Most of the property is in a good protection and management situation and only around the villages in the west and north-west of the property are there some concerns about the protection and sensitivity of the fragile environment, and illegal interventions. Staff capacity building is though reported to have been effective during the last years. The protection and management system is still being developed, especially to address threats to the site’s values posed by expected increases in tourism, traffic and the development of new facilities.Įight new field Bases have been established to improve local management, however, there is some concern regarding the lack of staff. However, these impacts remain localised around parts of the edges of Lut Desert, which, owing to its vast size and harsh environment, is for the most part naturally protected against significant impacts.Įnvironmental conditions, such as the hot arid climate and large area, as well as seasonal restrictions on tourism have provided good and effective protection for the Lut Desert. Use of natural resources, therefore, needs to be carefully managed to ensure it is sustainable. Grazing and firewood collection have led to some desertification in some areas on the edge of the site, with impacts noticeable in the degradation of some nebkhas (dunes formed around plants). In the last few years since inscription on the World Heritage list in 2016, the Lut Desert World Heritage Base has taken actions to address pressures related to tourism and improve local community partnerships for conservation and management. Special attention will need to be paid to managing impacts from visitors and tourism (infrastructure) development, as well as general development pressure near the settlements at the edges of the site. The protection and management system, once fully developed, should be able to address the few issues that the site is facing.

Natural processes in the site’s harsh desert environment will effectively maintain World Heritage values over most of the site for the foreseeable future.

In general, the state of conservation of the Lut Desert World Heritage Site is good.

Lut desert