Climate Change and Landscape Preservation: a Twenty-First-Century Conundrum

Climate Change and Landscape Preservation: A Twenty-First-Century Conundrum

ROBERT Z. MELNICK

The threat of climate change means For preservationists, landscape should local, that it can vary dramatically from that we must question the manner in always equal nature combined with locale to locale, even though it is a culture. The dynamic of the cultural global problem.3 A recent United Na- which we see cultural landscapes, landscape over time, changed and al- tions report summarized significant data understand their significance, and tered by human activity, is especially on climate history:4 plan for their future. important, as it reflects the very essence • Eleven of the last twelve years rank of both place and human experience. among the warmest in global surface We care deeply about meaning in peo- temperature since 1850. ple’s lives, and we seek ways to identify, • Carbon dioxide is the dominant con- understand, and protect those historic- tributor to current climate change landscape characteristics that have the and especially global warming. most, and perhaps most enduring, meaning in our lives — characteristics • Since the 1970s, more precipitation and trajectories that root us in these has been observed in the eastern places. parts of North and South America, There is increasing concern, however, northern Europe, and northern and about undesired changes to our global central Asia in recent decades, but landscape and the ways in which those northern Africa, the Mediterranean, changes are affecting significant cultural southern Africa, and parts of south- landscapes. While many others are ern Asia have experienced drying. attentive to the eroding condition of our • The rate of observed sea-level rise natural environment and the subsequent increased from the nineteenth to the impact on biological systems, this dis- twentieth century, and the total cussion addresses the impact of that ero- twentieth-century rise is estimated to sion on significant human landscapes. be 0.17 meter, or more than half a The two are inseparable, of course, and foot. Geological observations indi- at least some of the scientific research cate that sea-level rise over the previ- suggests that perhaps we have not yet ous 2,000 years was far less (Fig. 1). reached the tipping point in this equa- • Snow cover is decreasing in most tion, although we may be very close.1 regions, particularly in spring. The This article is about global climate maximum extent of frozen ground in change and the known and potential the winter/spring season has de- impacts of these changes on historic and creased by about 7% in the Northern cultural landscapes. While this idea is Hemisphere since 1900. On average, inextricably linked to aspirations of rivers that freeze do so some 5.8 days sustainability, it is not the same, as later than they did a century ago, and discussed below. their ice breaks up 6.5 days earlier. • Average Arctic temperatures in- Global Data about Climate Change creased at almost twice the global The data on climate change can seem average rate in the past 100 years. confusing and overwhelming. There are Satellite data since 1978 show that the average extent of Arctic sea ice Fig. 1. Sea levels globally are estimated to have no simple ways to view this complex 2 has shrunk by 2.7% per decade. risen more than half a foot in the twentieth and, at times, contentious issue. Per- century, with considerable impact on historic haps one of the most confounding These are not projections; they are resources, as seen here on the Pacific Coast aspects of the predictions of climate conclusions drawn from years, and in near Newport, Oregon. All images by the change is that it is both global and some cases decades, of data collection. author.

35 36 APT BULLETIN: JOURNAL OF PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY / 40:3-4, 2009

Fig. 2 Changes in plant communities as a result of climate change may Fig. 3. Cultural resources at national parks, such as these cliff dwellings at result in a signiﬁcant increase in the amount of biomass consumed by Mesa Verde, may deteriorate due to either an increase or decrease in wildﬁre, as seen here in the Cascade Mountains, Lane County, Oregon. precipitation.

