UK Culture Secretary Chris Smith launched the publication of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site Management Plan. The Plan, which is a formal requirement by UNESCO, provides a strategic framework for the management of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site landscape.
      Launching the Plan Culture Secretary Chris Smith said: "The Stonehenge World Heritage Site Management Plan is vital to the future of the Stones and to the protection of the surrounding World Heritage Site. I am delighted that there has been such a positive response to the public consultation from so many interested bodies and local people. It illustrates how we are all working together towards a sustainable approach to the future management of Stonehenge and an approach which balances both archaeological and nature conservation with visitor access and farming."
The main aims of the Management Plan are to :

* provide objectives for the management of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site landscape to conserve its unique interest;
* outline a sustainable approach to the future management of the World Heritage Site encompassing archaeological and nature conservation as well as visitor access and farming;
* identify the economic and cultural benefits of Stonehenge without damaging the archaeological resource; and,
* promote the conservation, understanding and, where appropriate, improvement of the World Heritage Site for all those who visit Stonehenge and live or work in the area.
The publication of the World Heritage Site Management Plan serves to underpin the future developments to Stonehenge as outlined in the Stonehenge Master Plan. What the official press release doesn't say is that the Management Plan and the Master Plan are in obvious conflict with one another. The first aims to protect the world heritage site, the second to put a 50m wide trench staight across it.

Sources: DCMS press-office (6 June 2000), BRITARCH Mailing List (7 June 2000)