Committee on Historic Landscapes

THE US/ICOMOS NATIONAL SPECIALIZED COMMITTEE ON HISTORIC LANDSCAPES

The new field of cultural landscape preservation has rapidly emerged over the past two decades. This is reflected not only in activities here in the United States, but internationally as well. A major advancement in the global recognition of cultural landscapes occurred in December 1992, when the sixteenth session of the World Heritage Committee met in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At this time, proposed revisions to the Operational Guidelines for inscription of properties on the World Heritage List were accepted. As a result, amendments were made to the six criteria for cultural properties which broadened the language more explicitly to include cultural landscapes. In addition, a typology for World Heritage cultural landscapes was outlined, including three categories: 1) the defined landscape designed and created intentionally, 2) the organically evolved landscape, and 3) the continuing landscape. As a result of these actions, cultural landscapes of outstanding international value now can be included in the World Heritage List.

The broadening of the World Heritage criteria and our awareness of historic landscapes is evidenced in the renaming of the US/ICOMOS specialized committee from "Historic Gardens" to "Historic Landscapes." For those of you unfamiliar with the committee, it was officially formed in January of 1990 with a mission based on the premise that cultural landscapes are an important part of our national and international heritage, to be preserved according to the principles and goals of ICOMOS. Within the realm of cultural landscapes, this specialized committee includes in its purview historic designed landscapes, historic sites, historic vernacular landscapes, and ethnographic landscapes (the typology used to define cultural landscapes in the United States which easily can be correlated to the definition in the World Heritage Convention Operational Guidelines).

For the past four years the committee has been guided by Nora Mitchell. As the first Chairman, Nora was responsible for the initial organization of the committee and the establishment of its operational framework. During her tenure as chairman, Nora was committed to advancing the presence and role of the committee within US/ICOMOS. As new co-chairmen of the committee, because of her excellent leadership, we are able to commence work with a solid plan in place for 1994 and beyond. The work plan continues many activities begun in previous years, but also fosters new initiatives. The work plan specifies particular activities under the following three objectives:

• to foster recognition and preservation/conservation of cultural landscapes as an important part of our national and international heritage;
• to promote professional exchange with other countries on historic landscape preservation/conservation; and
• to contribute to state-of-the-art landscape preservation practice regarding philosophy, policies, and technology.

We welcome your support and participation in meeting these goals. The news that follows illustrates a sampling of committee activities. Please feel free to contact us directly should you have any suggestions or comments. We look forward to working with all of you.

POLAND POST-PUCKLER

For over a century the Prince von Puckler-Muskau park plan has captured the attention of American landscape architects. Today a landscape architectural tradition is being defined through rehabilitation efforts on the landscapes executed by Puckler.

 

In June 1993, a nine-day Polish - American Workshop was held in Poland under the title Defining Values of Natural/Cultural Landscapes and the Role of Society in their Preservation. The workshop included specialists from Eastern European Countries, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Representing the United States were Robert R. Page, Charles A. Birnbaum, Nora Mitchell and Rolf Diamant of the National Park Service. Also representing US/ICOMOS was ICOMOS Vice President Elliott Carroll and his wife Dori. All five participants presented papers and contributed to working sessions. Twenty-eight papers were presented during the workshop.

The Workshop
The itinerant workshop began in Warsaw and travelled on to Swiety Krzyz, Czestochowa, Zagan, Leknica, Bad Muskau, Rokosowo and back to Warsaw. With the exception of crossing the German border to visit Muskau Park, the workshop moved in a loop through the western part of the Polish countryside.

Before embarking on this journey, we had heard about the degradation of the natural environment in Poland and the potential opportunities in a free market economy. Before the workshop formally began, Polish landscape architects spoke candidly of the difficulty in finding work. Little private consulting exists. Those fortunate enough to find work in the public sector find themselves competing with their employers for other consulting work.

Landscape architecture as we know it does not exist as a recognized profession in Poland. There are exceptions. These include the Department of Architecture at the Technical University at Cracow, which provides a background within an architectural context, and the Horticultural Department at the Warsaw Agricultural University. The latter is a five-year program that is unique in Poland. It accommodates thirty students annually and results in a master's degree with a horticultural specialization. According to other workshop participants from post-communist Eastern European countries, the situation is similar in their homelands.

