A major 30-year management plan identifying £10 million worth of conservation work was being launched today at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, near Ripon.

The event, at Yorkshire's first world heritage site, was hosted by National Trust director general Fiona Reynolds and Carole Souter, acting chief executive of English Heritage.

The conservation work forms part of a 30-year world heritage site management plan to safeguard the area, which ranks with the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China as among the world's most important historic monuments.

The plan aims to bolster efforts to protect the extensive National Trust site, comprising the ruins of a 12th century Cistercian abbey, an Elizabethan mansion, magnificent landscape water gardens and a medieval deer park.

An initial six-year programme of repairs includes a catchment survey to help prevent flooding problems, maintenance of the monastic precinct wall and a conservation plan for St Mary's Church.

Updated: 11:07 Tuesday, February 05, 2002