Conservation of modern heritage
Introduction
Cultural heritage management is the vocation and practice of managing cultural heritage. It is a branch of cultural resource management (CRM), although it also draws on the practices of cultural conservation, restoration, museology, archaeology, history and architecture. While the term cultural heritage is generally used in Europe, in the US the term cultural resources is used more generally and refers specifically to cultural heritage resources. The CHM has traditionally been concerned with the identification, interpretation, maintenance and preservation of significant cultural sites and physical heritage assets, although intangible aspects of heritage, such as traditional skills, cultures and languages, are also considered. The topic usually receives greater attention and resources when faced with a threat, and the focus is usually on rescue or salvage archaeology. Possible threats include urban development, large-scale agriculture, mining activity, looting, erosion or unsustainable numbers of visitors.[1].
The public face of the CHM, and an important source of income to support the ongoing management of the heritage, is interpretation and presentation to the public, which is an important aspect of tourism. Therefore, communication with the government and the public is a key competency.
Development
CHM has its roots in rescue archeology and urban archeology conducted in North America and Europe in the years surrounding World War II and the decades following. Salvage projects were hasty attempts to identify and rescue archaeological remains before they were destroyed to make way for large public works or other construction projects. In the early days of salvage archaeology, it was almost unheard of for a project to be delayed due to the presence of even the most fascinating cultural sites, so it was necessary for salvage archaeologists to work as quickly as possible. Although many sites were lost, much data was saved for posterity thanks to these rescue efforts. In more recent decades, legislation has been passed emphasizing the identification and protection of cultural sites, especially those on public lands. In the United States, the most notable of these laws remains the National Historic Preservation Act. The administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson was most instrumental in passing and developing this legislation, although it has since been expanded and developed. These laws make it a crime to develop any federal land without conducting a cultural resources study to identify and evaluate any cultural sites that may be affected. In the UK, PPG 16 has been instrumental in improving the management of historic sites in the face of development.