We are proud to welcome the custodians of seven extraordinary heritage places and practices to the Preserving Legacies climate adaptation program, each bringing their own distinct histories, perspectives, skills, and relationships to the global challenge of climate change. 

From sacred mountains facing extreme precipitation to coastal settlements responding to rising seas, and agricultural and pastoral landscapes enduring prolonged drought, this year’s cohort reflects the diversity and depth of global heritage on the frontlines of climate change. What unites them all is a commitment to safeguarding heritage through an approach that is locally led and values-driven.

We are honored to begin this journey alongside them.

The 2026 Preserving Legacies Cohort includes:‍

🌋 Engaresero GIAHS Site — Ngorongoro District, Tanzania
A natural and cultural landscape deeply connected to Maasai pastoralist traditions and home to the largest collection of human fossil footprints in Africa.

🌊 Kci-peskiyak — Sipayik (Pleasant Point), ME
A coastal Indigenous homeland where heritage, environment, and community stewardship are deeply interconnected.

🌲 Lahemaa National Park — Estonia
A living landscape along the Baltic Sea coast where forests, wetlands, and historic villages reflect centuries of human–nature connection. 

🏝️ Lamu Old Town — Lamu Island, Kenya
Over 700 years old, this Swahili town showcases coral stone architecture and centuries of African, Arab, Asian, and European cultural exchange.

🏯 Mount Wutai — Shanxi, China
A sacred Buddhist site with over 1,600 years of history and some of China’s oldest wooden structures.

🌈 Mosi-Oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls — Livingstone, Zambia
Home to the widest continuous curtain of falling water in the world, this World Heritage Site sustains a unique spray-fed rainforest and abundant biodiversity.

🌿 Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem – Battir — Battir – Bethlehem – Palestine
A 4,000-year-old cultural and agricultural landscape where natural springs feed an ancient irrigation system still managed by local families today.

They join 30 others in our flagship 3-year climate adaptation cohort program, which supports local custodians with the tools, training, and networks needed to design and implement values-based climate adaptation strategies. Grounded in principles that are community-led, values-driven, science-informed, and open-access, the program supports communities to protect what they value most.