Lake District UNESCO World Heritage Site

1,000 years of human activity recognised as influencing the landscape

The Lake District was awarded World Heritage status on Sunday 9th July at the UNESCO 41st session in Krakow, Poland. Out of 33 sites nominated only 3 were awarded Heritage status; along with the Lake District, Aphrodisias in Turkey and Valongo Wharf in Brazil, were both awarded the status for their archaeological heritage. The Lake District is the UKs 31st World Heritage Site and was awarded the accolade for its natural and cultural landscape which has been shaped by human activity for over 1,000 years.

Sites are awarded this status as their:

“….loss through deterioration or disappearance, of any of these most prized assets constitutes an impoverishment of the heritage of all the peoples of the world”

River Brathay, Ambleside

The accolade puts the onus on the Lake District governing bodies to integrate the principles of the status into planning policy, establish bodies to protect, conserve, promote and identify the threats. General policies for the area also have to “ give the heritage a function in the life of the community”.