Fifteen Canadian sites to treasure and protect

The Great Barrier Reef, the Grand Canyon, Egypt's pyramids: Some of the world's most famous landmarks have been recognized by UNESCO, the arm of the United Nations charged with protecting heritage around the globe.

But many lesser known gems — Slovakian churches, an agricultural site in Papua New Guinea, the lakes of northern Kazakhstan, a Mexican butterfly reserve — fill the global list of more than 850 World Heritage Sites.

Fifteen of Canada's natural and cultural sites have been recognized, ranging from the northern tip of Newfoundland to the Yukon's border with Alaska. (See interactive map.)

Joggins fossil cliffs, N.S.

For nearly 200 years, scientists have been fascinated with this 10-kilometre stretch at the Bay of Fundy, where tides continually erode stone to expose fossils dating back hundreds of millions of years.

The cliffs, which even garnered a mention in Charles Darwin's landmark work, On the Origin of Species, are home to enormous fossilized trees and what's believed to be the remains of the world's oldest reptile.

UNESCO designated Joggins  as Canada's newest World Heritage Site in 2008.

L'Anse aux Meadows, N.L.

Lying at the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, this 11th-century Viking settlement offers evidence of the first European presence in North America.

Discovered in 1960 by Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad and his archeologist wife, Anne Stine Ingstad, it is the only authenticated Viking settlement in North America outside of Greenland. The excavated remains of wood-framed peat-turf buildings are similar to those found in Norse Greenland and Iceland.

UNESCO recognized the site in 1978, making it Canada's first cultural entry on the list. (The Northwest Territories' Nahanni National Park was also added in 1978 but as a natural phenomenon.)

Nahanni National Park, N.W.T.

Canada's first entry on the UNESCO list, this preserve protects a portion of the Mackenzie Mountains Natural Region, including massive canyons, sulphur hot springs, alpine tundra and the spectacular rapids of the South Nahanni River.

The park's boreal forest is home to wolves, grizzly bears and caribou while mountain goats and Dall sheep inhabit the alpine climes.

UNESCO designated this a World Heritage Site in 1978.

Kluane/Wrangell-St.Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek, Yukon and B.C.

The first binational entry on UNESCO's list, this 97,000-square-kilometre site includes the 5,959-metre Mount Logan, Canada's highest peak.

This massive reserve is home to some of the world's fastest-moving glaciers and the largest non-polar ice field on the planet. The animal population includes grizzly bears, caribou and Dall sheep.

UNESCO named this a World Heritage Site in 1979.

Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alta.

A World Heritage Site 75 million years in the making, this spot in the heart of Alberta's Badlands has been a destination for paleontologists since dinosaur fossils were first discovered here in 1884.

Thirty-four species of dinosaur were discovered here, along with hundreds of fossil specimens now on display in museums around the world.

UNESCO also recognized the provincial park's "particularly beautiful scenery" when adding it to the World Heritage list in 1979.

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Alta.

Natives used this buffalo hunting ground, located 18 kilometres northwest of Fort Macleod, Alta., for nearly 6,000 years.

Exploiting the topography as well as a knowledge of buffalo behaviour, hunters killed the animals by chasing them over a precipice, then carving up the carcasses in a camp below.

Great numbers of buffalo skeletons remain here, as well as marked trails and remains of an aboriginal camp.

UNESCO designated this a World Heritage Site in 1981.

SGang Gwaay, B.C.

This site is part of the larger Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site found in the Queen Charlotte Islands off the coast of British Columbia.

SGang Gwaay was named a World Heritage Site in 1981 in recognition of the art and culture of the Haida people.

The site contains remains of houses and totem poles and reflects the Haida's way of life and relationship with nature.

Wood Buffalo National Park, N.W.T. and Alta.

Canada's largest national park, covering 44,807 square kilometres, is home to North America's largest population of wild bison and the world's largest inland delta, which lies at the mouth of the Peace and Athabasca rivers.

Originally founded in 1922 to protect the last remaining bison herds in North America, the park became a World Heritage Site in 1983.

The Rocky Mountains, Alta. and B.C.

One of Canada's most recognizable landmarks, the Rockies have been recognized by UNESCO since 1984.

The mountains are known worldwide for their scenic vistas and spectacular waterways.

The caves, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls and rocky peaks of areas surrounding Banff and Jasper as well as the Kootenay and Yoho regions all lie within the designation.

Historic district of Old Quebec

In 1985, UNESCO recognized Old Quebec as one of the world's finest examples of a fortified colonial city.

It is the only North American city to have preserved its ramparts and other defensive works that were designed to protect numerous churches, monuments and other notable sites, including the Dauphine Redoubt, the Citadel and the area that is now the Château Frontenac.

In 2008, this cultural and historic centre began celebrating the 400th anniversary of its founding.

Gros Morne National Park, N.L.

Glaciers carved a dazzling range of valleys, cliffs and fjords in this area on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland.

The Long Range Mountains of this region are estimated to be 20 times older than the Rockies, having been formed by continental collision approximately 1.2 billion years ago.

On recognizing the site in 1987, UNESCO specifically cited the park as "a rare example of the process of continental drift, where deep ocean crust and the rocks of the earth's mantle lie exposed."

Old Town Lunenburg, N.S.

Named a World Heritage Site in 1995, UNESCO cited Lunenburg as the best surviving example of a planned British colonial settlement in North America.

The town's rectangular grid design, originally drawn up in England, has been largely preserved over time, as has much of the town's historic architecture, some of which dates from the 18th century.

Lunenburg celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2003. With a present-day population of more than 2,500, it is now a major tourist draw on Nova Scotia's coast.

Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, Alta.

This is the second Canada-U.S. entry on the UNESCO list and the world's first International Peace Park, formed in 1932 by combining Alberta's Waterton Lakes National Park with Glacier National Park in Montana.

The park is home to an exceptional range of plant and animal life, with prairie, forest, alpine and glacial land inhabited by grizzly bears, mountain lions, wolves and mountain goats.

Of some historical significance to the area, the American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark passed through the Montana side in 1805 during their journey to the Pacific coast.

UNESCO recognized the site in 1995.

Miguasha National Park, Que.

When designating this site in 1999, UNESCO named it the world's most outstanding site of fossils from the Devonian "Age of the Fishes," which lasted from 417 million to 354 million years ago.

UNESCO considers the park a vital source of the most abundant and best-preserved fossil specimens of lobe-finned fishes, which are considered the precursors to the tetrapodes — the first four-legged, air-breathing terrestrial vertebrates.

Rideau Canal, Ont.

In 2007, UNESCO recognized the canal in time for its 175th birthday. This engineering marvel is North America's oldest continually operating canal and among the first designed for steam-powered vessels.

A series of dams and 47 huge locks were constructed to allow safer passage for British shipping during the days of British-American competition for the region. Extensive defensive works, including blockhouses, Martello towers and Kingston's imposing Fort Henry were built to prevent American attacks.

UNESCO said the canal is of historical importance "as it bears witness to the fight for control of the north of the American continent."

What the designation means

UNESCO World Heritage sites are covered under a  1972 international treaty  dedicated to preserving the world's cultural and natural legacy. More than 180 countries have signed on to the agreement.

Its goal, according to UNESCO, is protect sites with "outstanding universal value to humanity … for future generations to appreciate and enjoy."

Protected sites remain the property and responsibility of the country in which they are located. The World Heritage designation, however, brings the attention of the international community dedicated to historical and natural preservation. UNESCO monitors conditions to make sure the sites are receiving the proper care.