Environment Department September 1994The World Bank Number 8

Cultural Heritage inEnvironmental Assessment

Cultural heritage, also termed cultural property, cul-tural patrimony or cultural resources, can be defined asthe present manifestation of the human past. It refers tosites, structures, and remains of archaeological, historical,religious, cultural, or aesthetic value. In conserving thisheritage we are conserving those elements of our past thathave the potential to contribute to our understanding ofhuman history. (See box 1 for some key concepts and table1 for examples of cultural heritage.)

Conservation of cultural heritage promotes social cohe-sion by affirming the significance of past artistic, scientific,or cultural contributions. Many sites play a very impor-tant role in demonstrating a community’s cultural conti-nuity and long-term survival. Conserving heritage ex-tends focus beyond everyday allegiances and in so doinggives a longer time perspective. As the legacy from pastto future generations, it is part of the concept of inter-generational equity. It is incumbent on the present genera-tion to conserve patrimony for coming generations.

Cultural heritage is of economic importance as a pro-ductive activity. Many heritage sites are currently used forsuch purposes as housing, schools, health centers, muse-ums, concert halls, offices and parks. Tourism, a multi-bil-lion dollar industry, is heavily dependent on cultural heri-tage; the associated revenue potential can be an importantsource of income for maintaining the site. Conservation

Cultural heritage is a record of humanity’s relationship to the world, past achievements, and discoveries. Much of thisheritage in developing countries is now under threat, partly as a result of modernization and development, and the rate ofloss is increasing. If archaeological and historical sites and structures are allowed to disappear, important testaments to asociety’s creativity and the knowledge base for shaping the future will be lost. Fortunately, although the loss of heritage isirreversible, it is often avoidable. Effective protection is based both on an understanding of cultural heritage issues andappropriate assessment and action to minimize damage or loss.

This Update draws attention to the importance of cultural heritage in the environmental assessment (EA) process andsuggests ways in which the EA process can help protect heritage. The Update replaces the guidance provided on this subjectin chapter 3 of the EA Sourcebook.

also tends to be labor-intensive and can be an importantsource of jobs, as has been demonstrated in Bank-financedprojects in Mexico and Honduras. Indirect spin-offs canbenefit the construction and service industries.

Development projects, when improperly designed, candamage cultural heritage and diminish its value throughunregulated building activities, the conversion anddegradation of habitats, environmental pollution, or thedisruption of traditional ways of life. Because impacts canoccur before (through destruction of sites prior to projectstartup), during (by the construction itself), and after theproject (due to physical changes and changes in settle-ment patterns), vigilance is required in all phases ofproject preparation and execution. It is also important toremember that not all cultural heritage is known in ad-vance, making it even more necessary to proceed care-fully with earth-moving and other activities that mightdamage or destroy heritage. When planned and executedwith due care, development projects may lead to impor-tant new finds—such as the spectacular Aztec remainsthat were found during the construction of the MexicoCity metro and are now an important tourism site.

Cultural heritage in international and national law

Cultural heritage is legally protected in almost everycountry. The Convention for the Protection of the World

Reissued with minor revisions: December 1996 Insert in Update Binder chapter 3

E n v i r o n m e n t a l A s s e s s m e n t

UPDATES o u r c e b o o k

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Box 1. Key terms in cultural heritage

The following definitions of the major processes involvedin safeguarding heritage are consistent with the BurraCharter (revised in 1992), Australia’s International Com-mittee on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) charter for theconservation of places of historic significance. Expertsconsider the Burra Charter one of the most comprehen-sive and up-to-date statements of conservation principles.

Conservation. Encompasses all aspects of protecting asite or remains so as to retain its cultural significance. Itincludes maintenance and may, depending on the impor-tance of the cultural artefact and related circumstances,involve preservation, restoration, reconstruction, or adap-tation, or any combination of these.