The same report also outlines the rea- how the earth’s ecosystems will respond consistent, if modest, warming of the sons for the changes.5 to these changes. forests’ climate. • Human-caused emissions of green- Another, more focused, study of the house gases have made the atmo- Some Local Examples Rogue River Basin in southwestern sphere thicker and denser, trapping Oregon seeks to define stressors on, and heat and leading to a global warm- What if the processes of nature have risks to, human and natural systems. ing. been severely altered by human activity? This is a scientific study with implica- What if the oft-stated intention to “in- • Fossil fuels are the single biggest tions for public policy, lifestyle patterns, terfere as little as possible” is overtaken and our economic system, with recom- source of human-generated green- by the urgent need to respond to forces house-gas emissions. mendations for increasing resilience and well beyond the scope of any land- resistance in human, built, economic, And finally, the UN report provides scape? and natural systems in the region.8 It some indication of the potential future There are many examples of our purposefully links natural systems we global impacts of continued climate economic, social, and historic land- have inherited and cultural systems we changes if there are no alterations to scapes affected by subtle, yet observable, have created. these patterns:6 alterations in the global climate. The There are four major areas of con- • The poorest communities are most following examples are all from the cern in this valley: increased tempera- vulnerable to the impacts of climate United States, but the issues and ques- ture, especially dramatic in the summer; change. tions they raise apply globally in other changes in precipitation and snowpack; • The average global sea level is pro- locales. increase in severe storm events and jected to rise by 10 to 20 inches due The most recent study of forests in longer duration of wet and dry seasons; to ocean expansion and glacier melt the U.S. West reveals trends that reflect and a significant increase in the amount by the end of the twenty-first century an increasing rate of mortality in healthy of biomass consumed by wildfire (Fig. compared to 1989-1999 levels. conifer stands and no comparable rate 2).9 of replacement seedlings that survive to • Twenty to thirty percent of species Other examples are from the U.S. become large trees, a process referred to are likely to face an increased risk of national parks, among the country’s as recruitment.7 This study, with data extinction. greatest natural and cultural treasures covering a 50-year span from 76 forest (Fig. 3).10 Recent studies strongly indi- • There will be greater heat waves, new sites in the Pacific Northwest, Califor- cate that global-warming trends may be wind patterns, worsening drought in nia, Idaho, Colorado, and Arizona, affecting Western parks at a faster rate some regions, heavier precipitation in reviewed a wide variety of possible than those in the East.11 The national others. causes for this alarming alteration to parks, unlike other public landscapes, There is great geographic and sea- ecological systems. The study looked at are meant to be left “unimpaired for the sonal variation in the projections of changes in forest structure, management enjoyment of future generations.”12 But climate changes, as well as their impacts processes focused on fire exclusion, and what does “unimpaired” mean, when on the quality of our lives and the land- species’ life histories and successional there are changes that are beyond the scapes we inhabit. There is also a great dynamics (such as shade tolerance) for control of any one federal agency? deal of uncertainty about the magnitude clues to address their data and observa- For example, Glacier National Park, of climate change, especially on local tions. In their final analysis the authors in Montana, is in danger of losing its scales, and additional uncertainty about believed that the only culprit was the glaciers to climate change.13 In 1968 CLIMATE CHANGE AND LANDSCAPE PRESERVATION 37 there were 38 glaciers in the park. As of nity in the U.S. During the last energy 2007 there were only 26. Other Western crisis, in the 1980s, the National Trust parks are being equally affected. North for Historic Preservation developed an Cascades, Mount Rainier, and Olympic enlightened public-relations campaign. national parks, all in Washington, are Historic buildings in Washington, D.C., also seeing their glaciers melt away, as were draped with banners declaring the has Yosemite in California. amount of embodied energy in each Glacier loss is not the only measur- building, as measured through barrels of able problem directly attributed to oil. It was a brilliant idea and estab- climate change. The loss of alpine tun- lished the connection between preserva- dra brings with it associated loss of tion as an ethic and the growing energy habitat for a great variety of plant and and resource depletion. animal species uniquely suited to these The idea that preservation can assist harsh, high-altitude environments, in- with community energy needs never Fig. 4. With changes in climate patterns at many cluding plants such as tussock grasses, quite captured the pubic imagination, levels, invasive wildlife may seek friendlier habi- dwarf trees, small-leafed shrubs, and however. Perhaps the campaign did not tats, such as this example from Griffith Park in heaths, and animals such as pikas, mar- go far enough, or perhaps we, as a Los Angeles. mots, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, people, are simply too enamored with