CONSERVATION, LEARNING, Conservation, ACCESS AND ENJOYMENT Learning, PRINCIPLES Access and Enjoyment Principles
SUMMARY Conservation, access, learning and enjoyment have been at the heart of the National Trust for Scotland s mission since our establishment in 1931. These principles form part of the foundation thinking of the Trust, and are used to inform our approach to policy development, the conservation of places and objects in our care, and how people engage with heritage. Our approach to implementing these principles, and the emphasis we place on their different aspects, will evolve to reflect changing attitudes, technology and knowledge but they will always remain at the core of our thinking. We re working towards a vision where Scotland s heritage is valued by everyone and protected, now and for future generations. We practise conservation: For everyone we ll provide conservation, access and learning for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. For wellbeing we ll support the enjoyment of our heritage in a wide variety of ways, providing engaging experiences and high-quality facilities. Our approach to decision-making will be: Informed by significance we ll take an inclusive and holistic approach to the evaluation of significance across the full range of cultural and natural heritage, in accordance with the best UK and international practice. Prioritised health and safety is a primary concern. Subject to that concern, conservation processes should seek to resolve conflicts, but where irreconcilable differences between conservation aims and other aims arise, conservation will prevail. Evidence-based our conservation decisions will be informed by an evaluation of existing knowledge, policy and plans before any intervention, and we ll provide resources to maximise our understanding and knowledge. A lack of full information will not be used as a reason to delay action. Open we ll take a conservative approach to our work, and seek to have as little adverse impact on significant features as possible. We ll take an open approach to issues of authenticity, and our interventions will be recorded to help future generations. For the nation we ll prioritise the conservation of heritage of international and national significance, while valuing cultural and natural diversity and local distinctiveness. For the long term we ll take decisions for the best long-term interest of Scotland s heritage, environment and people. 1
INTRODUCTION The National Trust for Scotland was founded in 1931 and established by the Order Confirmation Act 1935 stating: The National Trust for Scotland shall be established for the purposes of promoting the permanent preservation for the benefit of the nation of lands and buildings in Scotland of historic or national interest or natural beauty and also of articles and objects of historic or national interest and as regards lands for the preservation (so far as practicable) of their natural aspect and features and animal and plant life and as regards buildings for the preservation (so far as practicable) of their architectural or historic features and contents so far as of national or historic interest. The Act was amended in 1938 to include the promotion of (a) the preservation of buildings of architectural or artistic interest and places of historic or national interest or natural beauty and the protection, improvement and augmentation of the amenities of such buildings and places and their surroundings (b) the preservation of articles and objects of any description having artistic or antiquarian interest (c) the access to and enjoyment of such buildings, places, articles and objects by the public Conservation, access and enjoyment are at the heart of the Trust s mission. We aim to conserve what s considered special about Scotland s heritage in a way that protects or enhances its significance. Through our work, we seek to provide opportunities for everyone to experience and value Scotland s heritage in a way that sustains it for the future. Learning 1 in its broadest sense is a vital means to achieve our conservation objectives. Our prime method of protection is through acquisition, and then careful management. Our mission encompasses aspects of cultural as well as natural heritage. The concept of beauty is ubiquitous. While there are many similarities in how we approach conservation and engage people across this broad spectrum, there are also some differences. The most significant of these is the scale and rate of change sometimes experienced (and welcomed) in the natural world, compared to built heritage, archaeological remains and objects. Our conservation principles form part of the foundation thinking of the Trust and are used to inform our approach to topic-specific policies, the conservation of objects and places in the Trust s care, and in how and why we encourage people to engage with heritage. These principles replace the version published by the Trust in July 2003 and incorporate the Access, Education and Enjoyment principles published in 2005. Although some of the language has changed, they retain the core ethos which has served the Trust since its foundation. These principles also draw on international thinking and long-term commitments to heritage conservation and sustainable development, such as the Burra Charter 2 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3. The Burra Charter is focused on places of cultural significance. The rationale for their conservation is that they enrich people s lives, often providing a deep and inspirational sense of connection to community and landscape, to the past and to lived experiences These places of cultural significance must be conserved for present and future generations in accordance with the principle of intergenerational equity. The Burra Charter advocates a cautious approach to change: do as much as necessary to care for the place and to make it useable, but otherwise change it as little as possible so that its cultural significance is retained. SDGs demonstrate the bridge between equitable human wellbeing and good environmental stewardship. The UK and Scottish governments have committed to delivering SDGs at home and abroad. The Trust strives continuously to develop and promote best access, enjoyment and learning practices by working in partnership with other relevant bodies. 1 Learning includes all aspects of formal and informal education. 2 The Burra Charter The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance 2013 3 UN Sustainable Development Goals https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300 4
