Which places in California are designated a UNESCO World Heritage site?
Every time California comes to mind so do its iconic landscapes the towering redwoods along the coast and the awe-inspiring glacial valleys carved deep into the Sierra Nevada Redwood and Yosemite national parks which boast a multitude of of these breathtaking scenes are the only two places in the state designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites On Tuesday the Trump administration again declared its intention to withdraw the United States from membership in the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization citing charges that the agency promotes anti-Israel bias The move comes two years after the Biden administration rejoined UNESCO ending a five-year absence that began during Trump s first term The latest withdrawal is expected to take effect in December after that point the U S would retain observer status but no longer hold full membership UNESCO which oversees the World Heritage activity is an agency known for preserving natural and cultural heritage of global significance Famous sites that are part of the World Heritage Campaign include the Great Wall of China the Taj Mahal in India the Acropolis in Greece and Yellowstone National Park It plays a broader role in enhancing global educational and scientific programs Related Articles AG Pam Bondi Interior s Burgum tour Alcatraz to advance Trump s plans to reopen former prison Signs posted at National Park Arrangement sites seen as threats to whitewash dark side of history Move over fat bears Denali puppies are new webcam darlings Trump administration plans to rescind rule blocking logging on national forest lands All Yosemite campgrounds open this summer for the first time in years There are at the moment sites in the United States inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List Among them only two are located in California Redwood National Park and Yosemite National Park Redwood National Park was added to the list in It encompasses a region of coastal mountains blanketed by magnificent forest of coastal redwoods the tallest trees in the world The park is also notable for its rich diversity of marine and terrestrial life Yosemite National Park one of California s majority of popular vacation destinations was designated a World Heritage Site in It is renowned for its unique breathtaking natural beauty characterized by dramatic granite formations shaped by glaciation However even before Trump took office the National Park System was underfunded operating on a lean billion budget Since January staffing has dropped by and Trump proposed slashing the budget by according to the New York Times After the withdrawal action takes effect the U S is ineligible to serve on the World Heritage Committee without paying dues to the World Heritage Fund but it remains a party to the convention and retains the ability to nominate sites for World Heritage designation The current U S Tentative List includes properties or groups of properties of which are cultural heritage and eight of which are natural heritage The one in California is the California Current Conservation Complex which includes Cordell Bank Monterey Bay Greater Farallones Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area The list is intended to be the source of U S World Heritage nominations over the next decade
