UNESCO World Heritage

Two examples of world interest in the Sahara are the UNESCO World Heritage sites of the ALGERIAN TASSILI-N-AJJER, and the LIBYAN TADRART-AKAKUS. Both of these were designated cultural heritage sites as far back as the mid 1980s, the earliest designated site was the Tassili in 1982, closely followed in 1987 by the Tadrart-Akakus.  A further CONSERVATION DESIGNATION for the Tassili is found under the United Nations World Conservation Monitoring Centre for its unique biodiversity.  National parks do exist in Niger and Chad.

UNESCO WH designations are being applied to many sites throughout the Sahara, indeed, through Africa.  It is an ongoing process which suggests to many that our precious habitats are in need of protection, sometimes against great odds as the human requirement for land steadily encroaches wild habitats; the balance between the existence of both humankind and wildlife is precarious, quarrelsome and on occasions, dangerous.

When breaking point is reached the environment more often than not suffers at the hands of the very people who ought to develop an awareness that diversity is important; indigenous cultural groups get extra land for themselves and the domestic animals they depend on for survival, but the costs to wildlife and biodiversity can be very high indeed.

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