ITT - Historic Gardens: Supporting Adaptation to a Changing Climate – Case Studies - UID 372

This project will compile a set of case studies showing how designated historic parks, gardens and demesnes across the UK are experiencing and responding to climate change impacts and risks. The case studies will be presented in a report to be published in the Historic England Research Report Series and summarised in an accompanying non-technical summary of the report. The project is being funded in partnership by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

This project builds on stakeholder research commissioned by Heritage Fund and Historic England, which set out to understand how designated historic gardens and demesnes across the UK are being maintained and managed in response to the threats posed by climate change through stakeholder research. The research report included developing an understanding of what advice and guidance is available to the owners and managers of these historic places, what challenges and barriers they are facing, what factors are being considered in approaches to future management and whether balanced consideration is being given to both the cultural and natural heritage significance of these places.

The research report culminated in a series of recommendations, including highlighting the need for case studies to provide examples of climate adaptation in historic places. The research found that managers of historic parks and gardens are already experiencing climate impacts but lack practical, site-specific examples showing how they could respond while protecting heritage significance. In addition to the recommendation for case studies, the research found that existing guidance is fragmented, often too generic, and difficult to apply to the complex mix of horticulture, arboriculture, ecology, hydrology, infrastructure, archaeology, visitor management and governance found across historic parks, gardens and cemeteries. Managers particularly value peer learning, site visits, pilot projects and examples of both success and failure, and the report identifies curated case studies as a way to build confidence, demonstrate acceptable adaptation, share transferable lessons, support a national knowledge sharing opportunities and inform targeted funding for climate resilience.