US rules for World Heritage sites get their first update since 1982

The US National Park Service is updating its rules for managing World Heritage sites, the first change since 1982. This means the US will now follow the same international guidelines as other countries when nominating and protecting these sites.

The US has 25 World Heritage sites, from the Grand Canyon to the Statue of Liberty. For decades, the rules for managing these sites were out of sync with international standards. This update means the US will now use the same definitions and processes as the rest of the world, which could affect how new sites are chosen and how existing ones are protected.