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St Kilda gains World Heritage status

15/07/2005

The remote island of St Kilda has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status for both natural and cultural significance.

Already acknowledged for its magnificent physical beauty and its biological character, St Kilda has now been inscribed as a cultural record of a lost crofting community, that once lived on what has been described as "the edge of the world".

The unique Hebridean Islands, 64 kilometres west of the Outer Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland, share this honour with natural and cultural wonders such as the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu in Peru, Mount Athos in Greece and the Ukhahlamba/Drakensberg Park in South Africa.

Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson said:

"I am delighted that the World Heritage Committee has recognised the cultural importance of St Kilda at its annual meeting in Durban. The extended inscription on the World Heritage list recognises the outstanding universal value of the cultural as well as the natural environment of St Kilda. The story of St. Kilda is unique. For more than 5000 years a community survived on these remote, inhospitable islands. Their achievement and the quality of evidence that remains are recognised in this important accolade."

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee accepted the extension to the existing marine and terrestrial natural heritage World Heritage inscriptions to now include the 'cultural landscape' left by thousands of years of human occupation. The Comparative Analysis was prepared on behalf of the UK Government by The National Trust for Scotland, with support from Historic Scotland.

Robin Pellew, Chief Executive for the National Trust for Scotland said:

"What makes St Kilda so significant in cultural terms is that it provides evidence of how people lived and evolved since prehistoric times. It helps us to understand how people survived in extremely difficult and remote conditions over thousands of years. It is truly a unique and fascinating place.

"Evidence has been found which confirms people have lived on St Kilda for more than 2000 years and visited as many as 5000 years ago," said Robin Turner, the Trust's Head of Archaeology, commenting from Durban. "By investigating the many layers of undisturbed remains, we are constantly making important discoveries about how these people lived, worked and died.

"In preparing the new Comparative Analysis for the World Heritage Committee we were able to show that the cultural heritage of these islands truly is unique. Some places share some of St Kilda's outstanding characteristics, but nowhere comes close to matching them all: there is nowhere in the world like it."

St Kilda also has an extraordinary wealth of documentary evidence, dating from the 15th century onwards, including literature, songs, poetry and folklore telling the stories of every day life on the islands.

The Convener of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Mr. Alex MacDonald, said:

"I am delighted that St Kilda in the Western Isles has been awarded this major accolade of mixed World Heritage inscription for both its cultural and natural qualities. St Kilda is a very special place for many reasons but it has a particular place in the hearts and minds of the people of the Western Isles. Descendants of those who lived and worked on these islands continue to live in other parts of the Western Isles and they retain that direct link to the important culture, heritage and history emanating from St Kilda. That history is a poignant one and one that still resonates as the islands continue to struggle with depopulation.

"The Council hopes that this important accolade will ensure that the St Kilda cultural and natural assets will be available for future generations to enjoy and benefit from. The Council wishes to take advantage of this auspicious occasion to thank all the agencies, who have worked towards this goal and especially the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for appreciating the unique world importance of the site. St Kilda offers much from the past to the people of the Western Isles. It also offers much for the future."

World Heritage Key Facts:

The World Heritage List was established by the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage adopted in November 1972 at the 17th General Conference of UNESCO.

The Convention states that a World Heritage Committee 'will establish, keep up-to-date and publish' a World Heritage List of cultural and natural properties, submitted by the States Parties and considered to be of 'outstanding universal value'.

As of July 2004, the number of properties on the World Heritage List is 788. For more information visit: http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31

St Kilda Key Facts:

St Kilda Archipelago is a remote Atlantic Island group lying 64km west of the Outer Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. Part of the parish of Harris in the Western Isles, it consists of four main islands, Hirta, Soay, Boreray and Dun; 3 sea stacs - Stac an Armin, Stac Lee and Levenish; and a great number of smaller stacs and skerries.