elk, and ptarmigan.14 Further effects unbridled growth and immediate gratifi- thorny issues around the difficulty of may include the loss of plants for use by cation. Nonetheless, it is fairly easy to saving important landscapes.19 Shoard indigenous peoples, as well as the loss of understand that a historic building holds listed a number of reasons why land- native cultural practices such as hunting within its walls a certain amount of scapes are much more difficult to protect and fishing. There has already been a energy and that the destruction of that than buildings.20 These arguments are loss of forest cover in large areas of the building not only represents the loss of still valid today. West, as well as a loss of meadows and history; it also means the loss of energy The first reason, Shoard argued, is wildflowers.15 and a further dependence on limited the very nature of landscape itself. We What is the impact of these losses in fossil fuels. understand buildings, she reasoned, as the parks and in the larger landscape? Today, the National Trust and its reflections of the need for shelter and There is a greater opportunity for inva- partners are linking preservation to commerce. Landscapes — and in the sive plant species to take hold, as well as sustainability. As Richard Moe, presi- American context we need to specify increased forest fires resulting in loss of dent of the Trust, has said, “Any solu- cultural landscapes — are the product of native plant species. The same is true for tion to climate change must address the the interaction of human activity with wildlife: not only may we lose native need to reduce emissions by being natural systems, namely the “geography, wildlife, but invasive wildlife may also smarter about how we use our buildings geology, and biology of our planet.”21 seek friendlier habitats (Fig. 4). The list and wiser about land use.”18 While the The origins of this thinking in the U.S. of risks includes impacts on cultural Trust is admirably taking the lead on lie with Carl Sauer’s work in the resources, such as archeological sites, visibly establishing the connection be- 1920s.22 The landscape is not easily historic architecture, and cultural land- tween preservation and sustainability in understood by the casual or often even scapes. A recent study, for example, the U.S., there are some major gaps. the educated viewer. As Shoard saw it, describes the long-term impact of cli- “any landscape is essentially a jumble of mate change on the flora of Thoreau’s Cultural Landscapes in Historic objects whose origin, function and Walden.16 Preservation relationship to each other are myster- ies.”23 When it comes to historic and cultural Sustainability, Climate Change, and While the cultural landscape is much landscapes, it is much more difficult to Historic Preservation more than a “jumble of objects,” identify the values that matter and the Shoard’s point is valid. We have great In the historic-preservation community resources that are being lost through the trouble understanding the cultural land- there is growing awareness that preser- encroaching changes in the global cli- scape, largely because its processes and vation can contribute to a sustainable mate. The questions and challenges that content are not readily and easily acces- future. By protecting and reusing exist- this issue raises are enormous, as we sible to us. ing buildings, we are saving embodied must first understand what we have and Second, Shoard understood that it is energy, reducing the need for new en- value, recognize the ways in which these hard to set the boundaries of a cultural ergy, and contributing to the larger resources are being impacted by climate landscape in space and time. We know societal ethic that recognizes the limits change, and then find answers and when a building was constructed, but to our growth.17 solutions that look within preservation how do we set a date of origin or con- This is not a new idea, but much practice as well as to the larger environ- struction for most landscapes? For those credit for establishing the connection mental context. with known designers, it is easy, but for between preservation and sustainability In a 1981 article British journalist others it is almost impossible. When did needs to go to the preservation commu- and writer Marion Shoard tackled many a landscape “start?” How far back in its 38 APT BULLETIN: JOURNAL OF PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY / 40:3-4, 2009 natural history do we have to go in scape are often poorly understood and events — droughts and storms, for order to understand it and recognize its little recognized in the preservation example. The idea of resilience is a meaning? community. particularly important concept in ecol- The question of spatial limits is also In ecology there is a concept referred ogy precisely because of the need to difficult to resolve. Where does a land- to as the historic range of variability.28 recover from extreme events. scape start, and where does it stop? We Dynamism is important to the continu- We have, for some years, believed tend to think of this in terms of land ity and maintenance of certain func- that change in the historic cultural land- ownership, but what about the “bor- tions, but the measuring stick for what scape can be managed, or directed, in rowed landscape?” Is the landscape as is desirable to maintain those functions order to protect significant landscape far as we can see? If we disregard politi- are the limits that have bounded change characteristics. The National Register of cal boundaries, is the landscape never- over some period of time. A concern Historic Places recognizes