As testified in the presentations and confirmed by extensive touring, the Polish landscape is still predominantly rural. In fact, only 10% of the land is considered urban and at least 30% of the population is agrarian. The rural landscapes visited were similar to our midwestern prairie landscapes in parts of Illinois, Indiana or Michigan. The landforms are most often rolling, with field pattern "overlays" that are extremely narrow -- the results of generational subdivision, creating long, narrow pinstripes on the land.

It is these character-defining landforms and land patterns that are currently at risk. The threats take many forms, from change brought on by decreases in agricultural subsidies, to the impact of powerplants and industrial and mining sites. Most of these places are currently in public ownership and will be moving towards private enterprise over the next few years. Yet technology, training and capital are limited -- all of which could have an irreversible negative effect on both rural and urban resources.

Andrzej Michalowski, Director of the Board for the Preservation of Historic Gardens and Palaces, along with Deputy Director Tomasz Zwiech (a landscape architect) and their staff at The Board for the Preservation of Historic Gardens and Palaces recognize this challenge and are moving quickly. In 1977 the Board began work in five parks. For these pilot projects, expertise was brought in to improve training and to advance preservation technologies. The parks selected were: Lazienki, Wilanov, Nieborow, Arkadia and Krolikarnia. The initiative was so successful that in 1984 the minister created a special division dealing with cultural landscape resources. Today the staff includes around 70 to 80 specialists in the main office in Warsaw with some experimental satellite branches such as the team in Kielce. Currently within the Board there are five primary studios, each with a specific focus: 1) the inventory and documentation of parks and gardens; 2) the inventory and documentation of cemeteries; 3) applied dendrology; 4) Muskau Park; and 5) cityscapes and townscapes.

Documentation of Parks and Gardens
A project to document the country's parks and gardens has been underway since 1974. To date more than 9,000 sites have been documented, 2,000 sites being privately owned. The survey form could be considered a cousin to the U.S. National Register Bulletin 18: How to Evaluate and Nominate Designed Historic Landscapes (National Park Service, Interagency Resources Division). The main difference is that the Polish version uses a value-rating matrix (bad, poor, good, very good) to analyze character-defining features, spatial design and natural/ecological values. A greater emphasis is placed on future planning recommendations. This is evidenced by queries regarding the design uniqueness and considerations for historic tradition (interpretive value). Finally, under the discussion of natural values there is a greater horticultural interest. Specifics address rare species, intensity of vegetation, health and ecological significance.

Inventory and Documentation of Cemeteries
As with parks and gardens, the documentation of cemeteries is well under way. Even though it is recognized that all cannot be saved, nearly 20,000 cemeteries are currently being documented.

The documentation of cemeteries includes a survey form with thirty questions. As with the U.S. National Register Bulletin 41: How to Evaluate and Nominate Cemeteries and Burial Places (National Park Service, Interagency Resources Division), it requests addresses, names, date(s) of construction, religion, acreage, etc. Supplemental visuals such as a current plan, historic plan and other supporting archival materials are requested. Other specifics that are requested include a bibliography, manager's notes and graves of historical significance. However, this form goes further than the U.S. National Register applications. First, a greater attention is paid to the character-defining features of the landscape. For example, the number of trees, diameter and condition is requested. Here, too, the survey goes further than just evaluation, but makes recommendations for future research, analysis, treatment and maintenance.

Applied Dendrology
Many detailed dendrology studies have been executed and given practical applications. Reports similar to our Preservation Briefs have been generated on such topics as Roadside Tree Pruning Principles; Wood Rot Fungi Connected with Old Trees; Tree Protection at the Building (Construction) Site; and Guidelines for Maintenance of Prince Puckler's Landscape Parks.

Muskau Park
The preservation planning at Muskau Park in Leknica has been undertaken by a dedicated studio. Here the process is similar to the U.S. preservation planning process including research, inventory, analysis and treatment prescription.

