‘Mt Bosavi should be in heritage list’

BBC documentary producer Steve Greenwood has suggested that the crater of Mt Bosavi in Southern Highlands province should be declared a World Heritage Site.
Writing on his website last week about “the moment we found a Bosavi woolly rat – an animal totally new to science”, Mr Greenwood indicated that he would support moves to protect this natural heritage.
The adjoining Kikori River Basin has been on the Unesco World Heritage Site tentative list since 2006 through efforts by the Environment and Conservation Department and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Mr Greenwood’s documentary on the animals and plants of Mt Bosavi is the last part of BBC’s Lost Land of the Volcano series which will be shown on BBC2 (only available in the United Kingdom) on Sept 22.
Environment and Conservation  secretary Dr Wari Iamo was not available yesterday to comment on the Government’s position on the Unesco protection which PNG is a signatory to and to which PNG benefits with the listing of the Kuk pre-history agriculture drainage system in Western Highlands province.
Writing about his experience, Mr Greenwood said: “Mammals with no fear of humans.
“In the 21st century that is a rare sight indeed.
“Now the talk is how to promote and conserve this remarkable crater – perhaps by making it a World Heritage Site.”
WWF terrestrial programme manager in PNG, David Melick, said on Wednesday that the very high biodiversity and the spectacular scenery led to the acceptance of the Kikori River Basin, adjoining the Great Papuan Plateau (where Mt Bosavi is) onto the Unesco World Heritage tentative list three years ago.
Dr Melick said the Mt Bosavi region was within the Kikori catchment in Southern Highlands and Gulf provinces.
An inclusion in the tentative list means that PNG, among other things, will continue to resubmit, at least every 10 years, until the site is declared by the governing body.