THE PRINCIPLES Through our application of these principles, we demonstrate the value of taking a holistic approach to heritage conservation. The long-term sustainability of heritage depends on ensuring its effective conservation and use, and understanding and developing support systems. Individually and as a society, we ll only protect what we value. Therefore, the Trust s mission is dependent on our ability to encourage and instil values that support heritage protection, for present and future generations. In order to do that, we need to offer high-quality and appealing experiences. We believe that achieving our vision benefits people as well as heritage. 1. For everyone we ll provide conservation, access and learning for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone, now and for future generations. For the Trust, conservation is closely linked to access, learning and enjoyment. The benefits of enjoying heritage, such as wellbeing and learning, should be available to everyone and should be passed unimpaired to future generations. The Trust will be inclusive and will endeavour to remove barriers to access and engagement, whether physical, social or economic. Where physical access is managed to protect the integrity of the object, place or its wildlife, the Trust will provide other mechanisms such as digital access, where feasible. The Trust will be inclusive in its decision-making and wherever practical involve local communities, communities of interest and our members. Our workforce (of voluntary and paid staff) is a critical extension of our commitment to provide opportunities for individuals to engage with our shared heritage. By being directly involved as a volunteer or employee, individuals gain from their personal access to heritage or its support, while helping us realise our core purposes and contributing to the socio-economic sustainability of local communities. The Trust is committed to valuing its workforce through investment in recruitment, training and support; we recognise and uphold that our people are our ambassadors now and for the future. INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A SOCIETY, WE LL ONLY PROTECT WHAT WE VALUE "WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT THESE TREASURES." 2. For wellbeing we ll support the enjoyment of Scotland s heritage in a wide variety of ways, providing engaging, vibrant experiences and good-quality facilities. Engaging with Scotland s heritage can bring multiple benefits to people; an increased level of engagement can provide greater benefits. We ll protect the heritage interest and, subject to such protection, meet the needs of the visitor to maximise the value and enjoyment of their visit. We aim to lead by example in providing ways of experiencing special places without compromising their heritage significance. Management statements are drawn up for each Trust place, which address all aspects of management, including issues of access and use. Policies such as the Wild Land Policy also help to guide the Trust and others in managing remote areas with special qualities. 5
3. Informed by significance when deciding what s important about heritage we ll be as inclusive and holistic as possible. Many places have many layers of value and significance relating to cultural or natural heritage which cannot always be clearly separated. All the different values are considered during the evaluation process. An evaluation process considers the place or feature in a wider context (eg in relation to similar places and comparing one example of a type with another) as well as evaluating different aspects of heritage to enable priorities to be set. We will value the whole and recognise that relationships between part and whole are often central to the spirit of the place. Interpretation of heritage and its significance should be integral to all aspects of the visitor experience, including commercial activities. Evaluation should be as inclusive as possible, involving the participation of all relevant communities of interest especially those with expert knowledge. Stakeholders in a place should include local communities and may include national interest groups, members, volunteers and visitors. The intangible associations of places or objects can be as important as more easily measurable physical features, and should be considered alongside tangible qualities when evaluating the significance of a place or feature. These intangible associations may relate to history, spirituality, beauty, culture, myth, legend, communal memory or identity. 4. Prioritised health and safety is the Trust s primary concern when carrying out its activities. Subject to that concern, conservation processes should seek to resolve conflicts, but where irreconcilable differences between conservation aims and other aims arise, conservation will prevail. In undertaking activities, the health and safety of workers and visitors is the Trust s primary concern. The Trust will concentrate on achieving a balance between risk and benefit through the application of sensible risk management. The Trust s statutory purposes of access and enjoyment are intrinsically linked to the statutory purpose of conservation. Conflicts between such purposes or with health and safety should be resolved by good planning, interpretation and management, where necessary facilitating negotiation. However, when conflicts prove irreconcilable, the Trust should always give greater weight to conservation where significant physical features and character are at risk, in line with the established Sandford Principle 4. On occasion, access and direct enjoyment cannot be permitted without undue risk to health and safety. The Trust is a major purchaser and retailer and works with hundreds of suppliers and contractors in carrying out its activities. We aim to minimise our environmental footprint. We undertake activities to safeguard the highest standards of environmental care by ensuring our purchases are considered locally and are as economically, socially and environmentally sustainable as possible. 