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Publications

Showing 1701 – 1720 of 15962 publications

Bridging Borders, Ecological Connectivity, Peace Parks Linking Conservation Corridors in the Conflict Zones: Climate Change &; Environmental Peacebuilding to Transform Transboundary Environmental Challenges into Opportunities

Maloti-Drakensberg Park — 2025 — WHE81672B96F6

Climate change, while posing significant challenges to conflict-prone regions, also presents opportunities for fostering peace and cooperation through environmental conservation initiatives. This study demonstrates that transboundary protected areas (TBPAs), such as peace parks and conservation corridors, can serve as powerful tools for ecological connectivity and environmental peacebuilding. Analyzing three case studies—Cordillera del Cóndor between Peru and Ecuador, Maloti-Drakensberg Park between Lesotho and South Africa, and Siachen Glacier within Pakistan and India—the research highlights how shared vulnerabilities to climate change can spur collaboration, trust-building, and long-term peace. By linking conservation efforts across borders, countries can mitigate environmental degradation, enhance biodiversity, and transform contentious landscapes into symbols of ecological harmony. The findings underscore the potential for TBPAs to address transboundary challenges while fostering sustainable development and cooperation.

Bridging Custom and Bureaucracy: Examining Collaboration Between Traditional Rulers and Municipal Authorities in Local Development in Ghana

Asante Traditional Buildings — 2025 — WHE8F0F8A096D

Collaboration between traditional rulers and municipal authorities in Ghana's Asante Akyem Central Municipality is hindered by informal relationships, role ambiguity, and weak coordination, despite shared development goals. While moderate cooperation exists in land provision and school advocacy, synergy in physical development and recreation remains limited. Challenges include lack of formal mechanisms, resource constraints, and political interference. Traditional leaders significantly contribute through community mobilization and cultural legitimacy. The study recommends formalized partnerships, inclusive planning, and capacity-building to enhance integrated governance and effective service delivery.

Bridging the global-local divide: navigating cultural sustainability in urban heritage management

Seventeenth-Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht — 2025 — WHE014FCDE590

Cultural sustainability in urban heritage management remains fragmented and inconsistently applied despite its inclusion in global agendas like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A comparative study of Venice and Amsterdam reveals divergent approaches to balancing heritage preservation with modern urban challenges, such as affordable housing, mass tourism, and climate adaptation. While Venice faces risks due to inaction—potentially leading to its inclusion on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger—Amsterdam demonstrates proactive integration of global norms into local policies. The research highlights the need for context-sensitive strategies and institutional flexibility to bridge the gap between high-level frameworks and on-the-ground implementation, offering practical insights for policymakers and heritage professionals.

Broadening the Justifications for Inclusive Conservation: Values Associated With Nature's Contributions to People

Kilimanjaro National Park — 2025 — WHEAC3250D92C

A study on Kilimanjaro National Park reveals that combining the Nature's Contributions to People (NCP) and plural valuation frameworks provides deeper insights into people-nature relationships, crucial for inclusive conservation. Researchers identified five distinct clusters of NCP preferences among 623 participants—farmers, conservationists, tour guides, and tourists—each exhibiting unique intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values. This approach better captures the multidimensionality of these relationships compared to using either framework alone. The findings underscore the need for diversified, place-based conservation strategies that balance biodiversity protection with ecosystem functioning while recognizing diverse human values.

Broadening the Justifications for Inclusive Conservation: Values Associated With Nature’s Contributions to People

Kilimanjaro National Park — 2025 — WHEAFC0670770

A groundbreaking study on Kilimanjaro National Park reveals that combining intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values is crucial for inclusive conservation. Researchers identified five distinct clusters of people with shared preferences for Nature's Contributions to People (NCP), each expressing varying degrees of these values. This integrated approach provides pivotal insights into the multidimensionality of human-nature relationships, offering a more nuanced understanding than either framework alone. The study underscores the importance of diversifying place-based conservation strategies within social-ecological systems to balance biodiversity protection with ecosystem functioning. Conducted through 623 surveys involving farmers, conservationists, tour guides, and tourists, this research highlights the need for inclusive approaches that recognize diverse values associated with NCP preferences.