Preservation. Maintaining the fabric of a place in its ex-isting state and retarding deterioration. It is appropriatewhere the existing fabric itself constitutes evidence ofspecific cultural significance, or where insufficient evi-dence is available to allow other conservation processesto be carried out. Preservation is limited to the protection,maintenance, and, where necessary, stabilization of theexisting fabric.

Restoration. Returning the existing fabric of a place to aknown earlier state by removing accretions or reassem-bling existing components without introducing new ma-terials. It is appropriate only (a) if there is sufficient evi-dence of the earlier state of the fabric, and (b) if returningthe fabric to that state reveals the significance of the placeand does not destroy other parts of the fabric.

Reconstruction. Returning a place to a known earlierstate, as nearly as possible. It is distinguished by the in-troduction of materials (new or old) into the fabric. Re-construction is appropriate only where a place is incom-plete through damage or alteration and could not other-wise survive. Reconstruction is limited to the completionof a depleted entity and should not constitute the major-ity of the fabric.

Adaptation. Modifying a place for compatible use. It isacceptable where the adaptation does not substantiallydetract from its cultural significance and may be essentialif a site is to be economically viable.

Maintenance. The continuous protective care of the fab-ric, contents, and setting of a place. Maintenance is to bedistinguished from repair, which involves restoration orreconstruction.

Cultural and Natural Heritage of 1972 has become thefoundation for national and other legislation since it re-quires signatories to adopt general policies; establish ap-propriate organizations and services; and develop legal,scientific, and financial measures for the protection andconservation of cultural and natural heritage. The WorldHeritage List, sponsored by UNESCO, also encourages

protection and to date includes more than 350 culturalsites of exceptional interest and universal value.

At the national or state level, there are generally fourkinds of legislation relevant to cultural sites: (a) heritageplace protection acts that specifically protect particularplaces (or places as a class) and specify procedures fortheir protection; (b) land management, zoning, or plan-ning acts that provide general protection for sites; (c) noti-fication or listing acts that allow for the recording of im-portant data on cultural sites; and (d) acts to conservenatural areas in which cultural features are located. Inmany countries, religious laws also address cultural heri-tage and in some cases, assign ownership or oversight re-sponsibilities to various religious authorities.

Cultural heritage in World Bank work

The Bank considers the conservation of important culturalheritage a part of the sustainable development process. Itassists countries in their efforts to conserve, maintain, andwhere feasible, enhance and restore their cultural heri-tage. GP 4.11 (final draft) provides guidance on what theBank considers as good practice in these regards.The Bank uses environmental assessment as one of itsmain instruments to ensure that development projectsdo no result in unacceptable damage to cultural heritage.Table 2 shows how cultural heritage issues can be ad-dressed throughout the Bank’s project cycle and thecorresponding EA process established by OD 4.01. Thefollowing discussion highlights some particularly impor-tant aspects.

Environmental screening

Many types of development projects can have a direct ad-verse impact on cultural heritage. The task manager, inconsultation with national or local cultural heritage au-thorities as necessary, should review potential direct or in-direct impacts to cultural heritage as a standard and cen-tral part of the environmental screening process (see Up-date no. 2: Environmental Screening).

When there is reason to expect significant impacts oncultural heritage along with other environmental impacts,the project should normally be classified as category Aand be subject to a full EA. If there are no other major po-tential impacts on the environment, a full EA may not bethe most appropriate solution. A category B rating fol-lowed by a rigorous and detailed analysis of the issuesand impacts specifically related to cultural heritage maybe more useful and cost-effective. Projects with limitedpotential impacts on cultural heritage should also be clas-sified in category B unless other environmental impactswarrant full EA work. The category B analysis normallyincludes a full inventory of the cultural heritage resources;analysis of alternative sites and designs that would elimi-nate or reduce the adverse impacts; and a plan to mitigatedamages and manage the heritage. The analysis should

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Main categories Sub-types Examples Comments

Sacred sites Burial sites Xian, China; They are often discovered during the construction phase ofTomb Fields, Bahrain. projects. The Liaoning Environment Project in China will

help conserve ancient burial sites.

