Study: Knowledge Gaps in Protecting Cultural Sites from Climate Change, Especially in Africa
North Carolina's Cape Lookout lighthouse has survived threats ranging from Civil War raids to multiple hurricanes, but the Outer Banks site can't escape climate-related changes such as rising sea levels, coastal erosion and flooding from stronger storms.
A North Carolina State University study in Climatic Change found little research exists on how to protect cultural resources like those at Cape Lookout National Seashore, a 56-acre site that includes historic buildings in addition to the iconic lighthouse and scenic beaches.
"Cultural heritage sites provide a lot of benefits, from sociocultural value in giving a community its unique identity to economic benefits from recreation and tourism," says lead author Sandra Fatoric, a postdoctoral researcher with NC State's College of Natural Resources. "We see a significant gap in knowledge of how to adapt to climate change and preserve cultural resources for future generations."
Researchers searched worldwide for peer-reviewed studies of cultural resources - archaeological sites, natural landscapes and historic buildings - at risk due to climate change. About 60 percent of the studies referenced sites in Europe, most commonly in the United Kingdom. Another 17 percent of the research covered sites in North America, a majority of them in the United States. About 11 percent dealt with resources in Australia and the Pacific Islands and 10 percent mentioned Asia, mostly China. All but six of the 124 studies were published in English-language journals, with South America and Africa rarely represented in the research.
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