Annex 2
THE HISTORIC
ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT AND
THE QUALITY
OF LIFE.
LEARNING FROM
THE PAST—SHAPING
THE FUTURE
The historic environment is the physical record
of how people have interacted with their environment in the past,
and what that tells us of how they led their lives. Physically
it is non-renewable. Yet it is also dynamic. It is the product
of ongoing change, stretching from the distant past that will
continue into the distant future: within the span of a single
lifetime unimagined future developments can become a valued part
of history. Our understanding of the past also changes through
archaeological and historical investigation and interpretation.
The historic environment and its study through
archaeology and history contribute significantly to people's quality
of life within the four key pillars of sustainable development,
as defined in the current government strategy for sustainable
development, A Better Quality of Life: A Strategy for Sustainable
Development in the UK.
For "social progress which recognizes the
needs of everyone" the historic environment is:
— a source of enjoyment and interest
through intellectual and physical activity and leisure-time pursuits,
which contribute to general mental, spiritual and physical health;
— an important medium for general education,
life-long learning and personal development;
— our only source for understanding
the development of human society in prehistoric and much of historical
times, and a key source of perspective on multi-cultural social
change; and
— a vital basis for people's awareness
of historical and cultural identity, and sense of community and
place.
For "effective protection of the environment"
the historic environment is:
— a non-renewable record of people's
long-term social, spiritual and economic relationships and their
interaction with all parts of the environment;
— a fundamental determinant of environmental
character, bio-diversity and cultural diversity;
— a catalyst for protecting and improving
the distinctive qualities of the places where people live and
work or which they visit; and
— a key to understanding long-term
environmental change.
For "prudent use of natural resources"
the historic environment is:
— a reservoir of energy and natural
resources already embodied in historic buildings and structures,
which can be husbanded through careful maintenance and reuse;
— a non-renewable cultural resource,
the conservation of which helps to promote prudent use of non-renewable
natural resources such as soils and minerals;
— an important source of evidence about
past use of renewable energy and recyclable natural resources
such as wind and water, coppice, timber, thatch and organic waste.
For "maintenance of high and stable levels
of economic growth and employment" the historic environment
is:
— a major source of revenue through
tourism;
— a source of added value in economic
and social regeneration;
— a significant source of employment,
both directly and indirectly, through tourism, cultural activity,
education and conservation.
These benefits can be maximised by enhancing
people's awareness and understanding of archaeology and the historic
environment and by developing a culture, within government and
industry and in their dealings with others, of promoting active
involvement, care and appreciation of the historic environment
for the benefit of present and future generations.
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