Sites of religious Mecca, Saudi Arabia; Important cultural sites were often inspired by religiousor spiritual Buddhist pilgrimage beliefs and are still considered sacred places.significance sites in Nepal.

Archaeological Pre-historic sites Mounds, middens, These sites are often undetected or overlooked. Theysites caves. frequently shed light on use or overuse of natural resources,

changing survival strategies and social organization.

Historical sites Historic roads, bridges, Many of these structures are still in use, such asdams and other water Roman roadways in Tunisia or hydrologicalworks, fortifications, features in Indonesia. They may also point to changes in seaand walls. level, vegetation, and hunting and agricultural practices.

Engineering and Marib Dam, Yemen; The introduction of new technologies—metallurgy,industrial sites The Great Wall, China; mortars, arches and vaulting, industrial architecture—

nineteenth century can be documented and understood by studying artifactsindustrial sites (train and earlier structures. This in turn may suggest methods forstations, early conservation and may shed light on future avenues ofwoolen mills). technological advance. Bank projects have been involved in

the conservation of some of the world’s greatest feats ofengineering, including the Marib Dam in Yemen andThe Great Wall of China.

Submerged or Ancient coastal settlements New techniques of marine exploration have revealedmarine sites in the Mediterranean many sunken ships and submerged sites of ancient

and Central America; human settlement.sunken ships.

Sites within Tikal, Guatemala; Management policies that protect both cultural andbiologically diverse sacred groves natural resources should be developed.areas or protected in Ghana.reserves

Monumental Cave sculpture Chinese and Indian The protection of these sites depends on an understandingsculpture Buddhist cave sites. of the processes of deterioration that may affect them.

Architectural Thebes, Egypt; Exterior sculpture is often damaged by polluted airsculpture Petra, Jordan. and rising water tables.

Monumental Cave or Tombs in Luxor, Egypt; Conserving wall painting, in the face of largepainting wall painting Tassili, Algeria. tourist flows, requires careful planning.

Architecture and Monumental Monte Alban, Mexico; Great works of architecture and urban planningtown planning architecture Copan, Honduras; demonstrate the introduction of new design principles

Wat Phu, Laos. and construction techniques.

Indigenous or M’zab Valley, Local materials, such as wood, mud brick and stone, werevernacular Algeria. used to build extraordinary architectural compositions.architecture

Historic settlements Fez, Morocco; The protection of the historic core of cities depends onand town centers Quito, Ecuador. a comprehensive policy to address infrastructure and

social needs.

Historic Cultural Cres, Croatia; Landscapes, whether designed, organically evolvedlandscapes landscapes land of the or relict, demonstrate mankind’s responses to changing

Dogon, Mali. environmental conditions.

Historic parks Sigiriya, Sri Lanka; Returning gardens to their original appearance mayand gardens Shalimar Gardens, require research into plant materials.

Pakistan.

Trade routes The Silk Route from Remains of ancient trade routes document early trademonuments and China to Europe; relations and cultural connections. Trading patterns,remains Pan-African trade routes; often long distance, are revealed in archaeological finds

Mediterranean-wide such as ceramics, metalwork, coins, or paleobotanicalcommerce. evidence.

Table 1. Selected types of cultural heritage sites

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also include a review of existing rules and procedures tomanage cultural heritage affected by the project. Projectswith no impacts on cultural heritage or the environmentmore broadly should be classified in category C. Educa-tion and institution-building projects are often classifiedin this category; however, attention should be paid tochanges in the use of historic structures to ensure this isdone in a proper manner and does not degrade their aes-thetic or historical value.

Experience in Bank and non-Bank development pro-jects has shown that certain sectors are particularly proneto affect heritage: energy (construction of gas pipelines,utility lines); communications (laying of fiber optics);transport (highways, road construction or extensions,bridge replacement, canal construction); water (dams, ir-rigation and drainage schemes); sewerage and sanitation;urban development (infrastructure provision); industryand mining; agriculture (intensification and extensificat-ion); and forestry. Emergency reconstruction projects dueto earthquakes, flooding or other disasters may have im-portant consequences for cultural heritage.

