A critical reflection of the development of biocultural heritage conservation and community based projects: a case study of Goonhilly Downs.
Jake Riding
Introduction This dissertation aims to critically explore the impact of the historical division between natural and cultural heritage conservation as a means of understanding the development of biocultural heritage conservation. Through this critical exploration a certain approach highlighted and explored in further depth which is borne out of the development of biocultural heritage conservation is community based conservation and this will be discussed through a project run at Goonhilly Downs in West Cornwall as a case study to explore this in more depth. Chapter 1 outlines and critically explores definitions of both natural and cultural heritage in order to ascertain the different cultural and social meanings behind them. This is supported by primary research in the form of a questionnaire that aimed to gain insight into people's understandings of definitions of conservation as a way of supporting the inherent misunderstanding and lack of connection between the two, thus highlighting the inherent challenges that have been faced in heritage conservation practice. Chapter 2 then introduces a case study of Goonhilly Downs, a 1,271 hectare national nature reserve on the Lizard Peninsula in South West Cornwall that is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) managed by Natural England. The aim of using Goonhilly Downs as a case study is to demonstrate the importance of biocultural conservation today, showing how both natural and cultural heritage are inexplicably linked, whilst exploring the meanings of conservation in more depth. Primary research in the form of an interview is carried out with Morgan Ravine at The Lizard National Nature Reserve and his responses are used to support the discussion within. Chapter 3 then introduces the concept of community based conservation as a method of bridging the divide between natural and cultural heritage conservation and demonstrating an effective method for biocultural heritage conservation for the future, particularly with supporting and connecting local people with their surrounding environments. Community based projects present an alternative approach to more traditional paradigms of conservation and include linking the arts to the sciences as a mode of engaging local and new audiences in investing in heritage conservation, this is discussed and explored in chapter 3. Using Goonhilly Downs, Chapter 3 explores The Goonhilly Village Green Project as a unique case study for primary research which was a community based project that aimed to link conservation with arts based activities as a means of engagement with the local community. In order to support this discussion and case study, further primary research in the form of an interview by the curators of Goonhilly Village Green Project, Sara Bowler and Lizzy Masterton was carried out and their responses are used to inform the discussion further. The potential success of community based projects can be used to develop and promote a more enhanced, holistic and collaborative approach to biocultural heritage conservation.
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