Charter of Historic Cultural Landscapes (CHCL) – proposal

Observation and research of the dynamic processes taking place in the cultural landscape, threatening its historic values, as well as the conviction that the provisions of the European Landscape Convention must be fully implemented in the field of planning, management, as well as landscape policy, inspired the development of a proposal for a “Charter for Historic Cultural Landscapes” (CHCL). The principles outlined in the CHCL are aimed at counteracting the loss and adverse changes in Poland's historic cultural landscapes through their identification, valorization, diagnosis, including the identification of threats, and promotion of values. It was stated that it is not possible to protect cultural landscapes without taking into account their dynamic nature and variability over time. It was suggested that the protection of the values of historic cultural landscapes will be facilitated by their identification and the preservation of their representative features and distinguishing marks in management and planning processes. It also pointed out the need for interdisciplinary cooperation of representatives of all stakeholders in the formulation of conservation landscape policy. The purpose of the Charter is to recommend a balanced relationship between the economic, social, cultural and natural aspects of landscapes, in the processes of their protection, management and planning, taking into account all stakeholders, while ensuring a leading role for the conservation community in issues concerning the historic values of landscapes. The charter was created within the framework of the Conservation Theory Commission of PKN ICOMOS.