For projects where cultural heritage impacts are likelyor possible, it is good practice for Bank staff to consultthe cultural resource specialist and cultural heritage re-

search files in the Environment Department before mak-ing the environmental screening decision. In addition tomaterial on national legislation, inventories, and specificsites, the files contain lists of institutions involved in cul-tural heritage work and researchers that can be importantsources of further information, particularly for the MiddleEast, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.

Consultation with appropriate local and internationalexperts is advisable in project identification to gain anoverview of potential cultural heritage issues. A literaturereview can also bring relevant information to light. The le-gal status of affected sites should be noted as certain catego-ries of cultural heritage may be under particular restriction.

Staff will often discover that adequate information isnot available for a particular area. This is particularlycommonplace in Sub-Saharan Africa where very fewareas have been surveyed. In cases where little investiga-tory work has been carried out, an earthmoving project isslated to take place, and the area is suspected of havingprior habitation, it is strongly recommended that fieldsurveys be carried out in order to avoid unnecessarydestruction of cultural sites. Rapid field surveys are anessential diagnostic tool in determining the sensitivity ofa particular area.

Identification Preparation Appraisal Implementation EvaluationNegotiation/Approval

Table 2. Cultural heritage and EA

EnvironmentalScreening

Identificationof heritageissues through-as needed-availableinformation,field visitsor rapidfield survey

Scoping

Bank and borroweragree on EA TORand schedule

Extensivefield survey

Significanceassessmentof heritage

Development ofmeasures to avoid,minimize or mitigateimpacts, includingpossible excavationor salvage operations

Design of chance findprocedures, if needed

Draft EA submittedfor review andclearance; findingsdiscussed withborrower andworked intoproject documents

Review byappraisal teamof culturalheritage issuesin projectdesign andimplementationplan

Remaining issuesdiscussed byappraisal teamand borrower

Agreement onmeasures toprotect heritage,including chancefind procedures

Measuresreflected in legalagreements andbidding/contractdocuments

The EA process

Project stages

Cultural heritage inputs

Environmentalsupervision basedon EA and loanagreements

Monitoring ofheritage sites anduse of chance findprocedures

Training inheritageconservationand management,as needed

Environmentalaspectsevaluated incompletion andevaluationreports

Evaluation ofeffectiveness ofheritagemeasures

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Preparation of EA terms of reference (TOR)

If significant cultural heritage is thought to exist, expertsshould be assigned to the Bank project team to prepare adetailed TOR for heritage-related work as part of the EAprocess. The TOR should be guided by the nature of thelikely cultural heritage issues and explain what needs tobe done under each main section of the EA report (see be-low). This may require the services of an archaeologist ex-perienced in field surveying; a conservation architect; alandscape architect or site planner with experience inplanning archaeological and historic sites; a cultural re-source planner; or a structural engineer.

The TOR may call for various types of investigationsincluding: documentary research; locational surveys;environmental sampling; archaeological tests; archaeo-logical surveys to determine location, integrity, and sig-nificance; archaeological monitoring and data recovery;and salvage excavation. Specifications will depend onthe terrain, likely types of finds, and their presumed im-portance and condition. The TOR may also request asignificance assessment (see below) and economic analy-sis. Sample TORs are retained in the files of the Environ-ment Department.

The time frame for cultural heritage work should be in-dicated in the TOR. Although it is difficult to generalize,for a project with a clearly defined geographical area, suchas a road alignment or pipeline, typically the necessarysurvey work can be carried out in a period of two to sixmonths in the field. This varies according to the condi-tions on the ground and quality of logistical support avail-able. Three major inputs must be planned for assessment:background research and preparation and design of re-search strategy; assessment survey and/or excavation, in-cluding recording and recovery; and post-field analysisand report writing. Salvage operations, again dependingon the extent of the material, can also normally be com-pleted within two to six months. Allocation of adequatefunding to assess cultural heritage issues in a timelymanner is essential.