Brunsden's Jurassic World Heritage coast, Dorset, UK tribute and account of the EGGS field excursion, 13–15 June 2025

Dorset and East Devon Coast — 2025 — WHE5763287550

A tribute and account of the Engineering Group of the Geological Society's (EGGS) field excursion to West Dorset, held from 13–15 June 2025, honors the late Professor Denys Brunsden. Brunsden, a pioneer in coastal research, led the EGGS trip in 1972 and played a pivotal role in securing UNESCO World Heritage status for the Dorset and East Devon Coast in 2001. The account details visits to significant sites such as the Brunsden Memory Stone, Tout Quarry, Portland, and iconic landforms like West Bay, Stonebarrow Hill, Charmouth, Black Ven, and Lyme Regis. It provides an illustrated overview of the site's geological features, topics discussed during the excursion, further reading recommendations, and underscores the enduring significance of Brunsden's contributions to both local and international geoscience.

Bryological Flora and Its Biodeteriogenic Effect on the Stones of the Archaeological Site of Volubilis in Morocco

Archaeological Site of Volubilis — 2025 — WHE03FA46F17C

Research at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Volubilis, Morocco, reveals that 16 bryophyte species—all acrocarp mosses—significantly contribute to stone biodeterioration. These taxa, belonging to five orders, seven families (with Pottiaceae dominating), and 13 genera, thrive in the site's humid conditions, particularly in material joints, leading to aesthetic changes and structural damage over time. The study employed systematic sampling along walls and cobblestones to identify these species, highlighting their destructive potential on historical substrates.

Buddhist monuments in the Orkhon-Tuul region

Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape — 2025 — WHE3888CE3361

Archaeological and historical evidence reveals the Orkhon-Tuul region as a pivotal center of cultural, economic, and religious exchange from the 8th to 17th centuries, where successive ethnic groups—Uyghurs, Khidans, and Mongols—interacted, shaping Mongolia's cultural landscape. The study highlights the evolution of Buddhism in the region, transitioning from a minor influence during the Uyghur Kaganate to dominance by the 17th century, alongside the development of urbanization and legal systems. Fortification structures, administrative complexes, and religious sites—such as Ordubalyk (Khar Balgas), Khar Bukhyn Balgas, and Chin Tolgoi—demonstrate the layered impact of these groups on the landscape. By integrating written sources with archaeological findings, the research deepens understanding of ethno-confessional dynamics in central Mongolia.

Building an Ontology for the Tangible Cultural Heritage of the Medina of Fez

Medina of Fez — 2025 — WHE49F5607232

A groundbreaking ontology, MedinaOnto, has been developed to model the tangible cultural heritage of the Medina of Fez. This semantic framework integrates social, geospatial, and historical dimensions, enabling robust semantic reasoning and effective data querying. Built upon established standards like CIDOC-CRM, FOAF, and GEOSPARQL, MedinaOnto leverages structured data from open sources such as Wikidata and DBpedia to represent a wide range of heritage entities, including monuments and culturally significant spaces. The ontology was rigorously evaluated through logical consistency tests, scenario-based validation, and SPARQL queries, confirming its scalability and reusability for both public and heritage professionals. This innovative approach offers new avenues for the valorization, mediation, and research of cultural heritage.

Building Materials Assessment from Amenemhat III’s Pyramid at Dahshour (Giza, Egypt)

Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur — 2025 — WHE9B635450BD

Amenemhat III's Black Pyramid, built during Egypt's Middle Kingdom (c. 1860–1814 BCE), showcases a sophisticated material strategy that balanced grandeur with resource efficiency. The pyramid's core was constructed primarily from mudbrick enriched with organic additives for flexibility and cohesion, while its casing consisted of calcite-dominated limestone chosen for both protective and aesthetic qualities. Advanced analytical methods, including X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and petrographic microscopy, revealed the ingenuity behind this construction approach. However, the pyramid faces significant conservation challenges due to swelling clays, salt crystallization, thermal stress, and environmental degradation. This study not only deepens our understanding of ancient Egyptian architectural practices but also provides a foundation for sustainable conservation strategies to safeguard this monumental heritage.

