Monitoring and Managing Human Stressors to Coastal Cultural Heritage in Svalbard

Sanne Bech Holmgaard,Stine Barlindhaug,Elin Rose Myrvoll,Alma Elizabeth Thuestad

doi:10.3390/h8010021

Sanne Bech Holmgaard, Stine Barlindhaug + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/h8010021

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Abstract

Svalbard’s cultural heritage sites are important remnants of an international history in the High North. Cultural heritage in the Arctic is being impacted by climate and environmental change as well as increased human activity. Tourism is a potential cause of transformation in cultural heritage sites, such as increased wear and tear, creation of paths and traces as people walk through cultural environments. Cultural heritage management is therefore an increasingly challenging endeavor as management authorities must take under consideration multiple impacts and threats to cultural heritage sites in a changing environment. Based on research conducted in Svalbard from 2014 to 2016 on methods for long-term systematic cultural heritage monitoring, this paper will discuss dilemmas for a sustainable use and management of vulnerable cultural heritage sites in the Arctic.

Highlights

This paper contributes to an increased understanding of stressors to cultural heritage in a rapidly changing climate and with increased human impact
Tourism is a potential cause of transformation in cultural heritage sites, such as increased wear and tear, creation of paths and traces as people walk through cultural environments, physically disturbing structures, moving or removing loose objects, adding objects, etc. (Hall 2015; Roura 2011)
Tourism is known to be a potential contributor to processes of transformation and decay in cultural heritage, with visitor impact linked to people walking through cultural environments, physically disturbing structures, moving or removing loose objects, adding objects, and so on, in addition to increased wear and tear (Fyall and Garrod 1998; Hall 2015; Roura 2011)

Summary

Introduction

This paper contributes to an increased understanding of stressors to cultural heritage in a rapidly changing climate and with increased human impact. An expanding tourism industry in Polar regions brings large amounts of people to areas previously not visited by tourists This increased human traffic can potentially cause further deterioration to Humanities 2019, 8, 21; doi:10.3390/h8010021 www.mdpi.com/journal/humanities. Taking multiple stressors to cultural heritage into consideration, we will discuss challenges for a sustainable use and management of vulnerable—and valuable—cultural heritage sites in the Arctic, taking the political and economic aspects of Arctic tourism and development into consideration. The aim of this approach is to contribute to a comprehensive analysis of the stressors to cultural heritage in Polar regions, impacted by rapid climatic as well as societal changes

Cultural Heritage in Svalbard—History and Management

Environmental and Human Stressors to Cultural Heritage in the Arctic

Case Studies and Methods

Smeerenburg was main base

Cultural Heritage in Arctic Areas