The working group for the preparation of the Volga Delta World Heritage nomination visited the Astrakhansky Natural State Reserve on August, 5-13, in the framework of the NHPF project "Specific Nature Conservation Measures in the Volga Delta". The trip was organized with the support of the Euronatur and the UNDP/GEF. Representatives of the NHPF, Moscow State University, the Institute of Geography RAS, the Russian Research Institute for Cultural and Natural Heritage named after D.S. Likhachev took partin the trip.

Sub-Regional Meeting on the nomination of the West Tien-Shan as a transboundary Natural Heritage site attended by specialists from Kasakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan was held with the support of the UNESCO July 18-19, in Almaty.

At the 31st Session of the World Heritage Committee which took place on 23.06-02.07 in Christchirch, New Zealand, 22 new sites (5 natural, 16 cultural and 1 mixed sites) from 22 countries have entered the World Heritage List. Now the List counts 166 natural, 660 cultural and 25 mixed sites.

Natural Heritage Protection Fund will take part as expert in the "Working up the transboundary multiple nomination "Western Tien-Shan" project which has started within the frames of the Global Strategy for working up a balanced, representative and reliable World Heritage List.

Within the frames of the "Biodiversity Conservation in Altai-Sayan Region" UNDP/GEF project on May, 23-24 in Kysyl took place the adjusting meeting for working up management plan for the Ubsunur Hollow Reserve, the Russian part of the International World Heritage site of the same name. A. Butorin, the President of the Natural Heritage Protection Fund, takes part as the UNDP/GEF consultant.

A joint project of the Natural Heritage Protection Fund and the EcoCenter "Zapovedniks" "Catalyzing local socio-economic development using the natural and cultural potential of the planned Biosphere Reserve of Kugu Kakshan" has been launched. The project is supported by the European Union.