Finalists for New Seven Wonders of Nature announced

Finalists for New 7 Wonders

New 7 Wonders of Nature  have announced the winners of the world-wide vote. There are 28 finalists, including the Grand Canyon in the United States and El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico.

The third phase of the New7Wonders of Nature is now underway. It's time to vote on your choice of seven natural wonders from the selection of 28 Official Finalist Candidates. If you cast your vote during the nominee phases, you can vote again now during this finalist phase.

The campaign created by Bernard Weber started in 2007, and more than 100 million voters selected the Man Made New 7 Wonders of the World (or shouldn't that be human-made?).

Read about the first half of the finalists - Amazon to Iguazu Falls

Read about the second half of the finalists, Jeita Grotto to Yushan in Chinese Taipei

New7Wonders Founder and President Bernard Weber notes, “We are finding the New7Wonders of Nature campaign to be excitingly different from the first campaign. So many breathtakingly beautiful, natural places are still quite unknown to many. From waterfalls to fjords, rainforests to mountain peaks, freshwater lakes to volcanoes, we are discovering together the incredible beauty and variety of our planet.”

The foundation itself was created by Bernard Weber in 2001. The Swiss-born Canadian filmmaker, author and adventurer sought to protect of the world’s human-built and natural heritage, and in the process foster respect for the cultural diversity on our planet.

What’s done with the money raised?

Fifty percent of net revenue raised by the New7Wonders Project is to be used to fund monument documentation and conservation efforts worldwide.

These are not always the standard efforts. One innovative and potentially electrifying project was the creation of a high-definition 3D model of the giant Bamiyan Buddha. Blown up by the Taliban, it cost the world one of its potential human made wonders. Now, it is possible to recreate that statue at some point in the future.

Says the website: It is hoped the project will culminate in the rebuilding of the giant structure, back in its original location. This is dependent on the will of the Afghan people and the permission of the new Afghan government. It is estimated that this ambitious project will cost between 30 and 50 million US dollars, most of which will need to be financed privately..

Voting will continue throughout 2010 and into 2011.

How were the sites originally selected?

Selection of the original sites was based on recommendations of their panel of experts and based on these criteria:

1. Unique beauty of the nominated site

2. Diversity and distribution (accounted for in 7 groups

3. Ecological significance (in terms of either stand-alone eco-systems and/or their significance for human beings)

4. Historical legacy (relation that human beings and/or indigenous populations have or have had with the site)

5. Geo-location (even distribution of the 28 Official Finalists between all continents)