Protecting UNESCO World Heritage Properties's Integrity: the Role of Recording and Documentation in Risk Management for Petra

A multidisciplinary approach combining low-cost recording, documentation, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has been developed to enhance risk management for Petra. This methodology enables the creation of a detailed baseline record using non-intrusive techniques such as GNSS, photography, and structured visual inspections, facilitating the identification of disturbances and threats. By mapping the site's boundaries and buffer zones, the approach aims to prioritize monuments at risk based on their significance and vulnerability, providing authorities with actionable insights for preventive and active risk mitigation. The study, conducted by experts from Leuven University, UNESCO Amman, and Jordanian institutions, envisions a decision tool as an outcome to guide future conservation efforts.

Santana Quintero, M., Cesaro, G., Ishakat, F., Vandesande, A., Vileikis, O., Vadafari, A., Paolini, A., Van Balen, K., & Fakhoury, L. (2012). PROTECTING UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE PROPERTIES’S INTEGRITY: THE ROLE OF RECORDING AND DOCUMENTATION IN RISK MANAGEMENT FOR PETRA. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XXXIX-B5, 121–126. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-xxxix-b5-121-2012