Where multiple development activities may affect thecultural heritage within an entire region (for example, anurban or urbanizing area, a coastal zone, or a river basin),the Bank should recommend the use of a comprehensiveregional approach to impact assessment and managementof heritage (see box 2). Regional EA can be an effective in-strument in this regard (see Update no. 15: Regional Envi-ronmental Assessment).

Appraisal

Project appraisal is contingent on receipt of an EA reportof satisfactory quality. Where there are significant culturalheritage issues, the report should contain specific sectionsconcerning these issues, including proposed mitigation,monitoring and institutional strengthening measures as

Box 2. Cultural heritage in the urban setting

Building cranes and new cars may indicate a growingeconomy, but at a time of rapid urban expansion in muchof the developing world, heritage is under severe threatfrom uncontrolled construction, demolition and vehiculartraffic. Polluting industries and high population densitiesare other factors that put heritage as well as inhabitantsat risk.

A frequent constraint to adequate protection is the con-servation focus on individual historic buildings, ratherthan groups of buildings or districts. Buffer zones anddevelopment controls are needed to prevent the unregu-lated building that destroys context. Bank experience,for example in Kathmandu, Nepal, points strongly to theneed for area conservation in order to adequately protectthe historic urban fabric.

Urban land markets may ultimately work against con-serving heritage, as the opportunity costs for the conserva-tion option are too high to resist. Historic city centers, how-ever, are generally characterized by intense economic activ-ity and often serve local as well as regional markets. Suchhistoric centers, when properly conserved, can becomecenters for commerce, tourism, culture, and social life.

appropriate. Staff with knowledge of such issues shouldassist in the review of the EA report.

For projects with major cultural heritage issues, rel-evant expertise should be part of the appraisal team. Ap-praisal is a good opportunity to discuss with the borrow-ing country the steps needed to put in place or strengthencapacity and procedures to manage and protect known heri-tage sites as well as address unknown heritage throughchance find procedures or a watching brief (needed for un-expected discoveries of previously unknown buried sitesand features during excavation and construction).

The Project Implementation Plan (prepared by the bor-rower) should be carefully reviewed to ensure that cul-tural heritage measures are incorporated, as appropriate,on the basis of the EA.

Supervision

Development projects are an opportunity for improvingthe protection and ensuring the future use of culturalheritage. During project implementation, Bank staffshould monitor the project impacts on cultural heritagethat were identified during the EA, as well as keep carefultrack of any new impacts. Chance find procedures shouldbe included in construction contracts and compliancewith them supervised by the Bank. Supervision missionsshould schedule staff time for following these issues andrevising project mitigation measures as required to ensureadequate protection for significant cultural heritage.

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Evaluation of the handling of cultural heritage issuesincludes looking at the enforcement of relevant legislation(especially in regard to land use and zoning), the perfor-mance of mitigation and monitoring activities, adequacyof technical solutions, staffing, cost effectiveness, and in-stitutional and administrative effectiveness. Particular at-tention should be paid to the adequacy of monitoring andmanagement plans for cultural heritage. Training in heri-tage conservation and management should also be an ele-ment of projects with major heritage issues.

Cultural heritage in the EA report

The EA report should integrate cultural heritage aspectsin a flexible way according to the specific circumstancesof the project. When heritage is the main concern, the EAshould reflect this by focussing mainly on ways to avoid,minimize or mitigate damage to this heritage and im-prove its conservation. More frequently, cultural heritagewill be one among several environmental issues. The fol-lowing discussion shows how the main sections of a fullEA report can effectively address cultural heritage,whether it is the principal or one out of many environ-mental issues.

The policy, legal and institutional framework

The framework for protecting and managing culturalheritage should be examined early in the EA preparationprocess. Where adequate laws, procedures (includingchance find procedures), and institutional capacity are notyet in place, the EA should identify the gaps and weak-nesses and suggest how the project itself might help pro-tect threatened heritage through special, targeted mea-sures (for example, design alterations, a special projectcomponent to conserve heritage, or special proceduresand requirements for construction works) and ways tostrengthen government capacity in the long term.