historically ending? with climate change is that those histori- significant cultural landscapes, and there There are two important develop- cal limits are not likely to hold anymore, are historical-landscape architects and ments in this regard that warrant atten- leading us into uncharted territory cultural-landscape specialists in Na- tion. The first is the well-known work of where our options appear to be either to tional Park Service regional offices and the U.S. National Park Service, under resist climate change (a short-term in many national parks.30 There is the the leadership of Hugh C. Miller, then measure to protect valued resources), to Cultural Landscape Foundation, whose chief historical architect, and the Na- enhance the resilience of ecosystems to mission is to increase “the public’s tional Register of Historic Places to climate change (their ability to bounce awareness of the importance and irre- develop standards for the identification, back after being stressed), or to facilitate placeable legacy of cultural land- documentation, and evaluation of cul- the change to a new state compatible scapes.”31 tural landscapes, beginning in the mid- with climate change. We understand historic buildings to late 1970s.24 The second important But these two directions — accepting change as well, but the issues in the development is the work of ICOMOS, inherent change in the landscape on the landscape are different, and the poten- beginning with the Florence Charter of one hand and the preservationist’s desire tial for reversibility — a key tenet of 1981.25 These activities sought to estab- to limit change on the other — present historic-preservation practice — is lim- lish the importance and relevancy of us with a set of contradictions and ited. This fact is one more example cultural landscapes within the preserva- quandaries.29 where the nature of the landscape and tion and heritage communities. We seek to protect those landscapes the landscape of preservation may not Third — and most importantly — the that have special meaning and signifi- coincide. landscape is always changing. It is dy- cance in our society and our culture, There is some work being done in namic by design and nature. Thus, the much as we do with historic architecture regard to historic landscapes and the protection of cultural landscapes often and historic sites. Not all cultural land- pressing needs of changing ecological runs counter to the standard or tradi- scapes are historically significant, how- dynamics, but little of that appears to be tional values of historic preservation ever, a point that is often lost in the in the U.S.32 Not surprisingly, for exam- that seek to arrest and limit change, literature. But those landscapes that are ple, an article on landscape preservation rather than embrace it. Landscapes significant will change, as Marion in the thirtieth-anniversary issue of the change, and hence, Shoard adds, “this Shoard observes. APT Bulletin did not mention climate feeling of constant change helps mask change. It did, however, recognize the the effects of deeper, permanent alter- The Potential Impact of Climate inherent connection between nature and ations to a landscape.”26 Because we Change on Cultural Landscapes culture in these landscapes and the anticipate landscape change, we often importance of values, as opposed to fail to see when that change is outside of What happens, however, when that legislation, in this discussion.33 Addi- accepted or normal patterns or bound- change is not as the designer or builder tionally, the APT Bulletin issue on sus- aries due to seasonal fluctuations, nor- envisioned? What happens when change tainability omitted any meaningful mal weather patterns, or even the varia- in an extreme event, and without direct discussion of cultural or historic land- tions of light. human intention, potentially removes or scapes, as did the report on the APT Mark Laird addressed cultural land- destroys the characteristics for which Halifax Symposium on Sustainability.34 scapes and climate change through a the landscape is known and revered? As discussed below, the emphasis on number of critical issues, especially And what happens when that change is sustainability, rather than the potential planting conservation.27 Laird main- so slow, modest, and incremental that impacts of climate change, is common in tained that we need to focus on “adap- we can barely see it until it may be too the preservation community in North tation on the one hand, legislation on late? America, with few exceptions. the other,” as well as the “historical Climate change can be understood to English Heritage’s Web site has a very realities of planting as improvisation, or have two major threads: the slow build- informative section on climate change, gardening as experimentation and alter- ing of temperature and its side effects, as does the National Trust (UK) and the ation.” This attitude reinforces Shoard’s such as sea-level rise and ocean acidifica- Royal Horticultural Society on the assertion, as well as that of the larger tion, which may appear as gradual, and broader issue of sustainability, with community, that the dynamics of land- those that are generated by extreme reference to climate-change concerns for CLIMATE CHANGE AND LANDSCAPE PRESERVATION 39

Fig. 5. Signiﬁcant historic designed landscapes — such as Kykuit, the Fig. 6. Natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005, Rockefeller estate in Westchester County, New York — will face manage- may be partially caused by changes in weather patterns due to global ment challenges if their historic plants cannot thrive in a changing climate. warming.

