The implementation protocol of the Programme Agreement stipulates that the annual financial costs of the UNESCO Site Office and the Technical Secretary is to be supported by all institutional stakeholders signatory of the Agreement in measures that are proportionate to their financial capacities. This allows for a sustainable financial strategy based on shared contributions for the running and upkeep of two key elements of the governance and management structure of the site: the UNESCO Site Office and the Technical Secretary. The annual budget – foreseen to be around € 66.000,00/year – is covered via the contribution of eleven institutions (Liguria Region, Cinque Terre National Park, Regional Natural Park of Porto Venere, Municipalities of Porto Venere, Levanto (voluntarily withdrawn in 2019), Monterosso al Mare, Pignone, Riomaggiore, La Spezia, Vernazza, Beverino, Riccò del Golfo). The Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism does not directly contribute to the annual budget but it offers further technical support via its technical and scientific experts.
The implementation protocol (2018) of the Programme Agreement (2016) constitutes the legal basis and a guidance for the definition of annual contributions by all the involved institutional stakeholders (region, parks and municipalities).
This structured and shared financial set up has allowed for the establishment of a more sustainable financial strategy. With minimal costs there is now the chance to implement a great deal of activities and complete relevant tasks and work that are necessary for the effective management and conservation of the site as well as in supporting the interaction with communities, visitors and relevant stakeholders operating at the national and international levels. Despite the decision of Levanto’s municipality to withdraw in 2019 from the participation to the UNESCO site office structure the partners reacted positively and decided together to reallocate their budget to respect the provisional commitments. The awareness of being part of a long-term project of conservation and enhancement increased.
Establishment of a site-specific UNESCO Office supported by a Technical Secretary
The creation of a UNESCO Site Office: a result achieved
UNESCO Site Office
A landscape to manage - Vernazza
UNESCO Site Office
The Programme Agreement defines and outlines the roles and responsibilities of the institutional stakeholders involved in the management of the site. This agreement is completed by an implementation protocol, signed on 3 August 2018, that outlines the key elements of the Programme Agreement for the establishment of a UNESCO Site Office supported by a Technical Secretary (led Liguria Region for 2 years) composed of technical and administrative staff. The implementation plan identifies the UNESCO Site Office as the technical and administrative responsible for the World Heritage property of Porto Venere, Cinque Terre and the Islands. The Office has the central role to provides support and operational coordination of the permanent technical-administrative work group, support the implementation of territorial actions and the monitoring of the Management Plan, and acts as the focal point with the World Heritage Centre, the Italian Ministry with the national UNESCO Office. The Secretary coordinates all activities of the existing governing committees and working groups (BB4).
The UNESCO Site Office is also dedicated to improving services provided to users within the site, according to UNESCO guidelines, in order to increase an effective response to the emerging needs of the territory.
The creation, existence and mandate of the UNESCO Site Office and the Technical Secretary are defined in the joint programme agreement signed on 1 August 2016 and the implementation protocol signed on 3 August 2018. In order to be operational, the aspect of financing of the office is directly addressed in the Programme Agreement and which includes a prospect of contributions by signatory stakeholders.
The establishment of the UNESCO Site Office and the Technical Secretary have allowed for the application of a more efficient approach to the management of “Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)” and the creation of a permanent structure in support of all the established governing bodies (Building Block 4): the Coordination Committee, the Community of Buffer Zone Municipality, the Technical-administrative work group, and the Consulting Committee.
The Technical Secretary offers supports the activities of the Coordination Committee, the Working Group and the UNESCO site Office, which is responsible for the technical and administrative compliance with the World Heritage requirements and territorial implementation as well as being a chance of direct dialogue with and between institutional stakeholders, local communities and visitors to the site.
Working group for the elaboration of the Management Plan
UNESCO Site Office
View towards the western part of the site
pixcube.it
The governance structure has been officially established through the signature of a Programme Agreement by all the institutional stakeholders that operate in various capacities for the management and conservation of the site and its buffer zone: the Liguria Region, the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, the Cinque Terre National Park, the Municipality of Porto Venere - Regional Natural Park of Porto Venere, and the Municipalities of Levanto (withdrawn in 2019 from the UNESCO office), Monterosso al Mare, Pignone, Riomaggiore, La Spezia, Vernazza, Beverino, Riccò del Golfo.
The Agreement defines the role of stakeholders and establishes the following structure (BB4):
Coordination Committee ensuring that effective management is in place
Community of buffer zone Municipalities coordinating objectives, problems, and activities relating to the buffer zone
Technical-administrative work group responsible for implementing the Management Plan
Technical Secretary supporting committees and working groups
Consulting Committee (advisory role)
UNESCO site office, which acts as site manager for the site and carries out joint site promotion activities and ensures the smooth running of the technical-administrative board.