Building Old Goa: Identity, Patronage and Labour in Early Modern Colonial Construction Sites.

Churches and Convents of Goa — 2025 — WHE6EA1EB8A3E

Old Goa, a bustling 16th-century capital and Indian Ocean emporium, saw the rise of grand Christian religious buildings that reflected its diverse society. This study challenges Eurocentric narratives by focusing on the 'voiceless actors'—labourers, including women, who lived in segregated 'challes' and worked across construction sites, quarries, and lime kilns. It reveals how caste stratification persisted among both Christian and Hindu Goans, shaping urban life and architectural practices. Despite limited archival documentation, the research reconstructs early modern building technologies, labour dynamics, and knowledge transfer, offering a nuanced perspective on colonial-era construction in South Asia.

Building Peace at Sites of Memory: Community Relationships with UNESCO World Heritage in Post-Genocide Rwanda

Memorial sites of the Genocide: Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero — 2025 — WHEBEEF3B79CF

Rwanda's recent inscription of genocide memorials (Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi, and Bisesero) on UNESCO's World Heritage List highlights the tension between peacebuilding, community participation, and political constraints in post-genocide contexts. While the management plan for these sites marks a shift toward greater community engagement compared to past Rwandan heritage practices, it still faces significant limitations due to narrative inclusivity challenges, national politics around genocide memory, and international World Heritage regime influences. This study analyzes these dynamics, revealing how even peace-oriented sites grapple with the complexities of participation and governance in post-conflict settings.

Burning The Bull

Fortress of Suomenlinna — 2025 — WHE83D0BB862A

The Viaporin Kekri ceremony, an ancient harvest ritual revived on the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Suomenlinna, offers new ecological and cultural significance in an era of industrialization and climate change. Through a 2018 residency at the Helsinki International Artist Programme (HIAP), Tamara Searle observed how this ritual performance, rooted in nature, adapts to contemporary global challenges. The study highlights the ceremony's evolving role as both a preservation of tradition and a means for modern audiences to reconnect with environmental narratives. Searle's interdisciplinary approach—combining performance practice, anthropology, and ecology—reveals the ritual's potential to foster resilience and awareness in a changing world.

Business and Community Resilience in Times of Crisis: Lessons from Galle Fort (Sri Lanka), a Living World Heritage City

Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications — 2025 — WHEAF4B74B988

Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and tourism-dependent city in Sri Lanka, demonstrated both vulnerabilities and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study reveals that while over-reliance on heritage tourism exposed local micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to severe economic disruptions, the crisis also spurred innovative mitigation strategies among entrepreneurs. These lessons highlight the need for people-centred sustainable policies to foster resilience in living World Heritage cities facing similar challenges. The research employed questionnaire surveys and interviews with local businesses to assess pandemic impacts from 2020 to mid-2022, offering actionable insights for balancing heritage conservation with economic sustainability.

Butrint

Butrint — 2025 — WHE986D6754D7

Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Albania, offers a comprehensive archaeological narrative spanning 5,000 years of Mediterranean history. The site's strategic significance as a seaport is highlighted through the integration of latest archaeological data, revealing its evolution from Bronze Age foundations to its role under Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian rule. A key insight emerges from the chronological organization of findings, which traces Butrint’s transformation—from an ancient Greek sanctuary and Roman colony to a medieval Byzantine kastron—and its rediscovery by the Italian Archaeological Mission in 1928. This work not only sheds light on Butrint’s cultural heritage but also establishes it as Albania’s premier archaeological site, blending academic rigor with accessibility for students and general readers alike.