British gardens, although there is scant Design, or LEED, program, developed bears review on its own. The ten guiding direct reference to historic landscapes.35 by the U.S. Green Building Council, was principles start with “Do No Harm,” an Most importantly, the 2002 British designed principally for new construc- admirable aspiration, and also include publication Gardening in the Global tion, underscoring the fact that words the call to employ a decision-making Greenhouse: The Impact of Climate like rehabilitation and reuse have not hierarchy of preservation, conservation, Change on Gardens in the UK outlines had much resonance in the green-build- and regeneration. the impacts of climate change, as well as ing lexicon. In the language of landscape systems, areas for future research and recommen- Implicit in the idea of adaptive reuse however, preservation often carries a dations for direct action.36 While these is the possibility that we may need to different meaning from when it is associ- recommendations are aimed exclusively accommodate new uses in our historic ated with the historic preservation of at designed gardens, they are nonethe- landscapes in order to save them. In the architecture. In the SSI preservation less useful as a tool to explore other past, we have not talked about adaptive refers to “existing environmental fea- potential interventions (Fig. 5). reuse of these landscapes the way we tures,” which can include historic fea- Other U.S. federal agencies and have for historic buildings. However, the tures, but not necessarily.41 In ecological organizations have also attempted to Sustainable Sites Initiative (or SSI) of the terms, preservation often implies the address the impacts of climate change ASLA is a forward-looking and vision- protection or reinstatement of a healthy with varying degrees of success.37 The ary document, assisting landscape archi- and robust ecological system and leads America Society of Landscape Architects tects and others to depart from the to action parallel to architectural resto- (ASLA) has primarily addressed sustain- world of traditional planning and design ration. Change is inherent in this con- ability concerns through the develop- and to foster a transformation in land- cept, a substantially different view from ment of guidelines for new design, development and land-management that often held by historic-preservation which corresponds to similar efforts in practices.39 Through the creation and advocates and practitioners. As previ- architectural design. implementation of clear and rigorous ously noted, the concept of landscape Richard Moe of the National Trust design, construction, operations, and restoration is not universally accepted.42 pointed out that a recent UN report maintenance criteria, the SSI aims to What are the potential impacts of does not stress the importance of reusing supplement existing green-building and climate change on historic landscapes? the buildings we have. Moe concluded landscape guidelines, as well as to be- What can we anticipate will be our that “incredibly, we propose to solve the come a stand-alone tool for site sustain- challenge? Are there lessons we can problem by constructing more and more ability.40 It is meant as a call to action learn from the ways that dynamism and new buildings while ignoring the ones and a guide to the dramatic alteration in change are incorporated into ecosystem we already have.”38 Similarly, the most the very way we think about what we management? While there has been little recent efforts by the green community do as designers. The draft report de- attention to these questions in the U.S., place heavy emphasis on new technolo- scribes an “ecosystems services frame- English Heritage and other agencies and gies rather than on preservation prac- work” and promises in the future to organizations in Europe are addressing tices that focus on reusing existing deliver guidelines and performance these very concerns.43 buildings to reduce the environmental benchmarks, a weighting system, and a In January 2006 English Heritage impacts associated with demolition and reference guide. More importantly, the released a report entitled “Climate new construction. The most popular SSI articulates “Ten Guiding Principles Change and the Historic Environ- green-building rating system, the Lead- of a Sustainable Site.” This document is ment,”44 which outlined the potential ership in Energy and Environmental an appropriately complex report that threats of climate change to historic 40 APT BULLETIN: JOURNAL OF PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY / 40:3-4, 2009

