Moving beyond the hard boundary

A nature-culture divide in spatial policy negatively impacts the landscape of the Dutch Wadden Sea, a UNESCO-protected site renowned for its ecological assets. This study reveals that approaching the region as an agricultural-maritime landscape could mitigate the rigid boundary between nature and culture, particularly concerning the sea dikes. By reconsidering the trilateral Wadden Sea as a mixed World Heritage Site, policymakers could adopt a more integrated perspective, balancing ecological and cultural-historical interests. The research analyzes international and national policy frameworks alongside regional examples to demonstrate these effects. These findings offer valuable insights for managing landscape and heritage in this region and serve as a model for other European coastal areas facing similar conflicts.

Egberts, L. (2019). Moving beyond the hard boundary. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 9(1), 62–73. https://doi.org/10.1108/jchmsd-12-2016-0067