Chance find procedures are usually a matter of na-tional law. They specify the authorities and responsibili-ties of cultural heritage agencies if sites or materials arediscovered in the course of construction and include pro-cedures to be used by the cultural heritage agency, projectsponsor and construction contractor. The proceduresshould specify how cultural heritage authorities are noti-fied, the waiting period required before work can resumeafter a chance find has occurred, and measures for care offound objects. In the absence of national chance find pro-cedures, the Bank should require that the borrower pre-pare specific procedures for projects where risk of en-countering buried sites may exist. These proceduresshould be included as standard provisions in constructioncontracts when applicable.

Baseline data

Unless the proposed project area has already been wellsurveyed prior to initiation of the EA, a field survey

should be undertaken at the earliest possible stages of EApreparation in order to establish the baseline conditions.Field surveys can make a major contribution to advancingthe knowledge of an area, as in the case of a road projectin Yemen (see box 3), and are necessary for assessing thesignificance of heritage and potential impacts of a project.Significance assessment of cultural heritage, which is amethodology in and of itself, is discussed in box 4.

Impact assessment

Once the significance of cultural heritage in a project areahas been evaluated, the next step is to assess the potentialimpacts of the project, including the extent and economiccosts of any damage. The EA should rank potential im-pacts on heritage according to (a) the significance of theheritage; (b) the level of irreversibility of the impact; and(c) the extent of potential damage. This should includeassessment of both the direct impacts associated with de-struction or physical disturbance and the indirect impactscaused by changes in topography, water table levels, landuse practices, and induced development. The assessmentshould cover cultural heritage values of both major andminor significance as they may be subject to differenttypes of impacts within the same project.

The seriousness of impacts will vary according to thetype of project, climate conditions, settlement patterns,and the capacity of the cooperating government to effec-tively enforce its cultural heritage laws. Studies con-ducted in the United States have identified the followingnegative impacts on cultural heritage in order of fre-quency and significance: streambank erosion, vandalism,construction activities, plowing and land leveling, windaction, animal burrowing, groundwater leaching, com-paction and fragmentation of soils, chemical contamina-tion, vehicular traffic, subsidence, and livestock grazing.It is recommended that in situations where cultural heri-tage currently or potentially contributes to the local or na-tional economy that an analysis be prepared to estimatethe economic costs of the project impacts. Examples in-clude heritage sites that provide a basis for tourism andhistoric districts or buildings that contribute to increasedproperty values.

Analysis of alternatives

The most important single strategy for heritage protec-tion is site avoidance: redirecting activities so that they donot endanger a site. This is particularly relevant in plan-ning dams, large-scale irrigation and drainage projects,roads, and urban infrastructure and construction. If thesite cannot be avoided, the EA should consider designand construction alternatives for the project as well as al-ternative methods and approaches for protection andmitigation. The alternatives should be ranked accordingto effectiveness, cost, difficulty, length of time required,and monitoring needs. Decisions should be made byweighing these rankings against the cultural significance

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Box 3. Field survey and significanceassessment of cultural heritage in a road project

In the Republic of Yemen, a new road has been planned,through arid lands considered inhospitable to most hu-man settlement, to link Safir to the Hadramout Valley.During preparation of the proposed project, a field sur-vey was carried out to determine whether archaeologicaland prehistoric remains were located along the roadalignment. With the cooperation of the Yemeni officialsand foreign research institutes in Yemen, an expert teamwas assembled to examine the proposed route, and a to-tal of 35 archaeological sites and 50 prehistoric sites werefound during the field survey.

Archaeologists were able to rank the sites using themethodology of significance assessment and propose astrategy for mitigating adverse impacts. A variety of ac-tions were recommended: no action; avoid quarrying;protect by fencing; realign road if possible (for one site);excavate for further information; monitor during roadconstruction; and prepare a site map. The field survey hasenlarged considerably the archaeological and historical un-derstanding of the region. Moreover, the observations aboutthe potential prehistoric importance of the sites can serve asa guide to future explorations in the adjoining regions. Thesurvey was carried out in less than three months.

and economic value of the site. A forthcoming Update willaddress the issue of alternatives in more detail.