Fig. 7. Character-defining cultural-landscape features, such as this blue- Fig. 8. Significant rural landscapes, such as Hanalei, Hawaii, have devel- grass region near Lexington, Kentucky, are susceptible to gradual deteriora- oped over decades or centuries in response to local soils and climate. They tion due to warmer temperature, increased or decreased precipitation, and may be seriously threatened by substantial changes to the environment changes in surrounding plant communities. that has enabled them to grow and thrive. environments, including historic land- water levels would alter the historic need to change course as conditions scapes. The primary threats noted are: coastline. change. These are not easy strategies, • rising sea levels and a increase in With this information, and much and they demand a dynamic approach. storminess that endanger historic other data, in hand, what does this Second, when addressing these chal- landscapes, structures, buildings, and mean for cultural landscapes? How does lenges to historic landscapes, we must archaeology in the coastal zone it affect conservation of cultural land- adapt to change and ways to mitigate it. • increased extremes of wetting and scapes? For starters, we can create resistance to drying that heighten the risk of There are obvious tasks, of course — change. This resistance can be in the ground subsidence and accelerated continuing to recognize, identify, and form of a more flexible understanding of decay of stonework understand significant cultural land- what we mean by character-defining scapes; embracing the idea that climate features, for example, especially when it • more frequent intense rainfall that change affects these landscapes; moni- comes to historic plant materials and causes increased erosion of archaeo- toring the impacts of global climate plant communities. Does it matter more, logical sites and damaging flooding in change on our local landscapes; adapt- in preservation terms, that a landscape historic settlements ing or modifying what we are already retains the exact tree genus and species • changes in hydrology that put buried doing; and preparing for further disas- or that the spatial and visual conse- archaeological remains at risk ters like Hurricane Katrina or the flood- quences of those trees are maintained? • changes in vegetation patterns that ing in the Silo and Smokestacks Na- Would it be better to plant replacement threaten the integrity of archaeologi- tional Heritage Area of northeastern trees that are more resistant to warming, cal remains and historic landscapes Iowa — but there are more radical or to re-plant trees that will not survive changes in our viewpoint that are neces- their twenty-first-century environment • a warming climate that makes some sary (Fig. 6).45 (Fig. 7)? historically authentic tree plantings Third, we should seek ways to pro- difficult to conserve Potential Actions mote resilience to change. This strategy • changes in the distribution of pests may mean greater proactive intervention that threaten the integrity of historic Building on the recent work of ecolo- in certain highly valued landscapes, buildings, collections, and designed gists and other natural-resource scien- which, in turn, implies the setting of landscapes tists, there are a number of important priorities. For example, we may want to • possible increases in the frequency preliminary considerations and ap- engage in greater seed-banking or inten- or geographical range of extreme proaches to these problems.46 None of sive management during re-vegetation, a weather that could pose an increased these may work on its own, but we may labor-intensive and costly process that risk of damage to some historic consider these as a “toolbox” of ideas nonetheless may enable the protection of landscapes and buildings. and strategies.47 critical landscape features (Fig. 8). In addition, according to the English First, we must accept the premise of Fourth, we should be prepared to Heritage report, some adaptive re- an uncertain but certainly variable make difficult decisions about what to sponses to climate change may them- future for these landscapes. We should try to save, what is salvageable, and selves have an impact on the historic directly embrace flexibility in our ap- what is not. In the extreme, this may environment. For example, the con- proaches, encourage frequent reassess- mean that we practice a form of “cul- struction of new seawalls to resist rising ment of conditions, and plan for the tural-landscape triage,” choosing to save CLIMATE CHANGE AND LANDSCAPE PRESERVATION 41 certain places while letting other ones and teacher. He can be reached at rzm@ 11. Ibid. See also Jennie Hoffman and Eric remain only in the historical record. uoregon.edu. Mielbrecht, Unnatural Disaster: Global Warm- ing and Our National Parks (Washington, This course is not a long-term response D.C.: National Parks Conservation Assoc.: but may be necessary as a short-term Acknowledgements 2007). step while we develop the science for Research assistance was provided by Ernestina 12. National Park Service Organic Act, 64th more lasting solutions. Fuenmayor and Karl Dietzler. The author ex- Cong. 1st sess., 1916 (16 U.S.C. §§ 1-18f, 39 Fifth, we should learn from the presses special thanks to Bart Johnson, University Stat. 535). Noah’s Ark Project in Europe, which of Oregon, and Fran Gale, University of Texas, 13. Saunders, 43. “aims to improve this situation through for important critical comments on an earlier draft of this material. 