Muskau is a complex landscape -- and poses significant planning challenges. Probably the most significant change since its conception is the shared ownership between Poland and Germany and the multiple jurisdictional subdivisions within. Its original intent was well stated in a 1815 letter, its existing conditions documented in 1833 and its design in 1834 in Hints on Landscape Gardening by Prince von Puckler-Muskau. What was once a single huge park today represents a vast cultural and natural continuum. Divided by the Neiss Fluss River, one crosses a national border to experience the entire landscape. Until recently, the German side had been meticulously maintained while the Polish side had deteriorated. Now, under the Board, the situation is rapidly changing.

The Polish side of the park still has the essence of Puckler's "controlling scheme" and what he referred to as "untrammeled Nature, where the hand of man is visible only in the well-kept roads and the judiciously scattered buildings." Yet the effect of man's hand as overlaid by stark 20th-century realities has rendered a different scene. According to Zwiech "the park's disintegration proved painful because its vast area lost its meaning . . . the destruction was completed by the ideology of a new political system not only approving but also very often encouraging people to destroy values officially identified with reactionism and hostility." Shrapnel wounds can be identified in tree barks, while craters scar the landform, remnants of mortar shell fire. Most of the structures found on earlier plans in the eastern part of the park have been lost, yet the circulation and a spectacular brick and mortar viaduct have miraculously survived. Woodland and farm areas, in need of proper management, are detectable. Visual and spatial relationships, especially those looking across broad meadow areas, possess great integrity.

Fortunately, today, a reactionary response to this landscape has passed, yet the preservation challenges are vast. Although there has been an exhaustive research and analysis foundation established to prescribe effective treatment, the challenge of reuniting the landscape from multiple jurisdictions in an effort to plan in a comprehensive manner is still ahead. Legal status has been sought to recognize the landscape as a "cultural reservation." To date, around 680 acres have been overtaken by the Board, with an additional 75 pending from municipal and state holdings. These will create a "Zone of Historic Preservation" which will be placed on the National Register of Historic Monuments and administered by the Board.

With these monumental planning efforts, an emphasis is now being placed on public outreach to create a "spiritual sphere" for the park. It is the Board's hope to establish a foundation which functions solely for the park's benefit, working closely with adjacent communities. Additionally, creative partnerships are being explored. One such example is with the army. For this initiative a work crew of around a dozen men is being supervised by a Board landscape architect to selectively clear invasive woodlands to return it to open meadows or parklands. As a result of this work, lost spatial relationships have been reinstated.

Cityscapes and Townscapes
A commitment has been made to document market squares to the same level of documentation as parks and cemeteries. The Board has begun to document significant allees and roads with a publication forthcoming later in 1994. This initiative too will be furthered by the proposed historic roads project.

US/ICOMOS SUMMER INTERN WORKS ON HISTORIC SITE IN PARK MUSKAU

For two years I had requested an application for the US/ICOMOS Summer Internship Program, but had not applied because of other obligations. Finally, the third year, I submitted my application and waited for something to happen. Six weeks later I was whole-heartedly accepting an offer to represent US/ICOMOS as a landscape architecture intern in Poland. My internship was to be with the Board for the Preservation of Historic Gardens and Palaces, located in the capital city of Warsaw.

Upon arrival, I was immediately adopted by the most warm-hearted and patient staff -- both a blessing and a necessity for this first time visitor to Europe. All staff involved went well beyond the call of duty to make me feel comfortable and secure as I adjusted to my new surroundings. I was honored with a gracious invitation to participate in the Polish-American Workshop, a collaborative effort between the National Park Service, the Board for the Preservation of Historic Gardens and Palaces and US/ICOMOS.