The population living at Village Bay on Hirta is believed to have peaked at around 200 residents, but when it was evacuated on 29th August 1930, only 36 people lived on the islands. The 29th August 2005 is the 75th anniversary of the islands evacuation. To mark this anniversary and the Dual World Heritage Status an exhibition of photographs and items from St Kilda will be shown in the NTS Gallery in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh during the month of August. The exhibition will provide an excellent impression of what life on St Kilda must have been like in the early 1900s.

Owned by MacLeod of Harris & Dunvegan until 1931, St Kilda was sold to the Earl of Dumfries who later became the 5th Marquess of Bute. He retained the islands, unoccupied and managed as a bird sanctuary, until his death in 1956 and in 1957 the islands came into the care of The National Trust for Scotland. From 1958 onwards, NTS volunteer work parties have visited annually restoring a number of the historic buildings for use by visitors, volunteers and researchers, as well as maintaining the ruined structures and assisting with archaeological excavations. Around 1,750 people visit St Kilda every year.

St Kilda is managed by The National Trust for Scotland in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Scotland, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council), Ministry of Defence and its agents QinetiQ. For more information please visit: http://www.kilda.org.uk/ or www.hiort.org.uk

List of Designations include:

• World Heritage Site for its natural characteristics - in 1986 (terrestrial) and 2004 (marine), and in particular for its superlative natural features, its habitats for rare and endangered species, and its internationally important population of seabirds.
• Special Area for Conservation (2004) for its vegetated cliff areas, its reefs and its sea caves. These areas are considered to have a high diversity of habitat/species of European importance.
• Special Protection Area (1992) placing an obligation on the UK Government to maintain or re-establish a sufficient diversity and area of habitats for all species of wild birds naturally occurring in their European territories.
• National Nature Reserve (1957) for its national importance as a site that can be managed in the long-term for the primacy of nature.
• Site of Special Scientific Interest (1984) for its biological features, notably its marine grassland and heath, peatland, open water and coastland, its bird life and for its indigenous species of wren, field mouse and Soay sheep.
• National Scenic Area (1981) for its outstanding scenic value and beauty in a national context.
• Marine Consultation Area (1990) one of 29 in Scotland for its special distinction in respect of the quality and sensitivity of its marine environment and where scientific information substantiates its nature conservation importance.
• Geological Conservation Review Site (1984) under three different subject headings: tertiary igneous geology; quarternary geology; and its coastal geomorphology.
• Scheduled Ancient Monuments (1963, 1972, 2002) four major areas on Hirta were scheduled by Historic Scotland for the national importance of their archaeology. They comprise diverse and well-preserved multi-period remains of settlement on St Kilda, structures that date from prehistory through to the early 20th century. The remains have the potential to provide important information about life on St Kilda through the millennia, an extreme existence that was, and continues to be, of enormous interest to Scottish and international observers who documented the life of inhabitants from early times.

INBHE DHÙBAILTE A THAOBH DUALCHAS NA CRUINNE DO DH'EILEANAN ALBANNACH SÒNRAICHTE

Tha Hiort, a tha fo sheilbh agus fo riaghladh Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba, a-nis air aon den dà dhusan àite air feadh an t-saoghail a fhuair Inbhe Dhualchas na Cruinne an dà chuid airson a chudromachd nàdarra agus cultarach. Tha an t-urram seo a fhuair na h-Eileanan iomallach an Innse Gall co-ionann ri iongantasan nàdarra agus cultarach mar Chomraich Eachdraidheil Machu Picchu am Peru, Beinn Athos sa Ghrèig agus Pàirc Ukhahlamba/Drakensberg an Afraga a Deas.

An dèidh Mion-sgrùdadh Coimeasail leasaichte, ghabh Comataidh Dhualchas na Cruinne UNESCO, a' coinneachadh ann an Durban, Afraga a Deas, ri leudachadh air sgrìobhaidhean a fhuaireadh roimhe bho Dhualchas na Cruinne airson dualchas nàdair mara agus tìre. Gabhaidh an sgrìobhadh a-staigh a-nis an 'sealladh cultarach' a dh'fhàg mìltean bhliadhnachan de dhaoine a' tàmh ann. Chaidh an t-ainmeachadh ullachadh às leth Riaghaltas na RA le Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba le taic bho Alba Eachdraidheil.