14. Ibid., 46. a deeper understanding of the behavior 15. Ibid., 48–49. and response of immovable cultural heritage and historic materials to the Notes 16. See Abraham J. Miller-Rushing and 1. See, for example, recent articles in Nature, Richard B. Primack, “The Impact of Climate [impacts of climate change], discovering Change on the Flora of Thoreau’s Concord,” possible endangering synergistic pro- www.nature.com/news/2009/090619/full/news .2009.586.html, and the recent reports issued Arnoldia 66 (2009): 2–9, and R. B. Primack, A. cesses and providing cultural heritage by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, J. Miller-Rushing, and K. Dharaneeswaran, managers, decision makers and legisla- www.epa.gov/climatechange/. “Changes in the Flora of Thoreau’s Concord,” Biological Conservation 142 (2009): 500–508. tors with scientifically sound data and 2. For example, see Mark Steyn, “Climate models.”48 This cannot be an emotional Change Myth,” The Australian, Sept. 11, 2006, 17. Donella H. Meadows, Jørgen Randers, and and Tim Flannery, The Weather Makers: How Dennis L. Meadows, The Limits to Growth: or humanistic argument alone. The 30-year Update (White River Junction, Vt.: And, finally, we should recognize the Man is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth (New York: Atlantic Chelsea Green Pub., 2004). 49 “historical ranges of variation.” Tak- Monthly Press, 2005). These are just two 18. Richard Moe, “Sustainable Stewardship: ing both the long and short views is vital examples of the widening discussion on climate Historic Preservation’s Essential Role in Fight- in this preservation effort. While it is change. ing Climate Change,” speech given at First often tempting or convenient to look at 3. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Church of Christ Scientist, Berkeley, Calif., March 27, 2008. the most recent past, landscape time “Summary for Policymakers,” in Climate demands that we consider variations Change 2007: Mitigation. Contribution of 19. Marion Shoard, “Why Landscapes Are Working Group III to the Fourth Assessment Harder to Protect Than Buildings,” in Our Past over a long period. Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Before Us: Why Do We Save It? ed. David Climate Change, ed. B. Metz, O. R. Davidson, Lowenthal and Marcus Binney (London: P. R. Bosch, R. Dave, and L. A. Meyer (Cam- Maurice Temple Smith, 1981), 83–108. Conclusion bridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2007). 20. Marion Shoard, The Theft of the Country- In the overlapping worlds of historic 4. See Gateway to the UN System’s Work on side (London: Maurice Temple Smith, 1980). preservation, cultural landscapes, and Climate Change 2008, www.un.org/climate change/background/ataglance.shtml, and 21. Shoard, “Landscapes,” 91. environmental futures, we have worked especially http://www.un.org/wcm/content/ for years to incorporate landscape 22. C. O. Sauer, “The Morphology of Land- site/climatechange/pages/gateway/the-science/ scape,” University of California Publications in issues into preservation thinking. In the at-a-glance. Geography 2 (1925): 19–53. process, that cosmology has grown and 5. Ibid. 23. Shoard, “Landscapes,” 91. shifted to accept the inevitability of 6. Ibid. change and, whether for buildings or 24. See, for example, J. Timothy Keller and Genevieve P. Keller, National Register Bulletin landscapes, has slowly moved away 7. Elizabeth Pennisi, “Western U.S. Forests Suffer Death by Degrees,” Science 23, vol. 323, 18: How to Evaluate and Nominate Designed from the rigidity of arresting change to no. 5913 (Jan. 2009): 447. Philip J. van Mant- Historic Landscapes (Washington, D.C.: U.S. the flexibility of managing it. This has gem et al., “Widespread Increase of Tree Mor- Dept. of the Interior, 1987). Linda Flint been good for all. tality Rates in the Western United States,” McClelland, J. Timothy Keller, Genevieve P. Science 23, vol. 323, no. 5913 (Jan. 2009): Keller, and Robert Z. Melnick, Guidelines for We now confront a level of change to 521–524. Evaluating and Documenting Rural Historic those resources that is beyond our tradi- Landscapes (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of tional understanding and management. 8. Bob Doppelt, Roger Hamilton, Cindy the Interior, 1989). Robert Z. Melnick, “Pre- Deacon Williams, and Marni Koopman, serving Cultural and Historic Landscapes: We must re-think what we value and “Preparing for Climate Change in the Rogue Developing Standards,” CRM Bulletin 3, no. 1 even what we can legitimately hope to River Basin of Southwestern Oregon,” unpub- (1980): 1–7. Robert Z. Melnick, Cultural achieve. lished report prepared by the Climate Leader- Landscapes: Rural Historic Districts in the ship Initiative, University of Oregon; National This is the conundrum, the confusing National Park System (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Center for Conservation Science and Policy; Dept. of the Interior, 1984). problem that leads us to question the MAPSS Team at the USDA Forest Service, manner in which we see these land- Pacific Northwest Research Station, Eugene, 25. See www.international.icomos.org/charters/ gardens_e.htm. scapes, understand their significance, Ore., 2008, http://climlead.uoregon.edu/ index.html. and plan for their future. 