The closing ceremonies of the Workshop and my return to Warsaw signaled the true start-up of my internship project. I was assigned to assist the Board with its on-going restoration efforts in Muskau Park. At the time of its initiation in 1815 by Hermann von Pueckler, Muskau Park was a landscape concept well ahead of its time. Based on an ideal coexistence between man, nature and spirit, the park survives today as a testimony to Pueckler's design intent and genius. Unfortunately, changing political structures, demographics and attitudes, combined with a multitude of owners, have allowed the park to devolve from the balanced environment originally envisioned and created by Pueckler. A recent German-Polish effort is underway to revive Pueckler's design and landscape values within Muskau Park and re-establish it to its deserved harmony and splendor. It was my responsibility as the US/ICOMOS intern to develop documentation of the area within Muskau Park known as Hermann's Oak. I assisted in a field survey of the site, graphically documented its significant historical elements, identified existing vegetation, and generated a site plan using AutoCADD and LandCADD. My work would serve as the first step for future restoration and development of the Hermann's Oak site.

Much of my time in Poland revolved around the office and my project. I also had numerous opportunities to explore, discover, and have a great time -- and I took advantage of every one possible! As I maneuvered my way through new and exciting situations, I was able to gain new perspectives and form lasting relationships that have created a deep appreciation and respect for Poland and its people.

I truly believe that the survival of all cultures will depend upon our willingness to pursue new relationships and foster partnerships based on mutual understanding and respect. I was able to be a part of Poland's effort to preserve her historic and cultural resources while promoting cross-cultural understanding. I highly recommend the Summer Internship Program to other young professionals and believe that their experiences will be as exciting and rewarding as mine.

UNESCO/WORLD HERITAGE CENTRE INTERNATIONAL EXPERT MEETING ON CULTURAL LANDSCAPES OF OUTSTANDING UNIVERSAL VALUE

This international meeting was a direct follow-up to the World Heritage Committee meeting in December 1992 in Santa Fe. At that meeting the cultural criteria were revised to specifically address nomination of cultural landscapes as World Heritage Sites. During discussion of these revisions, the World Heritage Committee requested that an international group of experts be convened to review the status of cultural landscapes for the World Heritage List and prepare a report for the December 1993 Committee meeting. The report should include recommendations regarding the implementation of the revised guidelines. The meeting was held October 12-17, 1993, at the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Schorfheide-Chorin, Templin, Germany. It was organized by Bernd von Droste and Mechtild Rossler from the World Heritage Centre in collaboration with Henry Cleere from ICOMOS and Dr. Harald Plachter, a German delegate to the World Heritage Committee. The meeting had two primary objectives in response to the World Heritage Committee's requests. The first objective was to obtain a global overview of cultural landscapes and the second was to discuss a number of issues related to nomination of landscapes as World Heritage Sites through a series of workshops.

World-wide representation was impressive and due to the special efforts and, in some cases, the financial support arranged by the World Heritage Centre. Nineteen nations from every continent (except South America) were represented. Susan Buggey (Parks Canada), Patricia O'Donnell (private consultant and principal of the Connecticut firm LANDSCAPES), and I were invited to participate as the North American delegation. In addition, ICOMOS, IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) and IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects) were invited to send delegates.

A global review of cultural landscapes was accomplished through presentations by participants at the meeting. The presentations collectively provided a cohesive overview, illustrating the range and diversity of cultural landscapes world-wide. This review of cultural landscapes also created an important preliminary list of cultural landscapes for comparison and discussion, one of the goals of the meeting. Dr. Plachter agreed to organize the papers presented at the conference into a publication in 1994.

The workshops focused on several topics in response to the World Heritage Committee's request. They also examined important issues such as socio-economic aspects, legal measures and management tools related to cultural landscapes as World Heritage Sites.

The primary points of the workshops were summarized in the plenary discussion and put into a draft set of recommendations to the World Heritage Committee. These recommendations are in two main areas:

1. the need for additional guidance to states parties on the identification, assessment, nomination, and management of cultural landscapes for inclusion on the World Heritage List and

    

   [Few States Parties to the World Heritage Convention responded to the circular letter of February 1993 requesting submission of revised lists of potential World Heritage Sites. It therefore is important that additional guidance be provided and a longer time frame (two years was suggested) be allowed. The U.S. did not submit a revised tentative list in response to this request.]

    

2. development of a thematic study on cultural landscapes in concert with the global study.

    

   [The importance of developing a thematic framework was emphasized at this meeting. It would assist state parties in identification and also enable a more rigorous comparative evaluation of cultural landscapes. It was specifically recommended that a working group or groups be convened as a follow-up to this meeting to initiate development of this thematic study in coordination with the global study being undertaken by the World Heritage Centre.]

