To protect Wales’ historic m effect of climate change
There is a need to encourage collaboration and action across all sectors that will improve understanding, build adaptive capacity and increase the resilience of the historic environment.
Those are the key conclusions of an expert working group set up to advise the Welsh Government on how to manage sites as diverse as Dinas Dinlle Hillfort near Caernarfon, the Bathrock Shelter in Aberystwyth, and the Waen Fignen Felen Mesolithic site in the Brecon Beacons.
Jill Bullen, chair of the Historic Environment Group climate change sub-group, said: “Many of those managing these very important sites are already thinking deeply about climate change and its implications on their work.
“We have tried to learn from their expertise and share their experience and lessons learned more widely”
The adaptation plan highlights a number of case studies where this new approach is already being developed.
At the Waun y Fignen Felen hunting site in the Brecon Beacons, valuable archaeological evidence is being lost due to the drying out of a bog.
Here, favourable hydrology is being restored by rewetting the bog to conserve and enhance biodiversity and the archaeological importance of the site.
Meanwhile, at Dinas Dinlle hillfort, near Caernarfon, the western side of the site is being washed away by the sea.
While natural erosion, enhanced by climate change, is accepted as part of the management of the site, public access is causing increased erosion.
Here, wooden pathways to control erosion, a fence constructed along the edge and other footpath erosion repairs have been undertaken.
New research is under way, led by a team of archaeologists, surveyors, geographers and scientists from the European Union-funded CHERISH (Climate, Heritage and Environments of Reefs, Islands and Headlands) project.
The group are looking for people working within the sector, within other sectors and anyone else who has suggestions, to take part in the consultation.
■ The draft plan and consultation questions can be found on the Historic Environment Group page on the Cadw website (http://cadw. gov.wales/about/partnershipsandprojects/partners/histenvgroup/climatechange/?lang=en). The consultation will close on December 7.