26. Shoard, “Landscapes,” 94. 9. Ibid., iii. 27. Mark Laird, “The Impacts of Climate ROBERT Z. MELNICK, FASLA, is a professor 10. See, for example, Stephen Saunders and Change on Historic Landscapes,” in The Sig- of landscape architecture at the University of Tom Easley, with Jesse A. Logan and Theo nificance of Setting: Conserving Monuments Oregon. He has addressed critical issues in Spencer, “Losing Ground: Western National and Sites in Changing Canadian Cultural Land- cultural-landscape evaluation and protection Parks Endangered by Climate Disruption,” scapes (Toronto: ICOMOS Canada, 2005), CD for the past 30 years, for the National Park George Wright Society Forum 24, no. 1 (2007): available at canada.icomos.org. See also Mark Service, in private practice, and as an author 41–81. Laird, “Climate, Weather and Planting Design in English Formal Design of the Early 18th 42 APT BULLETIN: JOURNAL OF PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY / 40:3-4, 2009

Century,” Die Gartenkunst des Barock, fax Symposium,” APT Bulletin 36, no. 4 Biotic Patterns. Interpretive Resource Bulletin ICOMOS Journals of the German National (2005): 3–4. Series,” see http://www.nps.gov/glac/nature Committee 28 (1998): 14–19. science/upload/climate%20change%20and%20 35. See www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/ biotic%20patterns.pdf. 28. Thanks to Bart Johnson, University of show/nav.18455, www.rhs.org.uk/learning/ Oregon, for offering clarity about this concept. research/conservation_and_environment.asp, 38. Moe. and www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/ 29. See, for example, Peter Del Tredici’s writ- w-countryside_environment/w-climate_change 39. American Society of Landscape Architects, ings, especially “The Role of Horticulture in a .htm. “The Sustainable Sites Initiative: Guidelines Changing World,” in Botanical Progress, Hor- and Performance Benchmarks,” draft, Wash- ticultural Innovations and Cultural Changes, 36. Phil Gates, Gardening in the Global Green- ington, D.C., 2008. ed. Michel Conan and W. John Kress. (Wash- house: The Impact of Climate Change on Gar- ington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks, 2007), 259– dens in the UK (Oxford: UK Climate Impacts 40. Ibid., 3. 265. Programme, 2002). 41. Ibid., 7. 30. For more information on NPS historic- and 37. See, among others, National Park Service, 42. Del Tredici, 260. cultural-landscape activities, see www.nps.gov/ “Climate Change Activities in the Southeast” history/HPS/hli/. (internal document, n.d.). Paul R. Epstein and 43. See, for example, the Noah’s Ark Project, James J. McCarthy, “Assessing Climate Stabil- http://noahsark.isac.cnr.it/overview.php. 31. For more information see the Cultural ity,” Bulletin of the American Meteorological 44. English Heritage, “Climate Change and the Landscape Foundation’s Web site, www.tclf Society (August 2004). ICOMOS Thematic .org/. Historic Environment,” www.english-heritage Workshop on Cultural Heritage and Climate .org.uk/upload/pdf/Climate_Change_and_the_ 32. Shary Page Berg, “Applying Principles of Change, Quebec, Canada, Oct. 1, 2008. For Historic_Environment_2008.pdf. Sustainability to Cultural Landscapes” (paper, further information on this report, see www Sixth National Forum on Preservation Practice: .international.icomos.org/climatechange/.../ 45. See www.silosandsmokestacks.org/. A Critical Look at Sustainability and Historic ICOMOS_GCC_Cultural_Heritage_Workshop 46. Constance I. Millar, Nathan L. Stephenson, Preservation, Goucher College, Baltimore, Md., _Quebec_2008_Report_Final_EN.pdf. ICO- and Scott L. Stephens, “Climate Change and March 19-21, 2009). For further information MOS Scientiﬁc Council, “Recommendations Forests of the Future: Managing in the Face of on this conference, see www.goucher.edu/ from the Scientiﬁc Council Symposium, Cul- Uncertainty,” Ecological Applications 17, no. 8 x29529.xml. tural Heritage and Global Climate Change (2007): 2145–2151. See also the Noah’s Ark (GCC),” see http://www.international.icomos Project. 33. Susan Buggey, “Historic Landscape Conser- .org/climatechange/pdf/Recommendations_ vation in North America: Roaming the Field GCC_Symposium_EN.pdf. UNESCO World 47. Millar. over the Past Thirty Years,” APT Bulletin 29, Heritage Centre, “Cultural Landscapes: The no. 3-4 (1998): 37–42. 48. For additional information on Noah’s Ark’s Challenges of Conservation. World Heritage objectives and plans, see http://noahsark.isac 34. See APT Bulletin 36, no. 4 (2005) and John Papers 7,” see http://whc.unesco.org/ .cnr.it/overview.php. D. Lesak, “APT and Sustainability: The Hali- documents/publi_wh_papers_07_en.pdf. U.S. National Park Service, “Climate Change and 49. See note 28.