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Preservation Brief 36: Protecting Cultural Landscapes: Planning, Treatment and Manage... Page 6 of 11 r
<br />varieties. For plants species with many cultivars, such as apples, roses, and grapes, specimens may be sent to specialists
<br />for identification.
<br />If a plant cannot be Identified, Is dying or in decline, and unavailable from commercial nurseries, it may be propagated.
<br />Propagation ensures that when rare and significant plants decline, they can be replaced with genetically - Identical plants.
<br />Cuttings are propagated and grown to replacement size in a North Atlantic Region Historic Plant Nursery.
<br />Site Analysis: Evaluating Integrity and Significance
<br />By analyzing the landscape, Its change over time can be understood. This may be accomplished by overlaying the various
<br />period plans with the existing conditions plan. Based on these findings, individual features may be attributed to the
<br />particular period when they were Introduced, and the various periods when they were present.
<br />It is during this step that the historic significance of the landscape component of a historic property and Its integrity are
<br />determined. Historic significance is the recognized importance a property displays when it has been evaluated, including
<br />when it has been found to meet National Register Criteria. A landscape may have several areas of historical significance. An
<br />understanding of the landscape as a continuum through history is critical in assessing Its cultural and historic value. In
<br />order for the landscape to have integrity, these character - defining features or qualities that contribute to Its significance
<br />must be present.
<br />While National Register nominations document the significance and integrity of
<br />historic properties, in general, they may not acknowledge the significance of the
<br />landscape's design or historic land uses, and may not contain an Inventory of
<br />landscape features or characteristics. Additional research is often necessary to
<br />provide the detailed Information about a landscape's evolution and significance
<br />useful in making decision for the treatment and maintenance of a historic
<br />landscape. Existing National Register forms may be amended to recognize
<br />additional areas of significance and to Include more Complete descriptions of
<br />historic properties that have significant land areas and landscape features.
<br />Integrity is a property's historic identity evidenced by the survival of physical
<br />n a, landscape of Lyndhurst, Tarrytown, new rot,, characteristics from the property's historic or pre - historic period. The seven
<br />is signincant in American ctdwre and work of a
<br />master gardener, Ferdinand Mangold. Photo: qualities of Integrity ty are location, setting, feeling, association, design,
<br />National rust for Historic Preserabon. workmanship and materials. When evaluating these qualities, care should be
<br />taken to consider change itself. For example, when a second - generation
<br />woodland overtakes an open pasture in a battlefield landscape, or a woodland
<br />edge encloses a scenic vista. For situations such as these, the reversibility and /or compatibility of those features should be
<br />considered, both Individually, and In the context of the overall landscape. Together, evaluations of significance and
<br />integrity, when combined with historic research, documentation of existing conditions, and analysis flndings, Influence later
<br />treatment and Interpretation decisions.
<br />Developing a Historic Preservation Approach and Treatment
<br />Plan
<br />Treatment may be defined as work carried out to achieve a historic preservation goal —It cannot be considered In a vacuum.
<br />There are many practical and philosophical factors that may Influence the selection of a treatment for a landscape. These
<br />include the relative historic value of the property, the level of historic documentation, existing physical conditions, Its
<br />historic significance and Integrity, historic and proposed use (e.g. educational, interpretive, passive, active public,
<br />institutional or private), long -and short-term objectives, operational and code requirements (e.g. accessibility, fire,
<br />security) and costs for anticipated capital improvement, staffing and maintenance. The value of any signiflcant
<br />archeological and natural resources should also be considered in the decision- making process. Therefore, a cultural
<br />landscape's preservation plan and the treatment selected will consider a broad array of dynamic and inter - related
<br />considerations. It will often take the form of a plan with detailed guidelines or specifications.
<br />Adopting such a plan, in concert with a preservation maintenance plan, acknowledges a cultural landscape's ever - changing
<br />existence and the Inter - relationship of treatment and ongoing maintenance. Performance standards, scheduling and record
<br />keeping of maintenance activities on a day -to -day or month -to -month basis, may then be planned for. Treatment,
<br />management, and maintenance proposals can be developed by a broad range of professionals and with expertise in such
<br />fields as landscape preservation, horticulture, ecology, and landscape maintenance.
<br />The selection of a primary treatment for the landscape, utilizing The Secretary of the
<br />Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties , establishes an overall
<br />httre / /www.nns.¢ov /tns/ how- to- ureserve/ briefs /36- cultural- landscapes.htm 2/28/2014
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