U.S. Department of the Interior considering new nominees for UNESCO World Heritage sites

by Kraig Becker on

The U.S. Department of the Interior is in the process of considering a number of new sites for possible nomination for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list. That list, which currently features 936 properties from across the globe, recognizes some of the most culturally significant and naturally beautiful locations on our planet. Many of those locations, such as Machu Picchu in Peru and the Great Pyramids of Giza, also happen to be popular destinations for travelers.

Among the sites in the U.S. that are being considered for nomination are the San Antonio Missions in Texas which played a major role in the early exploration and settlement of that region. The missions trace their history back to 1690 and continue to have a cultural and religious impact on San Antonio to this day. Additionally, the four missions that make up the National Historical Park remain excellent examples of early-American architecture as well.

In total there are 13 sites being evaluated for submission to UNESCO including George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon, the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona and the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. Of those, nine fall under the heading of “cultural” sites while the remaining four are in the “natural” category. To view the entire list click here.

The list is now open for public comment giving us all the opportunity to weigh in on the choices that are under consideration. The Department of the Interior says it will take into account those pubic comments, along with the recommendations from the Federal Interagency Panel for World Heritage, when making their final decision.

Once that process is complete the nominations will be submitted and it will be up to UNESCO to add these sites to its very prestigious list.

FAA reconsiders use of electronics on airplanes

by Grant Martin on

Anyone who has tried to use an e-reader or tablet on their flight in the last several years knows about the strict rules that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) places on their operation. Taxi, takeoff and landing are periods during which most electronics are prohibited, a rule that has riled up frequent travelers and tech lovers alike. Even “Mythbusters” has an episode exploring the use of cell phones on aircraft electronics (result: busted).

Given the changes to technologies and continuous pressure from consumers, that may soon change. The New York Times‘ Nick Bilton on the Bits blog posted an interesting article this weekend in which the FAA admitted that they’re looking into revising their policy. The current policy in place, which puts the onus of testing on the airlines, is too expensive and time consuming for the industry to support. As a result, the agency is looking into methods to “bring together electronics ‘manufacturers, consumer electronic associations, aircraft and avionics manufacturers, airlines, pilots, flight attendants and passengers’ to figure out how to allow greater use of these electronics on planes.”

There’s no word on what sort of schedule the FAA has in mind or how serious they are about the initiative, but if we can believe this report, the tide may soon be turning.

[flickr image via Fly for Fun]

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Largest international conservation area formed in southern Africa

by Kraig Becker on

On Thursday of this week five nations in southern Africa announced plans to form a new international conservation area that will be the largest of its kind once it is complete. This unprecedented move was made to allow the participating nations to combine their conservation efforts and combat illegal poaching in a more efficient manner.

Under the agreement, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola and Botswana will combine 36 nature preserves that are currently managed independently of one another. The newly unified conservation area will be roughly the size of Sweden and will provide wildlife with more than 170,000 square miles of unbroken territory to freely migrate through. This new preserve will be expansive enough to encompass both Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and the Okavango Delta in Botswana, two of the more spectacular settings in all of Africa.

Conservationists are hailing the move as a good one for southern Africa. The newly formed Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area is home to roughly 45% of the total elephant population on the continent and will also feature more than 600 species of birds alone. Other big game, such as zebra, giraffe, buffalo and lion will be plentiful there as well.

Of particular concern for each of the countries involved with the project is protecting the elephant herds that live there. Poaching has become a major concern across Africa where the animals are routinely hunted and killed illegally to harvest their ivory tusks. With each nation working more cooperatively inside the conservation area, however, they hope to prevent much of the poaching that has gone on in the region over the past few years.

A town with no roads: Giethoorn, Netherlands

by Elizabeth Seward on

I recently came across a story, complete with entrancing photos, on SlightlyWarped.com. “The Town with No Roads” captured my attention with its title and then I read on. The series, worth reading, from Slightly Warped is called “Curiosities” — and this curiosity is worth the intrigue. Giethoorn, Netherlands, is reminiscent of a fairytale. Tall trees and bushy shrubs are so well-placed alongside a quaint canal in this beautiful town that they seem to have been taken out of a Bob Ross painting. But the town’s aesthetic goes beyond tasteful landscaping, and that canal isn’t just for scenery. The village of Giethoorn does not contain roads. Citizens travel by boat through the interlocking canals, or by foot or bike. Located in the Dutch province of Overijssel, Giethoorn seems like a perfect place to escape to when in need of head-clearing.

Three climbers missing on remote Pakistani peak

by Kraig Becker on

The search for three missing climbers on a remote peak in Pakistan was called off yesterday when rescue teams could find no trace of the men. The trio was last seen on March 9 as they made their way toward the summit but what became of them after that remains a mystery.

Veteran climber Gerfried Goschl of Austria, along with Swiss mountaineer Cedric Hahlen and Pakistani guide Nisar Hussein were attempting to make the first winter ascent of Gasherbrum I, the 11th tallest peak in the world at 26,509 feet. On Thursday, March 8, they used a satellite phone to call their support team to inform them that they were just 1475 feet from the top. The climbers sounded optimistic about their chances as weather conditions improved around them and they put the more technically challenging aspects of the ascent behind them. Unfortunately, that was the last time that anyone ever talked to them.

The following day a second team of climbers made history by becoming the first to successfully climb Gasherbrum I in the winter. While on the summit, those climbers reported seeing Goschl, Hahlen and Hussein on the move and still trying to reach the top. It would be the last time that anyone would ever see the men alive.After the team failed to appear back in camp, other climbers on the mountain organized a search and rescue operation. Their efforts were hampered by poor weather conditions, however, and it was several days before helicopters could arrive on site to help them look. The search was ultimately abandoned when it failed to turn up any evidence of the whereabouts of the three men.

The Karakoram mountain range, where GI is located, is amongst the more challenging environments for climbers on the planet. Those challenges are only amplified further during the winter when the mountains are frequently buffeted by hurricane force winds and temperatures routinely plunge below -50ºF.

Goschl, Hahlen and Nisar spent nearly three months in that environment only to have their efforts tragically end this way.

[Photo credit: Uwe Gille via WikiMedia]