4 The Sandford Principle originated from the Sandford Committee which, in its 1974 Review of National Park Policies in England and Wales, recommended that legislation relating to National Parks should be amended to make it clear that the enjoyment of National Parks by the public shall be in such a manner and by such means as will leave their natural beauty unimpaired for the enjoyment of this and future generations. The concept was endorsed as government policy and has since appeared in legislation in England, Wales and Scotland. In Scotland, the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 states that the park authorities must give greater weight to the aim to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area where this comes into conflict with other aims. 8
Principle 4 applies to all aspects of the Trust s work, but there are some additional details associated with specific areas of interest: Natural heritage WE PLACE HIGH VALUE ON THE BEAUTY OF LANDSCAPE AS WELL AS WILDLIFE. There are numerous situations where different conservation objectives may conflict when considering the natural world. Focusing on specific species, habitats or the wider landscape may bring about different and conflicting outcomes. The dynamism of nature, predator-prey relationships, succession of habitats, impacts of pests and diseases, and changes to our climate mean that we are not managing nature in stasis. Other principles, such as taking an inclusive, long-term, evidencebased approach, will influence individual decisions. The following will guide our thinking as a starting point: We place high value on the beauty of landscape as well as wildlife. We place high value on maintaining a sense of wildness, especially at our places in Wild Land Areas. Priority should be given to the healthy functioning of ecosystems, but we place a high value on native species or habitats for which we have national or global responsibility. Wherever possible we ll take a non-interventionist approach and allow natural processes to determine ecological outcomes, but we accept that intervention can be necessary where ecosystems are damaged or where priority species are threatened. Gardens and designed landscapes The conservation of gardens and designed landscapes encompasses a broad range of challenges and includes many that also relate to natural, built and archaeological heritage and collections. The Trust s gardens and designed landscapes require constant monitoring and active intervention to achieve the conservation of their key features over time. We recognise the continued need for resources and professional gardening skills to deliver this and to maintain appropriate standards. However, we also recognise that wider processes such as climate change and the impact of pests and diseases cannot be fully controlled, and we work to mitigate their impact on our garden and designed landscape heritage where possible. Gardening is the art of managing nature for effect. We place a high value on the aesthetics and purpose of design in both gardens and landscapes. We also balance the value of individual plant specimens against the conservation and management of the whole, based on an assessment of significance. Built heritage For built heritage all decisions emanate from a thorough understanding of significance, guided by the Burra Charter, and a desire to protect or enhance that significance. A conservative approach to interventions will always be adopted at the outset. Decisions on built fabric should be undertaken by appropriately qualified professionals, supported by a heritage impact assessment process. These decisions should be shared with a wide audience and documented according to best practice. Decision-makers should be aware of international and local charters that guide the care and protection of antiquity and modernity (such as the International Council on Monuments and Sites, and Historic Environment Scotland guidance) and use them in a transparent manner to support interventions. For the built environment we also have regard to the following broader aims: Promoting and increasing traditional building craft skills, and supporting formal training networks in order to help sustain these Encouraging the use of authentic, indigenous, tried-and-tested traditional materials and being mindful of the environmental footprint of new materials Utilising a holistic heritage science approach where possible, in order to support best decision-making and improve our understanding of the built environment 10
Archaeology Archaeology is the material remains of past human activity. Archaeological deposits and artefacts can be found in our buildings, gardens and designed landscapes, and wider countryside/landscape places. Archaeology provides evidence of how people lived in and used Trust places in the past. It s an integral part of our story. Archaeological remains are a non-renewable and finite resource, unique to each place; once destroyed, they re lost forever. Archaeological remains provide an integrity and authenticity to places and are a tangible link to the past. Archaeology is best preserved in situ where appropriate but if not it should be fully recorded well in advance and the resulting information made easily accessible. Archaeological artefacts recovered from Trust places should preferably be retained by the Trust as part of our wider collections (subject to any rights of the Crown). Collections and interiors Prioritisation