The establishment of a shared governance structure has been a long journey supported by Regional government and the technical support of the local office of MiBACT. It was possible to achieve this goal by the financial support put in place through the Law 77 of 20 February 2006 as well as the signature of a shared protocol that has allowed for the establishment of means for inclusive and comprehensive conversation between key natural and cultural institutional stakeholders at the national, regional and local level.
The establishment of a shared governance structure with a coordinated management strategy is the result of a complex 20-year experience with irregular developments and commitments. An adequate governance structure requires extensive dialogue, mutual understanding and trust to achieve a wide agreement from all involved institutional stakeholder and the commitment to bring these agreements beyond the timeframe of signatory political administrations.
As Municipalities play a large role in the governance of the site, one of the key challenges for the establishment of a shared strategy has been the changes in political leaderships during regional and municipal elections and the annual alternation of the site manager role between the president of the Cinque Terre National Park and the mayor of the Municipality of Porto Venere. This is to ensure socio-political balance in the governance of the site but the annual change of site management is a limitation for the implementation of long-term strategies and actions.
Adaptive Management Framework. Image from: Ngootyoong Gunditj Ngootyoong MaraSouth West - Management Plan May 2015
Parks Victoria
Safeguarding the values of the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape – especially as climate changes - is based on Gunditjmara traditional knowledge and an adaptive management framework focused on enabling ongoing learning and adaptation by continually assessing the success of actions in meeting management objectives; and allowing for adjustment of management actions in the future to best achieve the management goals. Adaptive management aims to integrate specific components of management to provide a framework that systematically tests assumptions, promotes learning and continuous improvement, as well as providing timely information to support management decisions. It includes the use of monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement to enhance Gunditjmara learnings, implement a risk assessment approach, store and manage information, and use technology to assist in land management activities.
Lastly, this framework seeks to reinforce and encourage the connections between a healthy environment and a healthy society which are highlighted in the Gunditjmara principle of Ngootyoong Gunditj, Ngootyoong Mara (Healthy Country, Healthy People) which is closely aligned with that of Parks Victoria (Healthy Parks, Healthy People).
Shared coordination and cooperation within the adaptive management framework is enabled through the shared governance and decision-making by the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (GMTOAC), the Budj Bim Council and Winda Mara Aboriginal Corporation. The adaptive management framework is activated through protected area plans of management, the World Heritage Nomination Dossier, and the Ngootyoong Gunditj Ngootyoong Mara South West Management Plan – Stone Country.
The Framework allows for ongoing learning by continually assessing the success of actions in meeting management objectives and supporting adjustment to management actions in the future. The Framework requires the integration of various elements of management to provide an approach that systematically tests assumptions, promotes
learning and continuous improvement and provides timely information to support management decisions. Ultimately, the framework seeks to reinforce and foster connections between the Gunditjmara knowledge and practices of a healthy environment and a healthy society (Ngootyoong Gunditj, Ngootyoong Mara – Healthy Country, Healthy People).
The biggest lesson learned for creating an effective adaptive management framework has been engaging with the broader local community, including neighbouring land owners. This has been achieved by going out into communities (e.g. to deliver talks) and inviting communities onto Gunditjmara land to share management perspectives.
Tae Rak channel and holding pond. Author: Tyson Lovett-Murray.
Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation
The customary and legislative protection of Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is enabled and implemented through an established system of governance. At the local level, the governance, decision-making and administrative bodies that oversee and cooperate in the protection and management of the place are the Budj Bim Council, the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (GMTOAC) and the Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation.
The Budj Bim Council comprises representatives of Gunditjmara Traditional Owners (the majority of Council members) and the Victorian Government. Its role is to oversee the cooperative management of the ecocultural landscape of the Budj Bim National Park to achieve both cultural and ecological objectives through joint decision-making. It demonstrates the ‘two-way’ sharing of expertise between Gunditjmara Traditional Owners and Victorian Government agencies.
The GMTOAC manages the native title rights of the Gunditjmara and promotes continuing connection to Gundijmara Country through its Caring for Country programmes and projects. The GMTOAC owns and manages the Budj Bim Indigenous Protected Area and Lake Condah Mission.
The Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation is the owner and manager of the Tyrendarra Indigenous Protected Area.
