Management of heritage in coastal landscapes
Europe’s maritime & fluvial regions exist in great diversity, yet show parallels in spatial & political challenges. Cultural heritage of these regions, made up of non-renewable man-made & natural resources, traditions & lifestyles, form an essential part of coastal landscape. This heritage is considered particular vulnerable, perishable & unstable, exposed to spatial changes in transport, industrialisation of fisheries and growing 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 improving heritage management. In this way, the regions will achieve a better balance between exploitation & preservation measures when redeveloping coastal landscapes. Policy instruments will be improved through the generation of funding for 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) and all core target groups for priority 6c. Four of five policy instruments addressed by EU partners are Structural Funds Programmes._x000D_
A 3-step interregional learning process will be applied: 1) Identification and analysis of heritage & territorial situations; 2) exchange of experience and good practice within heritage management; 3) development of regional action plans through participatory involvement of stakeholders. A methodological framework and a tool-box for assessing & developing heritage within entire cultural landscapes will serve as the backbone to the learning process. The results will be communicated at the European level via the Policy Learning Platform and through heritage NGOs.