Nature’s crown jewels: An introduction to natural World Heritage

December 2, 2024 Published by Alex McCoskrie

Are you interested in learning about the world’s most outstanding natural places?

Natural World Heritage Sites represent some of the planet’s most precious natural areas, which the international community commits to protecting for present and future generations.

Celebrated and prized by humanity as a whole, they are designated as places of “Outstanding Universal Value” under the World Heritage Convention. Natural World Heritage Sites include iconic protected areas of conservation such as the Serengeti, Galápagos Islands, the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef. In the UK our natural WHSs include Giant’s Causeway, the Jurassic Coast and the Flow Country.

Register now for this free open online course delivered by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to learn more about natural World Heritage Sites and the World Heritage Convention – a unique global instrument for nature conservation:

  • Start date: Anytime
  • Duration: 2 – 4 hours
  • Course type: Self-paced
  • Course includes: 4 modules, 3 quizzes
  • Languages: English
  • Fees: Free
  • Registration: Open 

On completion of the course, you will understand:   

  • The concept of World Heritage and how it came about
  • How a place can become a World Heritage Site
  • The different types of World Heritage Sites: cultural, natural and mixed
  • The many actors involved in inscribing, managing and safeguarding natural World Heritage, their roles and why each is important
  • IUCN’s key formal role as Advisory Body to the World Heritage Committee
  • The benefits of natural World Heritage Sites and how they contribute to societies and economies
  • The main threats affecting natural World Heritage Sites, and how changes in their state of conservation are monitored and tracked
  • The role of effective protection and management in safeguarding natural World Heritage Sites
  • The links between nature and culture in the context of Heritage
  • The many resources available for continuing your natural World Heritage learning journey

Click here for more details and to enroll.