"Lena Pillars Nature Park" nomination submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Natural Heritage Protection Fund finalized all necessary agreements of the "Lena Pillars Nature Park" nomination in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation during January, 2011, and today nomination dossier was submitted to the World Heritage Centre.

Lena Pillars Nature Park was nominated first in 2008 according to all four natural criteria of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment recalled "Lena Pillars" nomination on the eve of the 33rd Session of the World Heritage Committee after questionable negative decision of IUCN concerning "Lena Pillars" OUV. The new one dossier was prepared in 2010 in cooperation with numerous Russian and foreign specialists. The main key points of the dossier are: three key-stories about our planet and the early evolution of life which tells us the nominated property, namely: the record of the "Cambrian Explosion", the newcoming story of frozen ground karst phenomenon, and the history of human deifying of a great natural monument.

Specialists from the RAS Institute of Geography, RAS Institute of Paleontology, German Academy for Nature Conservation on Island Vilm, and Natural Heritage Protection Fund were assisted in new nomination version creation.

In March, 2011, the World Heritage Centre will draw a conclusion on completeness of dossier and second field mission of IUCN experts will occur in summer in case of favorable conclusion. The question on "Lena Pillars Nature Park" inscription could be considered during 36th Session of the World Heritage Committee in summer 2012.