Environmental Management Plan

Mitigation. Appropriate approaches to protect culturalheritage may range from full-site protection to extensiveredesign of a project in order to preserve the site to selec-tive salvage, data recovery, and recording where a por-tion or all of the site will be lost. Standard mitigation mea-sures include excavation, salvage, erosion control, restora-tion of structural elements, rerouting of traffic, and sitemapping. Other protective strategies to be considered in-clude site burial, structural stabilization, soil and rock sta-bilization, control of groundwater levels, vegetative stabi-lization, site surveillance, and control of flora and fauna.

Where a significant site or a group of sites may be af-fected by a proposed project, an archaeological and his-torical site management plan should be prepared tospecify the types of conservation actions that should betaken for each surveyed site. When relevant, the planshould ensure that the project includes measures to sal-vage, test or conduct detailed surveys of a sample of sitesrepresenting a diversity of periods and types. The man-agement plan should also establish a monitoring andevaluation system and include a schedule that is coordi-nated with the overall project schedule and a detailedbudget. Consideration should be given, when appropri-ate, to leaving selected sites undisturbed to allow for theirexamination in the future.

Management and monitoring. The EA should recom-mend detailed measures for strengthening capacity inmanaging and monitoring cultural heritage, ideally in theform of plans that include costing, financing, and actions.Staff, working in close cooperation with local officials,may be able to intro-duce improved managementprocedures to safeguard heritage and increase itsrevenue-earning capacity, as in the case of a transportsector project in Cyprus, where a site master plan wasprepared for the archaeological site of Paphos.

Experience has shown that a cultural heritage manage-ment framework is one of the most effective methods forensuring that cultural heritage is considered in develop-ment work. As a first step, an organizational structure isneeded, composed of the following elements: (a) draftingof a charter of authorities and responsibilities; (b) intro-duction of an institutional structure, including descriptionof the units, individual positions, and general operatingprocedures; (c) preparation of basic policies, legislation,and guidelines; (d) development of a cultural resourcesreview and approval system for development plans andprojects that is linked to land use planning and theEA process; (e) design of a budget and accounting system;(f) preparation of an inventory of cultural sites, with em-phasis on areas that are likely to be subject to impact fromdevelopment in the short and medium term; (g) develop-

ment of coordination mechanisms with planning authori-ties, municipal governments and other agencies involvedwith cultural resources; and (h) preparation of a workplanfor a preliminary cultural resources management plan.

In many developing countries qualified staff for cul-tural resource management in the public and privatesectors are in short supply. Training in cultural heritagemanagement is therefore needed and should cover issuessuch as cultural resource policy, legislation, and regula-tion; use of economic and fiscal instruments in culturalresource management; conservation of cultural resourcesin land use planning and through the permitting and EAprocess; development and implementation of site man-agement plans; surveying, recording and inventorying;and public education.

Precise information on the form, materials, history,function, and condition of the cultural heritage is neces-sary for its safeguarding. Inventories form the basisfor managing cultural resources and should provideinformation for planners and administrators at nationaland local levels. Lack of adequate information on culturalheritage is perhaps the single greatest obstacle to effectiveprotection. EA requirements will serve to reinforce the im-portance of maintaining comprehensive and easy-to-useinventories.

Inventories of whatever form (for example, computer-ized entries or handwritten ledgers) should be consistent

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Box 4. Significance assessment of cultural heritage

explain why the general public is attracted to some sitesmore than others.

Historic value. A site can be a typical or well-preserved ex-ample of a culture, group, period of time, or type of humanactivity or can be associated with a particular individual. Of-ten the place, rather than exemplifying one phase or aspectof history, is the embodiment of a long sequence of history.