of conservation resources will normally be determined by an artefact s significance and then by its condition. Deciding what to conserve and how to do this will depend on what has been deemed significant about an artefact. Both the tangible and intangible heritage of an artefact may be considered significant, and what is deemed special about an artefact should be maintained or enhanced through conservation. For example, the usability of a musical instrument may be considered as significant as its fabric. Therefore, when conserving the instrument the maintenance of its physical state ought to be balanced with the need to play it. This should be clarified at the outset in a statement of significance for the artefact. The environmental conditions required to maintain the fabric of an interior, or the individual items within it, will sometimes be detrimental to the condition of other interiors or artefacts. This can often be the case in historic houses where an ensemble of very different types of artefact is desired. Therefore, achieving ideal environmental conditions is difficult. Preference will be given to those conditions required by the most significant interiors and collections; where this has an unduly adverse effect on other items of significance, these will be removed to more suitable conditions. Items of less significance will usually be accessioned into the support collection. A higher degree of risk is accepted for these artefacts than those in the permanent collection and greater use assumed. Risk will be assessed for artefacts in terms of usage and ongoing monitoring. The skills required to maintain or enhance the condition of an artefact are also important when considering priorities for conservation. The Trust will strive to promote and encourage the development of conservation skills where possible, by working with skilled conservators in the sector and, where appropriate, building capacity internally. 5. Evidence-based we ll base our conservation decisions on an evaluation of existing knowledge, policy and plans before any intervention, and we ll provide resources to maximise our understanding and knowledge. The significance of a place is best understood by a rigorous sequence of collecting and analysing all relevant information and placing it in its wider context. Such research must provide an understanding of the significance of the place or feature to allow informed management decisions to be made. These decisions might be needed to inform an acquisition or disposal process, management planning or changes to existing conservation practice, interpretation and visitor experience strategy. Evaluation should be based on complete (as possible) knowledge and understanding of the assets to be conserved and their value to different stakeholders. Where knowledge is less than adequate, this should be clearly identified. However, a lack of complete information should not be a barrier to conservation action, and a risk assessment should be conducted as part of the evaluation process. The Trust s policy and strategy should be referenced within the evaluation process. Values ascribed to places, issues and objects change over time as society changes, as knowledge increases and as new approaches are articulated. This means that significance may also change and that evaluation must be an iterative process with regular review carried out. Knowledge and understanding will never be complete, so conservation and visitor management decisions will always be based on a degree of uncertainty, but the expansion of knowledge should always be sought. 11 12
6. Open we ll take an open approach to issues of authenticity, and our interventions will be recorded to help future generations. Conservation processes and activity should be transparent and adequately recorded and monitored, so they can be understood by those working in conservation both now and in the future. They should also be explained to the wider public, through education and interpretation, to encourage understanding and support. Openness is essential in the presentation of conservation work, especially where issues of authenticity are raised. A balance must be found between conserving the original fabric or condition and retaining the spirit of the place. 7. For the nation we ll prioritise the conservation of heritage of national and global significance, while valuing cultural and natural diversity and local distinctiveness. Part of the Trust s role is to illuminate the distinctive aspects of Scotland s natural and cultural heritage, both at fixed points in the past and as they change through time. The Trust s heritage portfolio celebrates the distinctiveness of Scotland s land and history, in the belief that Scotland s national identity is deeply rooted in its natural and cultural heritage. This heritage contributes to an understanding of how the distinctive culture of Scotland has developed, and overlapping influences are woven together as part of a national narrative. The Trust seeks to conserve a rounded representation of the history of Scotland, and the whole history of the places it conserves. It s recognised that each place holds the potential for a multitude of histories, which if given space will allow for many different people to engage with aspects of the heritage resource. Conservation decisions should as far as possible not restrict these possibilities. While local significance may have less influence than national significance when the Trust considers acquisitions or large conservation projects, the local dimension may be what makes a place special and will be important in day-today management. Additional benefits of protecting local distinctiveness may be in keeping each experience of a Trust place distinct and enhancing local inclusion. Things that are important on a local scale are often key to the spirit of the place, identity and meaning. The Trust has a voice beyond its portfolio and will use that voice to influence national debates and outcomes for places of national and international significance.
