From World Heritage Policy Compendium – World Heritage Centre and firenzepatrimoniomondiale.it
Conservation of cultural and natural heritage is at the core of the Convention. Conservation includes effective and active measures that can be taken by States Parties to ensure the identification, protection, presentation and transmission of heritage.
There is no single definition of conservation in relation to both cultural and natural heritage. However, with regards to cultural heritage ‘all operations designed to understand a property, know its history and meaning, ensure its material safeguard, and, if required, its restoration and enhancement’ could be part of its conservation (Nara Document on Authenticity). Conservation of natural heritage refers to the protection, care, management and maintenance of ecosystems, habitats, wildlife species and populations, within or outside of their natural environments, in order to safeguard the natural conditions for their long-term permanence (IUCN).
The Conservation theme includes policies related to protection, management, monitoring, impact assessments, factors affecting the properties, tourism and sustainable development. DISCOVER THE COMPENDIUM >>
According to the analysis of the policies regarding the Conservation of World Heritage Properties, it’s interesting to highlight one best practice about the activity of Impact assessments led by Historic Centre of Florence, World Heritage site “HeRe_Lab – Heritage Reserch”, joint laboratory between the UNESCO Office of the Municipality of Florence and the University of Florence. The project, in accordance with the indications in the Guidance of ICOMOS International (2011), aims to evaluate – in a systematic and coherent way – the positive / negative impact of one or more transformation projects that might influence the values, attributes , the authenticity and the integrity of World Heritage properties. The assessment is functional to the indications of the planned management methods and the possible mitigative measures.
The lab, together with the experts of the UNESCO Office of the Municipality, facilitate the dialogue between competent figures that have specific analytical skills to assess each particular site or transformation project.
The publication “Notes for a Heritage Impact Assessment Model “, published by HeRe_Lab in September 2019 HERE TO DOWNLOAD (only Italian version available) >> , aims to introduce into the Italian scenario the procedures, contents and applications of the Heritage Impact Assessment methodology for the sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The document is currently being translated in english.
The project is part of the projects financed in 2018 by the Law 77/2006 of the MiBACT “Special measures for the protection and use of Italian sites and elements of cultural, landscape and environmental interest, included in the” World Heritage List “, placed under the protection of UNESCO ”.
METHODOLOGICAL PROPOSALS
During the testing phase of the ad hoc HIA model for the site, some interaction and coordination issues between the various stakeholders involved in the development projects of some “transformation areas” have emerged. Therefore, HeRe_Lab has drafted and refined a preliminary assessment model based on the content of the scoping report. This model is suitable to be integrated with the decision-making processes, and with the administrative and technical procedures of the municipal administration as well as of the other competent institutions.
The UNESCO Office of the Municipality of Florence is in charge with the coordination – in all its procedural stages – of the application of the model. The Office is supported by the expertise of HeRe_Lab for the drafting and compiling of the model.
This tool allows to optimize and simplify the assessment procedure of potential impacts as follows:
– identification of the value and attributes of the Historic Centre of Florence potentially involved in the transformation project
– participation in the consultative decision-making phase with the stakeholders
– compilation of the preliminary assessment report of the project
– opinion on transformation with possible introduction of mitigation proposals