Tha Hiort sgrìobhte a-nis airson bòidhchead air leth na tìre, a nàdar bith-eòlasach agus a dhealbh cultarach de choimhearsnachd croitearachd a bha uaireigin a' fuireach air àite a chaidh a mhìneachadh mar "oir an t-saoghail". Tha iomallachd nan eilean - 64 cilemeatair an iar air na h-Eileanan Siar, a-mach bho chladach siar na h-Alba - agus cho beag dragh 's a chuir daoine air thar 5 mìle bliadhna a' ciallachadh gu bheil e na eisimpleir fìor de dhòigh-beatha a tha a-nis air chall.

Thuirt Ministear an Turasachd, a' Chultair agus an Spòrs, Patricia NicFhearghais:

"Tha mi air leth toilichte gu bheil Comataidh Dhualchas na Cruinne air àite a thoirt do chudromachd cultarach Hiort aig a coinneamh bhliadhnail ann an Durban. Tha an sgrìobhadh leudaichte air liosta Dhualchas na Cruinne a' toirt àite don luach coitcheann air leth a tha aig Hiort a bharrachd air an àrainneachd nàdarrach. Tha eachdraidh Hiort gun samhail. Airson còrr air 5000 bliadhna thàinig coimhearsnachd beò air na h-eileanan iomallach mosach sin. Tha na rinn iad agus an fhianais a dh'fhàg iad air an aithneachadh san urram chudromach seo."

Thuirt Robin Pellew, Ceannard Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba:

"'S e tha a' dèanamh Hiort cho cudromach a thaobh cultair gu bheil e na fhianais air beatha agus bith dhaoine bho linntean ro-eachdraidh. Tha e gar cuideachadh a' tuigsinn ciamar a thàinig daoine beò ann an suidheachaidhean air leth doirbh agus iomallach thar mìltean de bhliadhnachan. 'S e àite sònraichte agus iongantach a th' ann dha-rìreabh.

"Tha na tha sinn air a lorg a' dearbhadh gu robh daoine a' fuireach air Hiort airson còrr air 2000 bliadhna agus gu robhar a' tadhal ann cho fada air ais ri 5000 bliadhna" thuirt Robin Turner, Ceannard Airceòlais an Urrais, a' bruidhinn à Durban. "Le bhith a' sgrùdadh nan iomadh sreath de stuth a bha an sin gun ghluasad, tha sinn daonnan a' faighinn fiosrachadh cudromach mu bheatha, obair agus bàs an t-sluaigh sin.

"Ann a bhith ag ullachadh an Sgrùdaidh Coimeasail ùr do Chomataidh Dhualchas na Cruinne fhuair sinn air sealltainn gu bheil dualchas cultarach nan eilean sin sònraichte dha-rìreabh. Tha àiteachan ann aig a bheil cuid de fheartan sònraichte Hiort, ach chan eil àite a' tighinn faisg air a bhith co-ionann a thaobh nam feartan uile: chan eil àite san t-saoghal dhe leithid."

Tha stòras iongantach aig Hiort cuideachd de fhianais sgrìobhte, a' dol air ais chun a' 15mh linn, a' gabhail a-staigh litreachas, òrain, bàrdachd agus beul-aithris ag innse eachdraidh a' bheatha làitheil air na h-eileanan.

