ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes

ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes
Name	ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes
Formation	1980s
Type	International non-governmental organization committee
Location	Paris, France (ICOMOS Secretariat)
Parent organization	International Council on Monuments and Sites, UNESCO
Region served	Global

ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes is an expert group within the International Council on Monuments and Sites focused on the identification, protection and management of cultural landscapes. It brings together specialists in conservation, heritage management and landscape studies to advise on World Heritage nominations, national inventories and thematic research. The committee liaises with UNESCO World Heritage Centre, national heritage bodies and academic institutions to integrate landscape perspectives into conservation practice.

History and Foundation

The committee emerged in the wake of growing international attention to landscape values following the adoption of the World Heritage Convention and parallel developments in landscape policy such as the European Landscape Convention and the recognition of cultural landscapes at sites like Tongariro National Park, Port Arthur Historic Site, and Mount Fuji World Heritage Site. Founding participants included delegates from ICOMOS national committees, academics from Dumbarton Oaks, and practitioners connected to the International Union for Conservation of Nature who responded to precedents set by the 1972 UNESCO Conference on Historic Preservation and later gatherings in Venice and Prague. Early milestones involved collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and exchanges with governmental agencies such as English Heritage, Parks Canada, and the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty.

Mission and Objectives

The committee's mission is to articulate principles and methodologies for recognizing cultural landscapes in nominations to the World Heritage Committee, in national heritage registers like the National Register of Historic Places and in regional planning instruments influenced by the Council of Europe. Objectives include developing criteria informed by cases such as Skovgaarden Gardens, Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, and Everglades National Park; promoting interdisciplinary dialogue among scholars from University College London, Harvard University, and the Australian National University; and supporting capacity building with organizations like IUCN and ICCROM.

Organizational Structure and Membership

Governance follows the ICOMOS committee model with elected chairs, secretaries and working group convenors drawn from national committees such as ICOMOS Australia, ICOMOS Canada, ICOMOS Japan and specialists affiliated with institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and the Technische Universität Berlin. Membership includes landscape architects trained at programs like the Harvard Graduate School of Design, historians from University of Oxford, archaeologists linked to Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and indigenous representatives connected to groups such as First Nations Development Institute and Assembly of First Nations. The committee organizes triennial meetings aligned with major conferences including ICOMOS General Assembly and thematic symposia hosted by museums like the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Activities and Programs

Core activities encompass advisory reviews of World Heritage nominations (e.g., Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces), technical missions to sites such as Hampi World Heritage Site and programs for training and outreach with partners including Getty Conservation Institute, European Commission, and UNDP. The committee runs workshops on inventories, monitoring and community engagement involving stakeholders from ICOMOS Sri Lanka, ICOMOS South Africa, and municipal authorities like City of Kyoto and City of Cusco. It produces thematic sessions at events such as the UN Habitat meetings and coordinates pilot projects with conservation agencies including Historic England and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

Guidelines, Charters and Publications

The committee has contributed to charters and guidance documents used internationally, drawing on precedents like the Venice Charter and the Burra Charter, and producing thematic guidance for cultural landscapes, inventories and management plans. Publications and position papers are disseminated through outlets and partners such as ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes newsletters, proceedings hosted by ICOMOS and monographs published in collaboration with university presses at Cambridge University Press and Routledge. The committee’s guidance informs national legislation models referenced by agencies like the National Park Service and standards promoted by ICCROM and the Global Heritage Fund.

Key Projects and Case Studies

Representative projects include advisory contributions to the inscription and management of Huangshan Mountain, the Old City of Lijiang, the Coffin Bay National Park nominations, landscape studies for Rice Terraces of Banaue, and conservation plans for cultural landscapes in regions such as Andalusia, Provence, and the Loire Valley. Case studies emphasize interactions among stakeholders exemplified by collaborations with Māori communities in Aotearoa New Zealand, indigenous groups in Amazonas (Brazilian state), and rural populations in Tuscany. Technical reports have addressed challenges at sites like Angkor, Petra, and Mesa Verde National Park demonstrating integration of archaeology, ecology and traditional practices.

Relations with UNESCO and Other Bodies

The committee maintains formal and informal relations with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, contributing technical advice to the World Heritage Committee and working alongside IUCN for natural-cultural interface issues. It partners with international organizations including UNDP, UNESCO Chair networks, regional bodies such as the Organization of American States, and academic consortia like the International Federation of Landscape Architects to align policy, research and training. Collaboration extends to bilateral programs with ministries such as Ministry of Culture (France), Ministry of Culture (Japan), and institutions including the European Cultural Foundation to support conservation outcomes.

Category:ICOMOS Category:Cultural landscapes Category:Heritage conservation