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Preservation Brief 36: Protecting Cultural Landscapes: Planning, Treatment and Manage... Page 9 of 11
<br />Central Park has developed an in -house
<br />historic preservation creex to undertake
<br />small projeCls, A spedahzed how has
<br />been trained to repair and rebuild rulild
<br />rprnl$hIn JS. Photo' Central Park
<br />Conservancy.
<br />Plan can take several years to complete, yet during this time managers and property
<br />owners will likely need to address immediate Issues related to the decline, wear, decay,
<br />or damage of landscape features. Therefore, initial maintenance operations may focus on
<br />the stabilization and protection of all landscape features to provide temporary, often
<br />emergency measures to prevent deterioration, failure, or loss, without altering the site's
<br />existing character,
<br />After a Treatment Plan is implemented, the approach to preservation maintenance may
<br />be modified to reflect the objectives defined by this plan. The detailed specifications
<br />prepared in the Treatment Plan relating to the retention, repair, removal, or replacement
<br />of features in the landscape should guide and Inform a comprehensive preservation
<br />maintenance program. This would include schedules for monitoring and routine
<br />maintenance, appropriate preservation maintenance procedures, as well as ongoing
<br />record keeping of work performed. For vegetation, the preservation maintenance
<br />program would also Include thresholds for growth or change In character, appropriate pruning methods, propagation and
<br />replacement procedures.
<br />To facilitate operations, a property may be divided into discrete management zones. These zones are sometimes defined
<br />during the Cultural Landscape Report process and are typically based on historically defined areas. Alternatively, zones
<br />created for maintenance practices and priorities could be used. Examples of maintenance zones would Include woodlands,
<br />lawns, meadow, specimen trees, and hedges.
<br />Training of maintenance staff in preservation maintenance skills is essential. Preservation maintenance practices differ from
<br />standard maintenance practices because of the focus on perpetuating the historic character or use of the landscape rather
<br />than beautification. For example, introducing new varieties of turf, roses or trees Is likely to be Inappropriate. Substantial
<br />earth moving (or movement of soil) may be inappropriate where there are potential archeological resources. An old hedge
<br />or shrub should be rejuvenated, or propagated, rather than removed and replaced. A mature specimen tree may require
<br />cabling and careful monitoring to ensure that it is not a threat to visitor safety. Through training programs and with the
<br />assistance of preservation maintenance specialists, each property could develop maintenance specifications for the care of
<br />landscape features.
<br />Because landscapes change through the seasons, specifications for ongoing preservation maintenance should be organized
<br />in a calendar format. During each season or month, the calendar can be referenced to determine when, where, and how
<br />preservation maintenance is needed. For example, for some trees structural pruning Is best done in the late winter while
<br />other trees are best pruned in the late summer. Serious pests are monitored at specific times of the year, In certain stages
<br />of their life cycle. This detailed calendar will, In turn, identify staff needs and work priorities.
<br />Depending on the level of sophistication desired, one approach to documenting maintenance data and recording change
<br />over time is to use a computerized geographical or visual information system. Such a system would have the capability to
<br />include plans and photographs that would focus on a site's landscape features,
<br />If a computer is not available, a manual or notebook can be developed to organize and store Important information. This
<br />approach allows managers to start at any level of detail and to begin to collect and organize information about landscape
<br />features. The value of these maintenance records cannot be overstated. These records will be used in the future by
<br />historians to understand how the landscape has evolved with the ongoing care of the maintenance staff.
<br />Recording Treatment Work and Future Research
<br />Recommendations
<br />The last and ongoing step in the preservation planning process records the treatment work as carried out. It may Include a
<br />series of as-built drawings, supporting photographic materials, specifications and a summary assessment. New technologies
<br />that have been successfully used should be highlighted. Ideally, this Information should be shared with interested national
<br />organizations for further dissemination and evaluation.
<br />The need for further research or additional activities should also be documented. This may Include site - specific or
<br />contextual historical research, archeological Investigations, pollen analysis, search for rare or unusual plant materials, or,
<br />material testing for future applications.
<br />Finally, In consultation with a conservator or archivist -to maximize the benefit of project work and to minimize the potential
<br />of data loss —all primary documents should be organized and preserved as archival materials. This may include field notes,
<br />maps, drawings, photographs, material samples, oral histories and other relevant information.
<br />Developing a Preservation Maintenance Guide
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