Managing Loss in the Historic Environment: Ecocultural Approaches

Learn about how heritage practice is evolving to respond creatively to climate and other pressures.

This transdisciplinary 1-day course provides training and knowledge exchange for those involved in managing complex change (including the potential for substantial harm or loss) in the historic environment. It is aimed at a cross-sector audience, including historic and natural environment practitioners, cultural resource consultants, regulatory and local planning authorities, landscape architects, curators, and ecological surveyors. In-person and online participation is possible.

We will review environmental drivers for change to heritage assets and landscapes in UK and international contexts and discuss a range of established options for managing anticipated impacts. We will then explore emerging approaches such as adaptive release, which frame the management of change as an ecocultural process with potential co-benefits for natural and cultural heritage. Participants will gain awareness of relevant policy developments and develop confidence in applying new approaches and navigating context-specific challenges.

Detailed case studies will ground exploration of key themes, leading participants in thinking about how to define, accept and learn from (partial or total) loss in the historic environment, and how to assess the risks and rewards associated with adaptive, integrated approaches. The programme includes contributions from senior heritage practitioners directly involved in developing policy and practice to address the challenges explored in the course.  In the afternoon, those attending in person will be invited to share cases from their own work in a participatory workshop applying the approaches introduced in the morning session.

Please email cultural.heritage@conted.ox.ac.uk for further details, and please email res-ctr@conted.ox.ac.uk to find out about accommodation.