UNESCO specialists will travel to Machu Picchu this month, to assess preservation of the site.

Cusco’s regional director of culture, David Ugarte said the group would examine population growth in the area, and analyze the accessibility of the Santa Maria-Santa Teresa alternative route.

According to T-News, the UNESCO group is expected to travel to the region from May 20 to the 26, where they will verify preservation, conservation and improvements made in Machu Picchu, following recommendations that had been made by the organization last year.

Results from the study will be announced during UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee meeting, which is scheduled to take place in June.

The organization has had a strong participatory role in the preservation of the historic site. Last August, a team of UNESCO specialists traveled to Machu Picchu to find solutions to the rapid spread of lichens (a fungus) at site’s stone buildings.

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