Paper short abstract:

Drawing on a broad range of disciplines, artistic and professional practices, the observatory aims to develop innovative ways of understanding and managing heritage by socio-ecologically sustainable means viewing heritage in terms of flow.

Paper long abstract:

Taking the idea of waterscapes (rivers, lakes, seas and so on) as a conceptual basis, and diverse heritages (natural/cultural, tangible/intangible) as thematic threads to explore, the workshop weaves together different disciplinary and artistic approaches to understanding heritage and managing it sustainably. It adopts an interdisciplinary approach to learning from tradition, heritage and environment for the future of a sustainable society.

This involves interrelated research projects and public engagement activities, leading to recommendations for education developed in conjunction with Learning for Sustainability Scotland. In metaphorically and conceptually adopting a water-based rather than a land-based perspective, the aim is to look at the physical and cultural composition of places in terms of the fluidity and indeed volatility of cultural and natural heritages, seen as both a challenge and a resource, and to explore new and creative ways of engaging with issues of sustainability in local community contexts.