Benjamin ŠTULAR
(Institute of archaeology, Slovene Academy of Science and Arts, Slovenia)
Purpose: Using GIS tools originally developed for archaeology we were able to model a “conservative legislation aware” tourist product based on cultural heritage.
Methodology/Approach: predictive modelling, site catchment, path modelling.
Results: the dynamic model that enables the planning of sustainable development of region under strict environmental legislation and few “resources” of cultural heritage.
We agree that finding, processing and preserving cultural heritage is just the beginning, the birth of Cultural heritage “product”. The latter needs to be “nourished” in order to become integrated in wider social and economy life of communities, regions and countries. Cultural tourism seems to offer one of just few possibilities. We believe that properly used it gives us a better chance for appreciation of cultural heritage as well as preservation.
We are involved in the national project Paths towards sustainable development of protected areas.
The project aims to find economical advantages for the communities living within the national parks were prohibitive ecological legislation is enforced. One such way is cultural tourism combined with well preserved natural environment. The latter – protected by above mentioned legislation – demands special adjustment of the usual products in cultural tourism. As a case study we choose a network of hiker-paths with cultural content. The first and obvious task was to create a GIS database of existing potential. The second step was to model the network – including tangible as well as intangible cultural heritage, car parking, eating, sleeping etc. capacities – with minimal intervention in existing logistics and therefore with minimal intervention in natural environment. The third and as it has turned out the most difficult part was to model a management of such a network within and beyond the limitations of existing conservation legislation. For that we used the methodology of archaeological predictive modelling.
We are therefore not developing new beyond-cutting-the-edge GIS technology. Rather, we are using methodology that was tested time and again. Therefore, we are 100% certain that the we can trust methodology. We only have 1 shot at preserving our natural environment and therefore we can not afford any mistakes due to the testing of new methodologies.
Keywords: archaeology, Cultural heritage, GIS, tourism, sustainable development