Thuirt Neach-gairm Chomhairle nan Eilean Siar Mgr. Ailig Dòmhnallach:

"Tha mi air leth toilichte gun d' fhuair Hiort anns na h-Eileanan Siar am prìomh urram seo de sgrìobhadh Dhualchas na Cruinne airson nam feartan cultarach agus nàdarra. Tha Hiort na àite sònraichte airson iomadh adhbhar ach tha àite sònraichte aige ann an cridheachan agus inntinnean sluagh nan Eilean Siar. Tha sliochd nan daoine a bha a' fuireach agus ag obair anns na h-eileanan sin fhathast ann an ceàrnaidhean eile de na h-Eileanan Siar agus tha iad a' cumail suas ceangal dìreach ris a' chultar, an dualchas agus an eachdraidh chudromach a tha a' sruthadh bho Hiort. 'S e eachdraidh chianail a th' innte agus eachdraidh a tha fhathast a' dol mar a tha na h-eileanan a' cumail a' strì ri dì-dhaoineachadh.

"Tha a' Chomhairle an dòchas gun dèan an t-urram cudromach seo cinnteach gum bi ginealaich ri teachd a' faighinn tlachd agus buannachd bho mhaoin cultarach agus nàdarra Hiort. Tha a' Chomhairle airson feum a dhèanamh den àm fhàbharach seo airson taing a thoirt don h-uile buidheann a tha air obrachadh a dh'ionnsaigh a' chinn-uidhe seo agus gu h-àraidh Comataidh Dhualchas na Cruinne UNESCO airson luach a chur air cudromachd air leth an làraich san t-saoghal. Tha mòran ann an Hiort bho na làithean a dh'fhalbh do shluagh nan Eilean Siar. Tha mòran ann cuideachd do na làithean ri teachd."

Fiosrachadh Cudromach WHS:

Bha Liosta Dhualchas na Cruinne air a stèidheachadh leis a' Chùmhnant co-cheangailte ri Dìon Dhualchas Cultarach agus Nàdarra na Cruinne ris an deach gabhail san t-Samhain 1972 aig an 17mh Cò-labhairt Coitcheann aig UNESCO. Tha an Cùmhnant ag ràdh gum bi Comataidh Dhualchas na Cruinne 'a' stèidheachadh, a' cumail suas agus a' foillseachadh' Liosta Dhualchas na Cruinne de fheartan cultarach agus nàiseanta, air a chur a-steach le na Pàrtaidhean Stàite agus air a mheas a bhith de ' luach uile-choitcheann air leth'. Bhon Iuchair 2004, tha 788 feartan air Liosta Dhualchas na Cruinne. Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh tadhail air: http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31

Fiosrachadh Cudromach mu Hiort:

'S e buidheann de Eileanan iomallach sa Chuan Siar a tha ann an Hiort agus tha iad 64km siar air Innse Gall a-mach bho chladach siar na h-Alba. Tha e na phàirt de Sgìre na Hearadh anns na h-Eileanan Siar agus tha ceithir prìomh eileanan ann - Hiort, Sòdhaigh, Boraraigh agus an Dùn; 3 stacan mara - Stac an Àrmainn, Stac Lì agus Leabhanais; agus mòran stacan is sgeirean nas lugha.

Thathar den bheachd gu robh 200 daoine a' fuireach am Bàgh a' Bhaile an Hiort aig aon àm, ach nuair a chaidh fhalmhachadh air 29th Lùnastal 1930, cha robh ach 36 duine air na h-eileanan. 'S e 29th Lùnastal 2005 an 75mh ceann-bliadhna bhon àm a chaidh na h-eileanan fhalmhachadh. Gus cuimhne a chumail air agus an Inbhe Dhùbailte a thaobh Dualchas na Cruinne a chomharrachadh bidh taisbeanadh de dhealbhan-camara agus nithean a thàinig à Hiort ann an Gailearaidh NTS an Charlotte Square, Dùn Èideann tro mhìos an Lùnastail. Bheir an taisbeanadh sàr bheachd air co ris a bhiodh beatha air Hiort coltach tràth sna 1900s.

