Cultural Landscape Management - Australian Alps National Parks

4.3 Assessing the significance of cultural landscapesOnce the information accumulated during documentary and field research has been analysed, you are in a position to assess thesignificance of the cultural landscape. Basically, this involves seeing how the most important features and characteristics of thecultural landscape compare with those of other places, when measured against a particular set of criteria, or indicators ofsignificance.It is important to note from the outset that significance is always assessed independently of management considerations, suchas whether the cultural landscape can be conserved, whether it is threatened, or whether or not there are funds for itsmanagement. A cultural landscape containing crumbling earthen structures that cannot be preserved may be far moresignificant than one with stable, well-preserved features and a healthy management budget.4.3.1 What is significance?The Burra Charter defines significance as follows (Australia ICOMOS 1992:73):• Cultural significance is the aesthetic, historic, scientific or social value for past, present or future generations.• The places that are likely to be of significance are those which help an understanding of the past or enrich the present, andwhich will be of value to future generations.For our purposes, an Alps parks cultural landscape will have cultural value if it can demonstrate sufficient physicalevidence or association,, supported by documentary evidence, that:• provides a tangible link with the broad themes of Alps history, and/or• assists in the analysis and understanding of these Alps themes.4.3.2 Criteria for the assessment of significanceBefore assessment of significance can be undertaken, a set of criteria must be established. Landscapes and landscape featurescan then be checked against each of these criteria, and the extent to which they meet each criterion evaluated. Note that somecriteria may be considered to be more important than others. More important criteria can be given a weighting.The Burra Charter, the Australian Heritage Commission and the state heritage agencies and Parks Services have alldeveloped criteria and guidelines for the assessment of significance. The Burra Charter defines the values comprising'cultural significance' as (Australia ICOMOS 1992:73):• Aesthetic value: including aspects of sensory perception, measured by qualities such as form, scale, colour, texture andmaterial of the fabric (ie the physical evidence of the landscape).• Historic value: relating to how a place has influenced or been influenced by an historic figure, event, phase or activity, orwhether it was the site of an important event. Historic significance is greater where evidence of the association is stronger,eg through survival of evidence in good condition.31