| Abstract: |
Our pilot study focused principally on a local scale, though national issues were present. The goals were to understand the natural capital and ecosystems services provided by maritime heritage in the Goodwin Sands and Kent coast area, to define its associated values, and to connect with the work of Ramsgate Heritage Action Zone (HAZ).
The focus was also on archaeological sites, though the historical context and the development of human-environment relationships are referred to and researched where they help underpin understanding of the ecosystems services and values associated with the sites. However, it is noted that this information may also underpin wider-ranging ecosystems services assessments and these factors in particular can help to understand cultural identity, spiritualty and other issues in which time-depth, memory and history are key influencing factors. This project highlights the importance of site-specific research and surveys for understanding ecosystems services arising from wreck sites. Too little is currently known about the relationship between heritage and ecology for generalisations to be made which adequately characterise this relationship. Predictive methods for identifying which sites give rise to which ecosystems services suffer from a lack of data. Classification of the benthic habitat of wreck sites, using the EUNIS classification system, may allow for predictive assessment of benthic communities based on characteristics including biological zone and hydrodynamic considerations, as has been done for certain steel wrecks in certain environments (Connor et al. 2004). If further information such as this were available, predicting potential sites at which ecosystems services arise may be possible, but, for local scale studies, this would always require verification in the form of site surveys and input from stakeholders.
As a demonstration of the new information on the relationship between wrecks and ecology which has yet to be understood, our study found that in addition to their role as artificial reefs, and the provision of hard substrate, wrecks also appear to affect their surrounding environments altering habitat and possibly species in a zone of influence around the sites. This project identified communities of worms represented by dense concentrations of worm casts surrounding the wreck sites on Sandwich Flats which differed in size and density to those the rest of the beach. The reasons for the presence of these worms is not known, but it appears likely that their occurrence relates to the presence of wreck sites.
The site surveys proved to be the most effective means by which the differing scales of the heritage
and ecological desk-based data could be bridged. It also demonstrated that not all wreck sites are the same, and differences between the ecology of the metal B17 wreck site were observed when compared with the wooden wreck sites on Sandwich Flats.
Our project identified a series of different services arising from wreck sites, including those within the provisioning category, as well as cultural services and supporting and habitat services. However, this work also demonstrated that ecosystems services arise at different scales. Some services arise at site, or even sub-site level, while others only arise from groups of sites or landscapes. These issues also affect valuations. As such it is necessary to consider the possibility that while some services and values may be tied to individual sites, the same sites may also form part of a wider network which give rise to other services and values.
This project also identified a variety of parameters which alter the social and economic value of a site to different beneficiaries, including tourists, archaeologists, divers and the fishing community. This research was undertaken in order to identify areas and sites which may be particularly sensitive to change, either positive or negative. The number of variables affecting the value of a site, and the
unpredictability of some of those variables, means that the use of characteristics to serve as proxies
for value can only serve to indicate the potential services and value associated with a site. Site-scale
research and stakeholder engagement must be conducted to determine whether these values are
truly present.
Valuation is a complex issue. The instrumental value of sites, as defined in Conservation Principles
(Historic England 2008), allows for social and economic value to be brought in to existing frameworks for assessing heritage significance. However, methods for assessing instrumental value are not defined in Conservation Principles and this framework only allows for consideration of those benefits which arise from the heritage value of the site. This excludes consideration of those values arising from the role of the site in the ecosystem. However, valuation methods associated with ecosystems services assessments may be well placed to flesh-out this aspect of the Conservation Principles methodology. While some potential data sources are identified by this project, economic valuation is a specialist area and it is recommended that Historic England seek advice from economists in order to develop this part of the methodology.
Overall, the wrecks within the area provide a variety of different Ecosystems Services and are multivalued. Areas where value can be increased have been identified, and the results of this assessment will feed into the work of the Ramsgate Heritage Action Zone which seeks to achieve economic growth using the historic environment as a catalyst. |
