June / July 2018

Living Landscape Observer - Nature, Culture, Community
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October 18 - 21, 2018
Columbia, SC

US/ ICOMOS Symposium
November 13, 2018
Presidio
San Francisco, CA

November 14-17, 2018
San Francisco
Living Landscape Observer
World Heritage Plaque English Lake District
Image: Chee-Wai Lee
 
The English Lake District: World Heritage Listing  One Year In
I t was just one year ago, in July 2017, that the English Lake District was finally recognized as a World Heritage cultural landscape. It had taken many decades to achieve the designation. So how is the Lake District faring one year later? In many ways, the inscription has not resulted in big changes. The Lake District National Park Partnership continues to play a key role in carrying out its stated mission for the Lake District to serve as:  A place where its prosperous economy, world class visitor experiences and vibrant communities come together to sustain the spectacular landscape, its wildlife and cultural heritage However, the impact of outside forces - specifically Brexit - on the region are much more problematic. What will it mean for the country's agricultural policy? This is critical for the Lake District. As noted in the World Heritage nomination, it is an "unrivaled example of a northern European upland agro-pastoral system," but also a way of life under tremendous pressure.  Read More about the British vision for agriculture post Brexit.

The James River from Jamestown, Virginia
 Image: Lisa Bergstrom

The Slave Route Project: Jamestown 1619
In 1619 an English Privateer arrived at Point Comfort on the James River, bringing the first enslaved Africans to Virginia. Soon to be sold, most of the men and women remain nameless. Historical records do reveal that one woman "Angela or Angelo" was purchased by an English Lieutenant Pierce. Today Historic Jamestowne and the National Park Service are working to uncover her story and others. This is just one touch point of the Slave Route Project is documenting the vast and complex cultural landscape of four centuries of the slave trade. But, to go beyond the large landscape, cultural heritage professionals should not hesitate to look for the humanity that can be found in the telling of individual stories of such historical figures as Angela. Read more on this work here.

Latest News

Pmi Achki
Pimachiowin Aki, Cananda 
Credit IUCN
IUCN Reports -This year saw the  uplifting inscription of two large, intact indigenous territories : Pimachiowin Aki in Canada's boreal forest and Chiribiquete National Park in the heart of Colombia. Both are among the largest World Heritage sites on the planet. These places typify what the Convention is all about, protecting exceptional sites where    humans and nature have been        intertwined for millennia.

A new marker was rededicated on June 21, 2018. The original marker was riddles with bullets and torn from its base.
The Legacy of Emmett Till -
The Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area,in conjunction with a cohort of state and local partners, hosted a forum on the legacy of Emmett Till and the impact of the fourteen-year-old's murder on the Civil Rights Movement. Held at the Tallahatchie Courthouse in Sumner, Mississippi, the site of the trial of Till's killers, the audience was primarily high school teachers.
Many thanks to Allen Spears, NPCA

Anthony Murphy, Mythical Ireland
A drone flight has revealed an ancient henge in Ireland's Boyne Valley.  The location and exact configuration was only revealed as a result of the drought conditions. This is due to the altered soil where the henge once stood. The circular henge was likely built out of whole tree trunks. Eventually, the wood began to rot and decay in place due to lack of upkeep. As the tree trunks decomposed, they left behind more fertile and organic-rich soil where the posts once stood.

About Us

The Living Landscape Observer is a website, blog and monthly e-newsletter that offers commentary and information on the emerging field of large landscape conservation. This approach emphasizes the preservation of a "sense of place" and blends ingredients of land conservation, heritage preservation, and sustainable community development. Learn more about how you can get involved or sign up for the newsletter here.  


Our Mission: To provide observations and information on the emerging fields of landscape scale conservation, heritage preservation and sustainable community development.