle-thighed curlew, green turtle, giant clam, bumbhead parrotfish) and numerous others globally depleted species, both marine and terrestrial, including for example apex predators such as sharks. The remoteness of the area and absence of permanent human settlement provides a unique opportunity for a high standard of habitat protection for species and ecosystems of global importance to science and conservation, from atoll to deep sea. (vii) ( ix) (x) 6
Page 1 and 2: Nomination for a World Heritage Sit
Page 3 and 4: TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Acronyms
Page 5: RNHP Regional Natural Heritage Prog
Page 9 and 10: Map 1. Phoenix Islands Protected Ar
Page 11 and 12: 1. e) Maps and plans, showing the b
Page 13 and 14: SECTION 2. DESCRIPTION 2. a) Descri
Page 15 and 16: Meteorology PIPA is located in the
Page 17 and 18: To summarize, PIPA illustrates evol
Page 19 and 20: Topographic Features of Phoenix Isl
Page 21 and 22: Carondelet Reef and adjacent unname
Page 23 and 24: Fautasi Seamount Fautasi Seamount i
Page 25 and 26: Siapo Seamount Siapo Seamount is lo
Page 27 and 28: Tai Seamount Tai Seamount, featured
Page 29 and 30: Tau Tau seamount Tau Tau Seamount i
Page 31 and 32: Unnamed Seamount 1 Unnamed Guyot SM
Page 33 and 34: Unnamed Seamount 3 Unnamed Seamount
Page 35 and 36: Vertical sections of the central Pa
Page 37 and 38: that the Phoenix Islands are affect
Page 39 and 40: The Phoenix Island reefs provide a
Page 41 and 42: A list of all coral species identif
Page 43 and 44: Kanton Atoll. - The relatively wide
Page 45 and 46: (dominated by T. squamosa) clams in
Page 47 and 48: 19) Other beaked whales, Mesoplodon
Page 49 and 50: Seamounts An important feature of P
Page 51 and 52: A research expedition led by the Ne
Page 53 and 54: Vegetation The islands have a spars
Page 55 and 56: Terrestrial fauna Terrestrial inver
Page 57 and 58:
Preliminary estimates of number of
Page 59 and 60:
- Important wintering grounds for A
Page 61 and 62:
ISLAND SUMMARIES Descriptions and s
Page 63 and 64:
Nikumaroro Land Area: 4.1 sq. km Al
Page 65 and 66:
Nikumaroro is a classic tropical at
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Human Occupation: Inhabited by gove
Page 69 and 70:
ackish pond in its center that is p
Page 71 and 72:
Rawaki is the most important sea bi
Page 73 and 74:
largest brackish lagoon with a dept
Page 75 and 76:
Orona is the second largest atoll,
Page 77 and 78:
Birnie Area: Land area 48.2 ha, tot
Page 79 and 80:
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Page 81 and 82:
The islands may have been visited a
Page 83 and 84:
The Government of Kiribati (GoK), N
Page 85 and 86:
The exceptional mid-ocean remotenes
Page 87 and 88:
significantly altered the environme
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guttatus, A. nigricans, A. triosteg
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specifically demonstrable in PIPA,
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3. c) Comparative analysis (includi
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●The southeast tropical Pacific:
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Map extract courtesy Conservation I
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The Marine Protected Area that dese
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The only other island groups with c
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submerged reefs, seamount summits,
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SECTION 4. STATE OF CONSERVATION AN
Page 107 and 108:
dominated this fishery. Korean long
Page 109 and 110:
The island with the highest diversi
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Population estimates of mammal spec
Page 113 and 114:
(ii) Environmental Pressures Climat
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There may be a number of unregulate
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(1) Requirements of the PIPA manage
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Local Government Act - The Local Go
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Birds -. In Schedule 1 of the Wildl
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PIPA Zonation Phase 1 - the current
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PIPA Management 2008- 2009 PIPA is
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(>$420,000 USD from 2008-2010). Thi
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6(6) Monitoring Programme 8(2) Mana
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under the Environment (Amendment) A
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GoK’s PIPA Director Mr. Tukabu Te
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Within PIPA there are about 50 peop
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1. Marine Ecosystem Monitoring Indi
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studies were carried out primarily
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Id. No Format (slide/ print/ video)
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Bikenibeu, Tarawa Republic of Kirib
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8. d) Official Web address http://
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SECTION 10. APPENDICES - PIPA MAPS
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Appendix 2. Location of the Phoenix
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Appendix 4. Bathymetry of PIPA. 150
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Appendix 6. PIPA Phase 2 Zonation m
Page 155:
PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA (PIP
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Nomination for a World Heritage Site 2009 - Phoenix Islands ...

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