Assessing Vulnerability in Cultural Landscapes

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Assessing Vulnerability in Cultural Landscapes Amanda LAOUPI and George TSAKIRIS * *

Centre for the Assessment of Natural Hazards & Proactive Planning –National Technical University of Athens, Greece alaoupi@otenet.gr and gtsakir@central.ntua.gr

Abstract:

Key words:

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The topic of the cultural heritage management was not generally regarded by governments as a high priority till recently, so it will come as no surprise that it has not been subjected to much in-depth study or analysis. This paper focuses on the elaboration of an integrated methodological framework that could assess vulnerability’s parameters concerning various categories of cultural heritage. Case studies have shown that the evaluation and analysis of cultural landscapes may be significantly improved, when different socio-economic, environmental and technical patterns are explicitly organised into grouped questionnaires. The fourpart analysis (IESO) provides flexible criteria for hazard assessment of cultural targets (memory institutions, open-air sites & monuments, elements of maritime heritage, natural landscapes, caves with paleontological/ archaeological interest, landscapes of memory), and is built on the following scheme: a) Intrinsic parameters (describing the condition of the cultural asset), b) Environmental parameters (describing the natural setting), c) Socio-economic parameters (describing the living community) and d) Organisational / Institutional parameters (describing various functions of the State).

cultural heritage, vulnerability assessment, flood hazard, Eastern Attica

INTRODUCTION

Although "the right to a cultural heritage is an integral element of humanity" (Article 27 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and "the diversity of such resources is essential for sustaining the ability to cope with the past, present and future", the colossal magnitude of the loss and damage of cultural heritage due to various worldwide natural phenomena and human-induced hazards diminishes the pool of knowledge and wisdom from which we draw our strength and resilience. Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, we cannot rehabilitate or restore what has been lost, but we can prevent a further loss of cultural heritage by : a) the integration Cultural Heritage Management (CHM) assessment with environmental assessment to elucidate long-term interactions between living and past populations and their environments, b) the elaboration of a more synergetic, effective, satisfactory and internationally accepted legislation and policy, c) the incorporation of costs for CHM © Water Resources Management: New Approaches and Technologies, European Water Resources Association, Chania, Crete - Greece, 14-16 June 2007.


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