8. For the long term we ll take decisions for the best long-term interest of Scotland s heritage and all people. Conservation is all about the long term understanding the significance of the past and protecting what exists now to pass on to future generations. For gardens and natural heritage we can influence future outcomes through our interventions or enabling of natural processes. Sometimes these decisions may have an impact on our ability to achieve objectives in the short term, such as erection of fences to exclude grazing or use of temporary structures to enable building repairs these examples have an impact on the aesthetic appeal and can impede access in the short term. Decisions about the management and ownership of heritage will always consider and give weight to the longer-term perspective. This is especially the case where we might undertake irreversible action we should proceed with caution in these circumstances and ensure our actions are justified and documented. When considering taking action we should acknowledge the potential impacts from climate change. We ll seek to minimise our own environmental footprint, reducing resource use, and restoring and sustaining natural processes. DEFINITIONS The following definitions are an indication of how these terms are used in the context of the Trust s work. Access the right or ability to enter, approach or make use of a place or thing. The Trust s integrated approach to access requires us to use the term to refer to a whole range of methods that people use to relate to and interact with the organisation, including physical, intellectual and sensory. This can include real and virtual access. Archaeology the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. Conservation the conscious management of change to conserve valued and important features. It s about revealing and sharing the significance of places, and ensuring that their special qualities are protected, enhanced, enjoyed and understood by present and future generations. Cultural heritage inherited assets that people identify and value as a reflection and expression of their evolving knowledge, beliefs and traditions, and their understanding of the beliefs and traditions of others. Designed landscape an area of land modified by people primarily for aesthetic effect. Enjoyment experiencing joy or pleasure in something. Enjoyment can also refer to having the use or benefit of a place or thing; this means that people can enjoy the benefit of access to Trust places. The Trust provides opportunities that allow people to be stimulated physically, intellectually or emotionally. Heritage our natural and cultural inheritance that we value and seek to pass on to future generations. Intervention this can cover many different types of action (including adaptation, alteration, conversion, enhancement, maintenance, preservation, rebuilding, reconstruction, reinstatement, repair, replication and restoration); there are many different scales of this action. Learning enriching people s lives by sharing knowledge. Learning includes formal and informal education, and is the process by which the Trust shares information on subjects and issues. Learning enables people to develop skills for use in many aspects of their lives and provides people with opportunities to learn more about how and why things happen, often providing first-hand experiences to learn from. We also learn from others and by evaluation of our own activities. Nature the physical world that has not been substantially altered by humans. Significance this represents both the meaning of a place in the Trust s perception and how the Trust ascribes value to that meaning. The significance of a place or feature is assessed using the Trust s own process of evaluation, with or without prior external recognition. As an indication of the importance of a place or object, significance can include many different types of value (including cultural, natural, aesthetic, historical, scientific and social). Stakeholders all those with an interest in a place or a process. Sustainable development meeting human development needs without compromising the natural processes on which humans depend. Value the merit or regard we attach to a place, object or process. Wellbeing a catch-all term used to describe the state of an individual or collective (eg the nation) encompassing mental and physical health, happiness, prosperity, security and safety. 16
The National Trust for Scotland is a Scottish charity, SC007410