The global theme for this year’s World Heritage Day on 18 April is ‘Heritage under Threat from Disasters and Conflicts: Preparedness and Learning from 60 Years of ICOMOS Actions.’
The UK’s historical sites are interlinked with the nation’s cultural fabric. They have survived centuries of change – economic upheaval, wars, and natural disasters. Now they face new and complicated risks, from climate change to the continuing demands of modern conservation.
Although they have stood for centuries, historic buildings were not constructed to withstand the increasingly unpredictable weather that climate change causes.
The damage that climate change causes is not just limited to buildings, they are also affecting historic gardens. Rising temperatures and unstable weather patterns could destroy years of careful cultivation and planting, whilst declining biodiversity also creates larger threats to the UK’s historic gardens. Birds, insects, and other wildlife are crucial for garden health – keeping pests in check, maintaining ecological balance and pollinating plants. Their disappearance makes gardens less dynamic, and weakens the structures that help them thrive.
The challenges facing heritage in the United Kingdom are not as severe as those for other sites across the world, but World Heritage Day is a chance to us to reflect on challenges and find opportunities to act. With the right investment, policies, and urgency, we can make sure that historic buildings and gardens continue to thrive for years to come.
Langley History UK 