Butrint and Coastal Chaonia (Saranda, Albania)

Butrint — 2025 — WHE4765629649

Recent research at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Butrint, Albania, has uncovered evidence of long-term settlement on the acropolis and advanced our understanding of the site's historical development. Using innovative methodologies such as laser scanning, mapping, stratigraphic investigations, and digital documentation, the Butrint Project—led by the University of Bologna in collaboration with the Archaeological Institute of Tirana—has reconstructed Butrint’s past from its Hellenistic city walls to its modern-day significance. Underwater explorations of the lagoon have further elucidated the site’s topography and landscape dynamics. The project also integrates landscape archaeology to analyze settlement patterns and socioeconomic factors across coastal Epirus, while promoting public engagement through educational initiatives. This interdisciplinary approach not only deepens our knowledge of Butrint’s Mediterranean history but also underscores its cultural heritage value.

Butterflies’ Diversity Indicates Habitat Quality in Magombera Nature Forest Reserve, Tanzania

Selous Game Reserve — 2025 — WHE363E8A6958

Butterfly diversity in Magombera Nature Forest Reserve (MNFR), Tanzania, serves as a sensitive indicator of habitat quality and forest recovery. The study recorded 155 butterfly species across six families, with closed forests exhibiting the highest species richness (105) and diversity (H' = 4.06), while grasslands showed the least (46 species, H' = 3.27). These findings suggest that MNFR is recovering from past disturbances following its upgrade to a nature reserve in 2018. The variation in vegetation composition appears to influence butterfly diversity, with closed forests and open woodlands supporting richer biodiversity than grasslands or riparian areas. The study emphasizes the importance of ongoing management efforts by Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) to maintain ecological balance within MNFR and between Udzungwa Mountain National Park and Selous Game Reserve.

Caesarius of Arles, Sermons 53 and 54

Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments — 2025 — WHEF36F2907D8

Caesarius of Arles, a prominent figure in early Christian history, emerged as a pivotal bishop and religious leader whose influence extended across Gaul. Born around 470 in Chalons-sur-Saône, he transitioned from monastic life to become the abbot of Trinquetaille before succeeding Aeonius as bishop of Arles. His tenure was marked by political involvement amid conflicts between the Visigoths, Franks, and Gallo-Romans. In 514, Pope Symmachus recognized him as metropolitan and papal vicar for Gaul, solidifying his role in the Gallic Church. Caesarius's legacy is further cemented by his leadership at significant synods, including the Council of Orange in 529, where he played a key role in shaping theological doctrine, particularly regarding grace, aligning with a modified Augustinian position.

Cahokian Neighborhood Dynamics: New Geophysical Data from Rouch Mound Group and Rattlesnake West Neighborhoods

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site — 2025 — WHE60CC3995D8

New geophysical surveys at Cahokia Mounds reveal that peripheral neighborhoods, such as the Rouch Mound Group and Rattlesnake West, mirrored the architectural and infrastructure patterns of Cahokia's densely populated Downtown Precinct. By analyzing structure length and width ratios from these areas alongside datasets from the Cahokia and East St. Louis precincts, researchers identified shifts in neighborhood density over time. This noninvasive approach provides deeper insights into how communities on the outskirts adopted and adapted Cahokia's urban planning, offering a clearer picture of its societal organization.

Caminhos e descaminhos do patrimônio arqueológico do Cais do Valongo (Rio de Janeiro)

Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site — 2025 — WHE7EA352120D

Valongo Wharf, recognized as the most significant physical evidence of enslaved Africans' arrival in the Americas by UNESCO, faces critical challenges in preservation and public recognition despite its 2017 World Heritage designation. Research reveals that coordination gaps between government levels, insufficient funding, and policy implementation delays hinder the site's potential as a memory site for African diaspora history. The absence of an interpretation center further limits educational opportunities on slavery and contemporary race issues. This analysis, based on judicial and administrative proceedings, underscores the need for stronger governance to fully realize Valongo Wharf's heritage value.