It was generally agreed that the leadership role of the World Heritage Centre has been and will continue to be critical in the successful implementation of the new operational guidelines for cultural landscapes.

There is clearly much to do in this exciting new heritage area and there are a number of ways the U.S. can contribute and show leadership in this effort. To encourage U.S. action, I prepared a trip report to US/ICOMOS and the NPS's International Affairs Office with the following recommendations:

1. Consideration should be given to reviewing and potentially revising the existing 1982 U.S. indicative list. This would involve reviewing the existing thematic framework in the U.S. and considering cultural landscapes, in particular, within that framework. There were several discussions at the meeting of the interface of cultural and natural resource values within cultural landscapes and this should be considered during this review.

    

2. Careful review and possible revision of the existing regulations is also warranted to ensure that the methods for protection (such as government ownership) are still viable and allow for comprehensive consideration of cultural landscapes.

    

3. Finally, the U.S. should consider hosting a follow-up international meeting with the World Heritage Centre to further the discussion on the thematic framework in the context of the global study being considered by the World Heritage Committee.

In summary, this meeting was successful in achieving the objectives outlined by the World Heritage Committee. The results of this meeting were taken to the World Heritage Committee meeting in December 1993 and the report was favorably received. At this meeting, the first cultural landscape, Tongariro National Park in New Zealand, was added to the World Heritage List as an "associative landscape" for its significance to the Maori people.

THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF SANSSOUCI,
A WORLD HERITAGE SITE

On a warm, sunny afternoon in October, five international colleagues shared in the exploration of the landscape of the Royal Park at Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany. Managed under the stewardship of the National Castles & Parks of Potsdam-Sanssouci, a subordinate institution of the City Council of Potsdam, this World Heritage Site is a popular open space for local residents and tourists. Developed first in the 1740s, the more than 700-acre area includes a palace, the former summer residence of King Frederick II, the New Palace dating from the 1760s and an Orangery dating from the 1850s. Portions of the early landscape are credited to Eyserbeck, a landscape gardener, and with later design overlays by Ludwig Persius and Peter Joseph Lenne.

As our group entered the park we moved on foot along a public road where pavement conditions varied from stone block pavement, to stabilized stone dust and eroded compacted earth. Axial landscape compositions crossed this road from high to low with related pedestrian/vehicular movement conflicts. At the Orangery the steps and paving as constructed allowed for passage along an extended length of the road. Temporary barriers were positioned to restrict this movement to a single area. Along this street we also saw the stumps of five Linden trees, about 25" in diameter. Linden tends to throw basal sprouts and of these one had been kept on each stump. These were trained as small trees. Although they would not mature effectively, they were a temporary solution (5-10 years) for the lost of the tree row that retained the living genetic material of the former trees.

The landscape has a strong axial organization with a main walk (25' wide, stabilized stone dust) crossed by several perpendicular axes, embellished with round points, hedges and sculpture. A series of topographic changes are used to create terracing, steps or ramps, and fountains. A striking example is the six, south facing vineyard terraces descending symmetrically in broad arches, from the palace to a circular fountain. The retaining walls at each level are covered with trellised grape vines that alternate with fig trees in niches protected by pairs of glass doors.

The main axis vista is kept open by flat shearing of the intruding tree branches. A dramatic example is pictured in the accompanying view where a one-sided tree edges the vista. The areas adjacent to the main axis reveal current landscape management practices. Tall grasses did not appear to have been mown during the growing season as seedling trees were evident. Upon closer inspection several areas contained saplings, two-to-five years in age, trunks wrapped in plastic. Natural growth from falling acorns and beech nuts was managed for tree renewal. The close spacing of these small trees indicated a need for selective removals or transplanting in the near future. The juxtaposition of a strict axial organization and definitive vista management contrasted with the more naturalistic appearance of the adjacent park landscape with its seedling and sapling trees in long grass.

