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| Lord Howe Island Group - Australia |
Short Report
A notable example of remote oceanic islands, born of volcanic activity more than 2,000 m under the sea, the islands have a spectacular topography and many endemic species, especially birds.
Wonderful Universal Importance
Brief synthesis
The Lord Howe Island Group is an excellent example of oceanic islands of volcanic origin with a unique fauna of plants and animals, as well as the world's most southern true coral reef. It is an area of spectacular and picturesque landscapes encapsulated in a small area, and provides important breeding grounds for colonies seabirds as well as important natural habitat for the conservation of endangered species. Iconic species are endemics such as the because Lord Howe Woodhen (Gallirallis as Tricholimnas sylvestris), previously considered to be one of the most rare birds in the world, and the Lord Howe Island Phasmid (Dryococelus australis), the world's largest stick insect that was afraid to be extinct rediscovery on Balls Pyramid.
Approximately 75% of the terrestrial part of the property is managed as a permanent Park Preserve, consisting of the northern and southern mountains of Lord Howe island itself, plus the Admiralty Islands, Mutton Bird Islands, Balls Pyramid and surrounding islands. The property is located in the Tasman Sea, about 570 kilometers east of Port Macquarie. The entire property, including the marine area and associated coral reefs covers 146,300 hectares, with the terrestrial area about the size of approximately 1,540 hectares.
Wide Report
Situated in the South of the Pacific Ocean, 700 km north-east of Sydney, the property is included administrative in New South Wales. The domain includes approximately 75% of the land area of Lord Howe Island and all islands and rocks of considerable size in the region. These are the Admiralty Group; Mutton Bird and Sail Rock; Blackburn (Rabbit) Island; Gower Island; and Ball Pyramid, together with a number of small islands and rocks. The seaward boundary follows the mean high water mark and therefore does not include all related terrestrial and marine areas. The whole archipelago has remarkable volcanic risks not known elsewhere.
The main island of Lord Howe measures 10 km of north and south, and is a little more than 2 km wide. The more or less describes a crescent, enclosing a coral reef lagoon on the south-west side. The island of the topography is dominated by the southern Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird. Only a narrow isthmus of low-lying land in the north central part of the island is habitable. The northern tip consists of steep slopes that have led to extensive cliffs against the northern coastline.
Lord Howe Island is the eroded remnant of a large shield volcano eruption from the seabed occasionally for approximately 500,000 years of the late Miocene period (6.5-7 million years ago). The archipelago is the visible peaks of a large volcanic seamount which is approximately 65 km long and 24 km wide and comes from deep ocean of more than 1,800 m. Four separate series of volcanic rocks are recognized on the main island group: tuffs, breccia and basalts, with massive infiltration of basaltic dykes. The dominant landforming process on Lord Howe since the last of the volcanic eruptions is marine erosion, which cuts and maintain large rocks. Faulty and accumulation of talus Slope at the foot of some rocks, especially in the south, have their original form.
The island offers support for the southern-most coral reefs in the world, which forms part pleistocene era Recent Age and differs considerably from more northern hot water reefs. It is unique that a transition between the algae and coral reef, as a result of fluctuations in hot and cold water around the island. A large variety of vegetation is described for the islands, with the diversity of the habitats. Variable exposure to wind and penetration of saline mist seem to be the main determinants of vegetation, structure and floristic. THE population of the large forest bat occurs on the island. No other indigenous indigenous mammals are known. Introduced species, but also mice, rats and goats.
There are at least 129 indigenous and imported birds. Lord Howe is now the only known breeding ground for providence storm petrel. Fleshy feet shearwater varieties in large numbers, possibly with half the world's population present per season. Other important species breeding within the domain includes kermadec storm petrel, black winged storm petrel, wedge-tailed catfish shearwater, small shearwater, white and storm petrel, masked booby and red-tailed catfish tropic bird in greater concentrations than probably anywhere else in the world.
The earliest European discovery of Lord Howe appears to be by the British in 1788. A small, permanent settlement was founded in the 19th century, survival in the trade with passing ships. There is no recognized proof of prior Polynesian or Melanesian discovery or settlement.
Source:whc/unesco
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