A United Nations delegation is slated to visit the Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park, citing concerns about potential coal mining and energy development in B.C.’s Flathead Valley.

Local conservation groups celebrated after a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) committee voted in favour of the trip. “It’s really a good step forward that we have the world’s community now looking at Canada and America to see how they’re going to protect this world treasure,” says Ryland Nelson of conservation group Wildsight.

The UNESCO committee also asked the Canadian and U.S. governments to come up with a conservation report on the area by next February.

The valley, tucked into B.C.’s southeastern corner, borders Alberta’s Waterton Lakes National Park, which together with Montana’s Glacier National Park forms the Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park. The international park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.