CALL FOR INFORMATION

PUBLICATIONS

Pioneers of American Landscape Design: An Annotated Bibliography. This first publication presents a representative cross section of sixty-one entries. For each pioneer there is a brief biographical profile, annotated period and modern sources, a concise statement on the location and contents of archival collections, and an illustration of the pioneer or related landscape project. A diversity of disciplines, a range of time periods, influences on the profession, regional diversity, and new information is represented. Individual entries were prepared by historians and landscape architects. The project was produced in collaboration with the Catalog for Landscape Records in the United States at Wave Hill, Smithsonian Institution Office of Horticultural Services, American Society of Landscape Architects, Dumbarton Oaks Garden Library and Harvard University Graduate School of Design Frances Loeb Library. Available from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office (GPO # 024-005-011277), 150 pages, 65 illustrations, $10 each.

Presenting Nature: The Historic Landscape Architecture of the National Park Service, 1916-1942, by Historian Linda McClelland of the National Register of Historic Places, Interagency Resources Division, National Park Service. The idea for the study came from the growing interest in landscape preservation and the concern that, while significant park buildings and structures were being recognized, the larger landscapes of which they were an integral part were being overlooked. Based on the history of landscape architecture in the National Park Service, this 310-page study traces the role that practitioners had in establishing the principles, policies, and practices with which the parks were developed from 1916 through 1942. Write: Linda McClelland, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, DC, 20013-7127.

The Landscape Universe: Historic Designed Landscapes in Context conference held at Wave Hill, co-sponsored by the National Park Service and the ASLA in April 1993. The publication includes papers by all conference speakers, as well as an Epilogue by attendee Suzanne Turner; 115 pages, 100 illustrations. To order, send a check for $12.95 (includes shipping and handling) to The Catalog Project c/o Wave Hill, 675 West 252 Street, Bronx, NY 10471.

CALENDAR

Members attending these and other international programs should please inform US/ICOMOS of their participation.

Cultural Landscape Preservation: Policies and Issues, June 20-24, 1994, in Springfield, IL. The National Park Service is sponsoring a cultural landscape workshop that will involve classroom sessions on specific topics, field exercises focusing on the vernacular district at Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the Lincoln Memorial Garden, designed by landscape architect Jens Jensen, and the Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. For information, contact Robert Page, Cultural Landscape Program Manager, National Park Service, Park Historic Architecture Division, P.O. Box 37127, Suite 360, Washington, DC 20013-7127, 202/343-8153.

II International Congress on Restoration of Architectural Heritage and Building, August 28-September 4,1994, Mar del Plata, Argentina, organized by the Centro Internacional para la Conservacion del Patrimonio, Argentina, under the aegis of UNESCO, ICOMOS, ICCROM and others. In addition to sessions devoted to different topics, there will be a two-day seminar on Tourism and Cultural Heritage; 5 three-day post-Congress seminars in different cities; an exhibit/catalog of architectural preservation projects and programs in which U.S. architectural firms and institutions are invited to participate; an international contest for unpublished written works; and an exhibition and contest for heritage conservation videos. For further information, contact: Arq. Gustavo Araoz, AIA, 8616 Carlynn Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817, fax: 301-229-6506.

8th Annual Historic Landscape Preservation Symposium, American Society of Landscape Architects Annual Meeting, October 8-11, San Antonio, TX. This meeting focuses on the vernacular landscapes of the River Walk, the Alamo and the Missions. Key issues to be presented during the Symposium: importance of water, historic greenways, and development of Cultural Landscape Reports. For information: Elizabeth Brabec 202/ 939-3410.

Annual International Symposium on Historic Cities in Danger, organized by ICOMOS Mexico, October 12-16, Campeche, Yucatan. Sub-topics include danger during armed conflict, from seismic movements, from environmental contamination, from growth. There will be a pre-symposium Seminar on Walled Cities, October 10-11, and a field workshop to develop strategies for protecting traditional expressions and ecosystems in the Cancun-Tulum tourist corridor. For information: Arq. Carlos Flores Marini, ICOMOS Mexico, Mazatlan 190, Col Condesa, 06140 Mexico DF.

US/ICOMOS SUPPORTS
The U.S. NATIONAL CENTER FOR PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING