LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP: NEW DIRECTIONS IN CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND CULTURE Mechtild Ršssler World Heritage Cultural Landscapes he International Convention for the Protection of the World’s Cul- tural and Natural Heritage, often referred to as the World Heritage Convention, was adopted by the General Conference of the United TNations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1972. This international treaty established a unique interna- tional instrument for recognizing and protecting both the cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value. It was not until 1992, however, that this Convention became the first international legal instrument to protect cultural landscapes. In December 1992 the World tion with and in response to its Heritage Committee adopted three natural environment. Such land- categories of cultural landscapes to scapes reflect that process of be integrated into their operational evolution in their form and com- guidelines. ponent features. They fall into two subcategories: 1. The most easily identifiable is • A relict (or fossil) landscape is the clearly defined landscape de- one in which an evolutionary signed and created intentionally process came to an end at by humans. This embraces gar- some time in the past, either den and parkland landscapes abruptly or over a period of constructed for aesthetic reasons time. Its significant distin- which are often (but not always) guishing features are, how- associated with religious or other ever, still visible in material monumental buildings and en- form. sembles. • A continuing landscape is one 2. The second category is the or- which retains an active social ganically evolved landscape. This role in contemporary society results from an initial social, eco- closely associated with the nomic, administrative, or relig- traditional way of life, and in ious imperative and has devel- which the evolutionary proc- oped its present form by associa- ess is still in progress. At the 27 The George Wright Forum 17(1), 1. © 2000 The George Wright Society, Inc. All rights reserved. LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP: NEW DIRECTIONS IN CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND CULTURE same time it exhibits signifi- assist with comparative studies of cant material evidence of its cultural landscapes and development evolution over time. of a thematic framework to assist the 3. The final category is the associa- World Heritage Committee with the tive cultural landscape. The in- evaluation of cultural landscape clusion of such landscapes on the nominations. A number of regional World Heritage List is justifiable and thematic expert meetings have by virtue of the powerful relig- been held on cultural landscapes and ious, artistic or cultural associa- related issues in the context of an tions of the natural element overall global strategy for a repre- rather than material cultural evi- sentative and balanced World Heri- dence, which may be insignifi- tage List: cant or even absent. • International Expert Meeting on These revisions to the World “Cultural Landscapes of Out- Heritage Committee operational standing Universal Value” guidelines were based on recom- (Germany, October 1993) mendations prepared by an expert • Expert Meeting on Routes as meeting, held in La Petite Pierre in Part of the Cultural Heritage France in October 1992. The World (Spain, November 1994) Heritage Committee adopted the • Heritage Canals (Canada, Sep- revisions to the cultural criteria with tember 1994) the intention of including excep- • Asia-Pacific Workshop on Asso- tional outstanding cultural land- ciative Cultural Landscapes scapes on the World Heritage List. (Australia, April 1995) With this decision, the World Heri- • Asian Rice Culture and its Ter- tage Convention became the first in- raced Landscapes (regional the- ternational legal instrument to iden- matic study meeting, Philippi- tify, protect, conserve, and transmit nes, March–April 1995) to future generations cultural land- • Expert Meeting on European scapes of outstanding universal Cultural Landscapes of Out- value. standing Universal Value (Aus- An Action Plan for the Future was tria, April 1996) adopted by the World Heritage • Expert Meeting on Cultural Committee in December 1993, Landscapes of the Andean Re- based on the recommendations of an gion (Peru, May 1999) international expert meeting on cul- • Expert Meeting on Cultural tural landscapes held in Germany in Landscapes in Africa (Kenya, October 1993. This plan recom- March 1999) mended regional expert meetings to • Expert Meeting on Cultural 28 The George Wright FORUM LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP: NEW DIRECTIONS IN CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND CULTURE Landscapes in Eastern Europe landscapes were also addressed and (Poland, September–October examples of outstanding cultural 1999) landscapes discussed, which illus- trated the general landscape catego- These expert meetings have ries in the regions. Many discussions served as milestones in the imple- among experts from all regions of the mentation of the World Heritage world also gave consideration to the Convention by assisting States Par- need to recognize the associative val- ties in recognizing and nominating ues of landscapes and landscape cultural landscapes for inclusion on features for indigenous people and to the World Heritage List (e.g., Figure the importance of protecting biologi- 1). Methodologies for identifying cal and cultural diversity within cul- cultural landscapes were developed tural landscapes. and suggestions made towards the In December 1993 at its seven- classification and evaluation of cul- teenth session, the World Heritage tural landscapes. Specific legal, man- Committee inscribed Tongariro Na- agement, socioeconomic, and con- tional Park in New Zealand as the servation issues related to cultural first cultural landscape on the World Figure 1. Vernazza, one of the five villages that make up the Cinque Terre, Italy—a cultural landscape on the World Heritage List. Photograph by Linas Sinkevicius. Volume 17 • Number 1 2000 29 LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP: NEW DIRECTIONS IN CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND CULTURE Heritage List. The site was already owners, the A n angu Aboriginal peo- included on the List in recognition of ple (Figure 2). Following the regional its outstanding natural values and thematic study meeting on Asian had been resubmitted as an associa- Rice Culture and its Terraced Land- tive landscape under the revised cri- scapes, the Rice Terraces of the teria for cultural properties. The Philippine Cordilleras were included mountains of Tongariro National as an exceptional example of a 2,000- Park have cultural and religious sig- year-old tradition forming a land- nificance for the Maori people and scape of great beauty. Table 1 lists symbolize the spiritual links between the 16 cultural landscapes currently the people and their environment. In inscribed on the List. 1994, another cultural landscape was It is evident that the World Heri- added. Ulu r u Kata-Tjuta National tage Convention can serve as a cata- Park in Australia was inscribed as lyst for the recognition and protec- both a living and an associative cul- tion of the world’s diverse land- tural landscape of the traditional scapes. Even though only a selection Figure 2. The 1994 inscription of Ulu r u Kata-Tjuta National Park as a cultural landscape gives universal recognition to its cultural significance to the A n angu people of central Australia. 30 The George Wright FORUM LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP: NEW DIRECTIONS IN CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND CULTURE Cultural Landscape Year of Country Inscription Tongariro National Park 1993 New Zealand Ulu r u-Kata Tjuta National Park 1994 Australia The Rice Terraces of the Philippine 1995 Philippines Cordilleras Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape 1996 Czech Republic The Sintra Cultural Landscape 1996 Portugal Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut 1997 Austria Cultural Landscape Pyrenees Mount Perdu Patrice de 1997 France/Spain Belfon The Costiera Amalfitana 1997 Italy Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the 1997 Italy Islands (Palmaria, Tino, and Tinetto) Cilento and Vallo di Diano National 1998 Italy Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula Quadi Quadisha (the Holy Valley) and 1998 Lebanon the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab) Vinales Valley 1999 Cuba Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion 1999 France Hortobagy National Park 1999 Hungary Sukur Cultural Landscape 1999 Nigeria Kalwaria Zebrzydowskaÿ: The 1999 Poland Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park Table 1. Cultural landscapes currently inscribed on the World Heritage List of landscapes can be inscribed on the perience in implementing the World World Heritage List, the interna- Heritage Convention, the UNESCO tional recognition of this type of World Heritage Centre provided property enhances protection by advice to the Council of Europe on other means, including stimulating the preparation of a European Land- additional regional and national scape Convention. The World protection. For example, with its ex- Heritage Committee welcomed this Volume 17 • Number 1 2000 31 LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP: NEW DIRECTIONS IN CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND CULTURE initiative by the Council of Europe and extensive cultural site was exem- and encourages other regional and plary, innovative, and appropriate. national efforts that serve heritage However, several delegates raised conservation. concerns about the nuclear power The adoption of the revised crite- plant located within the boundaries ria for the inclusion