Canada's Cultural Landscapes
Canada's Cultural landscapes: A Look at
the Interaction between Humans and their Environment
Browsing the Canadian Register of Historic Places (CRHP), you
are likely to come across places designated as historic districts,
or cultural landscapes, which often comprise several natural and
manmade features as part of the designation. This article is
meant as a brief introduction and overview of cultural landscapes
in Canada; to learn more, please consult the list of suggested
links included below.
Over the past three decades, the concept of cultural landscapes
has become an approach embraced in the fields of cultural
geography, architecture, planning, historical research, and in
other related professions for understanding people's relationship
with nature. Well beyond simply comprehending this
interaction, the heritage conservation field has adopted the
cultural landscape approach as a practical tool for proactively and
respectfully managing significant historic landscapes which are
meaningful to particular groups, cultures, or populations.
The value of this method for protecting the character of a defined
landscape lies in its potential to integrate multiple perspectives
about a place, bring together many different stakeholders as well
as acknowledge the traditional methods of stewardship which best
promote sustainable land-use practices.
No fixed universal definition of cultural landscapes
exists. In general, though, the application of this concept
consists of two elements: the geographical location (landscape), a
real, tangible place; and the impressions, beliefs, and rituals
(cultural) associated with that place. Cultural landscapes
can vary in size ranging from a street to an entire town, to a vast
migration corridor. Identifying a cultural landscape is to
recognize the complex relationship humans had or continue to have
with the places they create and occupy.
The
Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site of Canada near
Trois-Rivières, Quebec, is one such complex recognized as a
cultural landscape because of its initial development and subsequent evolution as an early
industrial commune within a well-defined natural environment.
The forge was established under the French Regime in 1730 and
contributed to the production of iron for the French colony.
Although the original activity of the place has long since ended,
the remaining physical and natural features nevertheless
demonstrate how humans adapted the region's topography to their
requirements.
Unlike the relic landscape of the Forge du Saint-Maurice, the
cultural landscape of the town of Tilting on Fogo Island, Newfoundland and
Labrador, is still active and continually evolving. This town
was designated because it expresses the adoption of nineteenth
century Irish land settlement patterns together with the continued
use of traditional landscape components both designed, like gardens,
barns, and pathways, as well as natural features: the harbour and
shoreline, the rough and sloping terrain, ponds, etc. Tilting
(a place) is thus a cultural landscape where the relationship
between human activities (or rituals) associated with a particular
tradition, in this case the maritime fishery industry, is still
practiced and deeply understood by residents.
Cultural landscapes can also be associative where the presence
of material remains may be minimal or altogether
imperceptible. In Canada, these types of historic places are
generally, but not exclusively, related to Aboriginal
heritage. Parks Canada, the federal heritage conservation
agency, has proposed that an Aboriginal cultural landscape is
valued by Aboriginal people "because of their long and complex
relationship with that land. It expresses their unity with the
natural and spiritual environment. It embodies their traditional
knowledge of spirits, places, land uses, and ecology." One
such example is
Fall Caribou Crossing National Historic Site of Canada,
Baker Lake, Nunavut, where, for generations, the Inuit have used
the land for seasonal hunting. Oral histories and beliefs
linked with this territory have equally become integrated within
the Inuit worldview. Accordingly, recognizing and
appreciating these traditional customs and beliefs linked with the
land can inform future decisions impacting the conservation of that
place's values.
A cultural landscape approach not only supports the way we care
for our cultural environment but it also contributes to
understanding the formation of local and national
identities.
Grand-Pré Rural Historic District National Historic Site of
Canada, Nova Scotia, is one such place with cultural meaning
extending far beyond its physical boundaries. Acknowledged as
the heart of Acadian culture, Grand-Pré is not only a location; it
is equally an idea. Acadian descendants, whose ancestors were
deported from Nova Scotia in 1755, maintain very strong ties to
this region for its symbolic associations to their sense of Acadian
identity and many undertake pilgrimages to connect with their
cultural roots. The Acadian spirit continues to live in the
art and literature of that culture as well as manifests itself in
the landscape of Grand-Pré with tangible memorials.
Incorporating at the same time physical and imagined attributes,
cultural landscapes allow us to recognize the interaction between
humans and their surroundings and provide a framework for managing
the spirit of place. Although it is undeniable that places
are in constant evolution, in order to sustain the character of the
places we hold dear it is important to first understand what makes
them treasured then develop a plan to manage the natural and
cultural resources which contribute to the values associated with
the place.