This heritage is considered particular vulnerable exposed to spatial changes in transport, industrialisation of fisheries and use of coastal zones for tourism. This project aims to improve regional policies for heritage management in maritime & fluvial regions by facilitating policy learning and supporting exchange of experience, in line with the EC’s advice on participatory governance of cultural heritage.
In this way, the regions will achieve a better balance between exploitation & preservation measures when redeveloping coastal landscapes.
Regional policy instruments will be improved through new projects, improved governance and structural change. Seven MEUR in Structural Funds are estimated to be influenced by the project, as well as 1.030 MEUR of other funds. The number of visitors to cultural heritage sites is expected to increase and public access to these sites expected to improve. The partnership covers eight partners from six countries (NO,RO,ES,IT,NL,IE).
A 3-step interregional learning process will be applied:
- Identification and analysis of heritage & territorial situations;
- Exchange of experience and good practice within heritage management;
- Development of regional action plans through participatory involvement of stakeholders.
A methodological framework and a tool-box for assessing & developing heritage will serve as the backbone to the learning process.
In this project, CLUE+ is an advisory partner and researches how heritage and tourism are related in coastal regions in Europe. Linde Egberts (heritage studies) develops a conceptual and methodological framework for the exchange of knowledge for the regional partners, who are very different, but share many characteristics as well. She also leads the partner workshops, in which the interregional cooperation takes place. With this project CLUE+ continues to take up the role of bridge builder between various non-academic partners in the field of heritage, as was the case in the European project Cradles of European Culture: Francia Media (2011-2015). With its focus on heritage preservation, representation and development of spatial heritage, HERICOAST is well-embedded in the CLUE+ cluster of Landscape, Heritage and Society. During her PhD research (2011-2015) Egberts specialized on the role of heritage in the construction of regional identity. With HERICOAST she continues her investigation of heritage in European regions while focusing on tourism in coastal landscapes specifically.