This building block is enabled by the recognition of the determinations of Gunditjmara native title rights in 2007 under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth) and further arrangements of joint-management with the Government of Victoria that have enabled a system of “two-way” sharing of expertise between traditional knowledge and the expertise of governmental agencies (ecology, risk management, etc). The Budj Bim Council, in particular, enables the continuous building and maintaining of relationships between Gunditjmara Traditional Owners and government.
The direct involvement of government agencies on the Budj Bim Council ensures that key stakeholders are ‘in the same room’; and that regular interaction builds trust and the capacity for ‚two-way learning’. While the Budj Bim Council formally overseas management of Budj Bim National Park, it also supports strategic planning for the broader Budj Bim landscape.
The integrated and shared governance approach between Gunditjmara and government supports the provision of resources to care for and work on Country.
Budj Bim Ranger Programme is a key component of the institutional arrangements for the management and conservation of Budj Bim eco-cultural landscape. The programme is funded by the Australian government (through it’s Indigenous Protected Areas program) and managed through the Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation and employs full-time rangers mentored by Gunditjmara Elders to provide them with traditional and cultural knowledge and support. The Budj Bim Rangers are responsible for the management of the Budj Bim and Tyrendarra Protected Areas. The rangers are responsible for a wide range of management activities including native flora and fauna management, building and maintaining walking tracks, providing guided tours and monitoring.
The Budj Bim rangers have a key role in ensuring the cultural continuity and the ongoing transmission of traditional and contemporary Gunditjmara knowledge and practices across generations
The Indigenous Protected Areas program is funded through the Australian Government’s Indigenous Advancement Strategy program and the Budj Bim Ranger Program is implemented by the Gunditjmara in ways that support working on Country as a cultural activity that ensure transmission of knowledge and practice. Without the government funding, the Gunditjmara are not – at present – resourced to manage Country.
This management arrangement of Budj Bim Cultural Landscape allows on the ground management approaches to be guided by Gunditjmara Traditional Owners in line with cultural knowledge, traditions and practices.
Management and conservation activities conducted by Traditional Owners through the Budj Bim Ranger Programme has led to a high-degree of control and containment of environmental weeds and pest animals; and extensive revegetation of native plant species, including Eucalypt, Acacia, Bursaria and other native trees, shrubs, sedges, groundcovers, herbs and grasses.
The rangers are in charge of combating pest plants and animals; revegetation work using native plant species, many of cultural importance, is enhancing the natural and cultural environment.
Rangers play a key role in outreach and educational activities through the Visiting Schools Program. The Budj Bim Rangers run this program for school groups. Approximately 50 such visits take place each year (2017).
Land management and monitoring activities across the entire Budj Bim Cultural Landscape.
Application of Continuing traditional practices through customary and recorded knowledge
Channel with reconstructed stake, branch and weir. Author: Tyson Lovett-Murray.
Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation
The colonisation and occupation of Gunditjmara Country led to the loss of some traditional knowledge concerning the functioning of the Gunditjmara aquaculture system and particularly when access to such places was restricted because of private ownership by non-Aboriginal people. Starting from 1984, parts of the land were gradually returned to and purchased by Traditional Owners and with the return of lands to the Gunditjmara following the 2007 native title determination, the Gunditjmara’s focus turned to restoring the water flows and the revitalisation of the aquaculture system. Contemporary Gunditjmara knowledge and practices are renewed and revitalised through inherited customary knowledge. The continuation of traditional expertise (both as knowledge and practices) of Gunditjmara Traditional Owners, in combination with the protected area management expertise of government agencies, have allowed for the establishment of an enhanced adaptive management model through ‘two-way learning’. Gunditjmara customary knowledge concerning cultural water flows extends back more than 6,700 years.
The continuation of traditional practices – particularly maintaining and creating channels (yereoc), weirs (from both stone and wood) and dams and modifying ponds and sinkholes – are enabled by recorded knowledge (including personal, Elder and community memories) and historical documentation. Additionally, a key element for continuing aquaculture practices has been the returned ownership of the place to Gunditjmara Traditional Owners.
Water flow – which is an attribute of the Gunditjmara aquaculture system, has been substantially returned to the Tae Rak-Killara system as a result of the Gunditjmara initiating the construction of weir on Tae Rak in 2010. This important ecological restoration, and the return of additional water to the aquaculture system, continues to enhance understanding of the system and has enabled the Gunditjmara to recollect oral and written knowledge associated with the functioning of the kooyang (eel) aquaculture network.
The return of Country and the renewal of Gunditjmara continuing knowledge and practices concerning aquaculture have been powerful actions that have supported the Gunditjmara’s sense of spirit and feeling of the place