Suas gu 1931 bha Hiort ann an làmhan MhicLeòid na Hearadh & Dhùn Bheagain, agus chaidh a reic ri Iarla Dhùn Fris a bha a-rithist na 5mh Iarla Bhòid. Ghlèidh e na h-eileanan, gun daoine agus air an ruith mar thèarmann eun, gus an do chaochail e ann an 1956 agus ann an 1957 thàinig na h-eileanan fo chùram Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba. Bho 1958, tha pàrtaidhean obrach saor-thoileach NTS air tadhal gach bliadhna a' dèanamh suas às ùr cuid de na togalaichean eachdraidheil airson luchd-siubhail, luchd-obrach saor-thoileach agus luchd-rannsachaidh, còmhla ri bhith a' cumail suas nan tobhtaichean a' cuideachadh le cladhach arc-eòlasach. An-diugh tha mu 1750 duine a' tadhal air Hiort gach bliadhna.

Tha Hiort air a riaghladh le Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba còmhla ri Dualchas Nàdair na h-Alba, Alba Eachdraidheil, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Ministreachd an Dìon agus a riochdairean QinetiQ. Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh tadhail air: http://www.kilda.org.uk/ or www.hiort.org.uk

Tha an Liosta Shònrachadh a' gabhail a-staigh:

• Làrach Dhualchas na Cruinne airson a chomharran nàdarra - ann an 1986 (tìre) agus 2004 (mara), agus gu sònraichte airson a shàr chomharran nàdarra, na h-àrainnean aige airson gnèithean gann agus ann an cunnart, agus a ghnèithean eun-mara a tha cudromach gu nàiseanta.
• Ionad Sònraichte Glèidhteachais 2004 airson nan creagan còmhdaichte le lusan, nan sgeirean agus nan uaimhean mara. Thathar a' meas gu bheil iomadh seòrsa àrainn/gnè le cudrom Eòrpach sna h-àiteachan sin.
• Sgìre Dìon Shònraichte (1992) a' cur dleastanas air Riaghaltas na RA a bhith a' cumail a' dol no ag ath-stèidheachadh raon iomchaidh de àrainnean eadar-dhealaichte don h-uile gnè eun fiadhaich a tha gu nàdarrach sna h-àrainnean Eòrpach aca.
• Tèarmann Nàdair Nàiseanta (1957) airson a chudrom nàiseanta mar làrach a ghabhas a bhith air a ruith san fhad-ùine airson prìomhachd nàdair.
• Ionad de Shuim Shònraichte Shaidheansail (1984) airson a chomharran bith-eòlasach, gu sònraichte feur is monadh ri taobh na mara, talamh-mònach, uisge fosgailte agus oirthir, eunlaith agus airson a ghnèithean dùthchasach den dreathan-donn, luch-fheòir agus caoraich Shòdhaigh.
• Sgìre Bòidhchead Nàiseanta (1981) airson a sheallaidhean luachmhor agus a bhòidhchead air leth ann an structar nàiseanta.
• Sgìre Comhairleachaidh Mara (1990) aon de 29 an Alba airson a chliù shònraichte a thaobh càileachd agus mothachadh air an àrainneachd mara agus far a bheil fiosrachadh saidheansail a' dearbhadh a chudromachd a thaobh glèidhteachas nàdair.
• Làrach Ath-sgrùdadh Geòlais (1984) fo thrì chinn-cuspair eadar-dhealaichte: geòlas teinntidh tertiary; geòlas quarternary; agus geocruth-eòlas oirthireach.
• Làraichean Àrsaidh Clàraichte (1963, 1972, 2002) bha ceithir prìomh cheàrnaidhean air Hiort air an clàradh le Alba Eachdraidheil airson an cudrom nàiseanta a thaoch arc-eòlais. Tha iomadh seòrsa stutha bho iomadh linn air a ghleidheadh ann bho thuineachadh air Hiort, structaran a tha ann bho àm ro-eachdraidh gu tràth san 20mh linn. Tha comas aig an stuth sin air fiosrachadh cudromach a thoirt seachad mun bheatha air Hiort tro na mìltean de bhliadhnachan, beatha iomallach a bha, agus a tha fhathast, fìor inntinneach do luchd-coimhid Albannach agus eadar-nàiseanta a chum cunntas air beatha an t-sluaigh bho na linntean a dh'fhalbh.