Staff profile

Finding a place for nature and heritage: Investigating the relationship between cultural heritage management and the rewilding movement in Britain

As rewilding emerges as a key component of landscape management strategy, appearing frequently in mainstream dialogues and influencing landscape policy in the UK, it is becoming increasingly important to assess its relationship with cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. Heritage is under-discussed in the academic study of rewilding as a valuable aspect of the landscape apart from when it has become a negative focus of stakeholder relationships, and rewilding has rarely been discussed in heritage landscape studies, despite the significant impact rewilding can have on these assets, both positive and negative.

My research will aim to redress this by examining how the relationship between rewilding and heritage is currently negotiated and understood by stakeholders; its potential and problems and develop a toolkit for managing heritage on rewilding projects. This project will:

• Provide the first detailed assessment of the attitude of rewilding proponents toward cultural landscapes and heritage management.

• Critically assess how rewilding projects engage with cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, on and around their site, and how the heritage sector views ‘rewilding’ as a landscape management strategy.• Assess other stakeholder attitudes towards the relationship between rewilding and cultural heritage and its impact on their perception of rewilding.

• Develop a tool-kit through which landscape managers can negotiate the relationship between ‘rewilding’ strategies and cultural heritage.

By working with a number of case study partners through a range of methods, I aim to help develop the tools and materials required to contribute towards the development of a healthy working relationship between heritage management and rewilding projects.This project is funded by the Northern Bridge Consortium.

About me

I have been a part of the Durham University Archaeology Department since October 2018 when I started my undergraduate degree in BA Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations.After Graduating in 2022 I started my Masters in MA International Cultural Heritage Management which I graduated from in 2023. My dissertation “Exploring the potential of integrating cultural heritage into English rewilding projects” was positively received by contributors from the National Trust and RSPB, and led to the development of a proposal for my PhD which was awarded funding in Spring 2023 for the following Autumn.

• The relationship between cultural and natural heritage management
• The British rewilding movement and its relationship with cultural heritage
• Heritage and archaeology as a tool for community engagement
• The material culture of Late Iron Age and Early Roman Britain and its use in the expression of identity