Scientific or research value. This value will depend upon theimportance of the data and its rarity, quality or representative-ness. In addition to information on technological change, sitescan provide evidence of changes in climate, the environment,and the animal population. The assessment of scientific or re-search significance is difficult because often potential rather thanpresent scientific significance is being evaluated.

Social value. This concept embraces the qualities by whicha place becomes a focus of spiritual, political, national, orother cultural significance to a majority or minority group.The local, regional, or national community may find in suchsites a source of pride, education, or celebration, or a symbolof enduring culture. The qualities causing this preference arevery important and in many cases are the strongest argu-ment for conserving the place. For example, the site may beaccessible and well known rather than particularly wellpreserved or scientifically important.

Economic value. This value can include use, non-use andexistence values. Several methods may be used to estimatethe economic value of cultural heritage. Work is currentlyunderway to strengthen guidance on this topic.

This Update was prepared by June Taboroff. The EA Sourcebook Updates provide up-to-date guidance for conducting EAs of proposedprojects and should be used as a supplement to the Environmental Assessment Sourcebook. The Bank is thankful to the Government of Norwayfor financing the production of the Updates. Please address comments and inquiries to Olav Kjørven and Aidan Davy, Managing Editors,EA Sourcebook Update, ENVLW, The World Bank, 1818 H St. NW, Washington, D.C., 20433, Room No. S-5139, (202) 473-1297. E-mail:eaupdates@worldbank.org.

Cultural significance is a concept in estimating the value ofa site. It includes aesthetic, historic, scientific (research), so-cial or economic value and the concept of amenity value.Sites that are likely to be significant are those that help ourunderstanding of the past, or enrich the present, and thatwill be of value to future generations.

Significance assessment is the basis for determining anyaction to protect cultural sites and is part of a site manage-ment plan. It requires in depth knowledge of art and archi-tectural history, social history, and knowledge of materials.There usually are many management alternatives for anysite and understanding its significance is a prerequisite fordeciding on a course of action. Adequate detail is alsoneeded to determine the best or most appropriate methodof conserving the cultural significance, as different ele-ments require different management strategies.

Cultural significance can be assessed in different waysand with varying scope. The process may be informal andrapid or it may be a formal process that requires a comple-ment of specialized expertise (such as archaeologists, legalspecialists, anthropologists, and botanists). It may dealwith an individual site or be part of a regional or localoverview. The appropriate level of detail will vary accord-ing to circumstances.

Aesthetic value. Aesthetic judgement is perhaps the mostsubjective of the criteria used in determining cultural sig-nificance. Although such judgement is shaped by culturalbackground and taste, the design, level of craftsmanship,and choice of materials also play an important role. It can

with international standards. Different levels of detail arerequired for different purposes, ranging from detailed in-formation on the history and significance of the site to ba-sic location and construction data. Information in greaterdetail is required for the site or building owner to carryout conservation and maintenance works.

Records (and updating) of the heritage should bemade when any changes (such as repairs or alterations)are anticipated or made; when new information is re-vealed; when accidental or unforeseen disturbancehas damaged the cultural heritage; or when demolitionis contemplated.

Public consultation

Consultation with affected groups and local NGOs dur-ing preparation will help clarify values and the trade-offsassociated with different alternatives for managing cul-

tural heritage (see EA Sourcebook Update no. 5: Public In-volvement in Environmental Assessment). Where culturalheritage has religious or sacred meaning, communityparticipation is particularly important in decisions affect-ing the site. In Lahore, Pakistan, where historic buildingswere conserved, community input to planning the newuse of the buildings (for example, health center, women’straining center, or primary school) was an effective wayof ensuring continued maintenance.

For further reading

Goodland R. and M. Webb. 1989. The Management ofCultural Property in World Bank-Assisted Projects. WorldBank Technical Paper No. 62. Washington, D.C.

Serageldin, I. and J. Taboroff (ed). 1994. Culture andDevelopment in Africa. Proceedings Series No. 1. TheWorld Bank. Washington, D.C.