Raise the dikes and re-use the past? Climate adaptation planning as heritage practice

Climate adaptation planning for coastal landscapes can also serve as a means to reinterpret and preserve heritage, particularly in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A study on the Marconi dike strengthening project in Delfzijl, Netherlands, demonstrates that fortifying dikes to combat sea-level rise presents an opportunity to re-examine and integrate overlooked cultural landscapes into public discourse and policy. The research applies methodologies from landscape architecture and spatial planning to analyze how these fields engage with coastal heritage, revealing that current approaches often neglect the rich historical narrative of such areas. By adopting a heritage production model proposed by Ashworth and Tunbridge, planners can better contextualize climate adaptation strategies, ensuring they also contribute to the preservation and interpretation of cultural landscapes. This dual focus on structural reinforcement and heritage reinterpretation offers a more holistic approach to coastal management in sensitive regions like the Wadden Sea.

Egberts, L., & Riesto, S. (2021). Raise the dikes and re-use the past? Climate adaptation planning as heritage practice. Maritime Studies, 20(3), 267–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-021-00226-1