Limited distribution WHC-94/CONF.003/INF.10
Paris, 31 October 1994
original: English/French
UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL,
CULTURAL AND SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATION
CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROTECTION
OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE
Eighteenth session
Phuket, Thailand
12-17 December, 1994
Report on the Expert Meeting on Heritage Canals (Canada,
September 1994)
*[2]
WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION
INFORMATION DOCUMENT ON
HERITAGE CANALS
EXPERTS MEETING, 15 - 19 SEPTEMBER 1994
CHAFFEYS LOCK, ONTARIO, CANADA
PARTICIPANTS: Christina Cameron (Canada), Chairperson
Mechtild Rossler (World Heritage Centre)
Henry Cleere (ICOMOS)
Stephen Hughes (TICCIH)
Susan Buggey (Canada)
Reinhold Castensson (Sweden)
A.S. Chawla (India)
Michel Cotte (France)
Paul Labovitz (U.S.A.)
Pan Lu (China)
Nora Mitchell (U.S.A.)
L. Prematilleke (Sri Lanka)
Herb Stovel (Canada)
Sitapha Traore (Mali)
Henk Weevers (Netherlands)
RESOURCE PERSONS: David Ballinger
Gisèle Cantin
Robert Hunter
Dr. Robert Passfield
Judith Sutherland
PURPOSE OF MEETING
Canada, following a World Heritage Committee decision in December
1992, hosted a meeting of experts on heritage canals in September
1994 to explore the nature and extent of canals, and to examine
the components of significance. The results of the deliberations
are herein presented to the World Heritage Committee for consideration.
*[3]
I DEFINITION
A canal is a human-engineered waterway. It may be of outstanding
universal value from the point of view of history or technology,
either intrinsically or as an exceptional example representative
of this category of cultural property. The canal may be a
monumental work, the defining feature of a linear cultural
landscape, or an integral component of a complex cultural
landscape.
II VALUES AND AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE
The significance of canals can be examined under technological,
economic, social, and landscape factors.
A. TECHNOLOGY
Canals can serve a variety of purposes: irrigation, navigation,
defence, water-power, flood mitigation, land-drainage and water-supply.
The following are areas of technology which may be of
significance:
1. The line and waterproofing of the water channel
2. The engineering structures of the line with reference to
comparative structural features in other areas of
architecture and technology
3. The development of the sophistication of constructional
methods
4. The transfer of technologies.
B. ECONOMY
Canals contribute to the economy in a variety of ways, e.g. in
terms of economic development and the conveyance of goods and
people. Canals were the first man-made routes for the effective
carriage of bulk cargoes. Canals played and continue to play a
key role in economic development through their use for
irrigation. The following factors are important:
1. Nation building
2. Agricultural development
3. Industrial development
4. Generation of wealth
5. Development of engineering skills applied to other areas
and industries
*[4]
6. Tourism.
C. SOCIAL FACTORS
The building of canals had, and their operation continues to
have, social consequences:
1. The redistribution of wealth with social and cultural
results
2. The movement of people and the interaction of cultural
groups.
D. LANDSCAPE
Such large-scale engineering works had and continue to have an
impact on the natural landscape. Related industrial activity and
changing settlement patterns cause visible changes to landscape
forms and patterns.
NOTE: There are potentially some additional areas of
significance discussed in other sections of the Operational
Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage
Convention that deal with historic towns (paragraph 29) and with
the natural criteria (in particular paragraph 44 a, points iii
and possibly iv).
III AUTHENTICITY AND INTEGRITY
A. Authenticity depends holistically upon values and the
relationships between these values.
B. One distinctive feature of the canal as a heritage element is
its evolution over time. This is linked to how it was used
during different periods and the associated technological changes
the canal underwent. The extent of these changes may constitute
a heritage element.
C. The authenticity and historical interpretation of a canal
encompass the connection between the real property (subject of
the Convention), possible movable property (boats, temporary
navigation items) and the associated structures (bridges, etc)
and landscape.
SEE APPENDIX
IV MANAGEMENT
A. The concepts of monumental work, corridor and cultural
landscape are essential management considerations.
B. Management mechanisms for canals require participation by many
*[5]
partners - public administrations, associations and individuals -
and a co-ordinating body is therefore essential. This body must
be given strong encouragement and the question of its governance
must be examined at the national or international level.
C. Management of a canal corridor involves renewing its
components and the cultural landscapes comprising it. By nature,
it is dynamic over a span of time (see III.B).
D. Management must develop an information policy aimed at making
the public and the partners aware of the authenticity and
historical value of the heritage resource. Efforts to promote
the canal must have an educational component aimed at fostering
an understanding of the canal corridor.
E. Any tourist development must tie in the aspects of
authenticity with the history of the heritage resource, in a
dynamic perspective unique to the canal. In this regard, the
fragility of the sites must be made apparent and given attention
by the public, as well as by the management partners.
F. Management bodies should consider the possibility of
reinvesting a portion of the tourism revenues in maintenance and
conservation.
CHANGES PROPOSED TO OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES
14 Delete sentence 1 since it contradicts sentence 2. Sentence
2 may be understood to supersede sentence 1 and to more
accurately reflect the current public circumstances of
nomination.
24(a) (i) reinforce current recommendation of Global Strategy
Report for deletion from English version of
"represent a unique artistic achievement"
(ii) add "or technology" after "landscape design"
(iii) no change
(iv) add "or technological ..." ie "architectural or
technological ensemble"
(v) no change
(vi) no change
Proposed Addition after paragraph 40
A canal is a human-engineered waterway. It may be of outstanding
universal value from the point of view of history or technology,
*[6]
either intrinsically or as an exceptional example representative
of this category of cultural property. The canal may be a
monumental work, the defining feature of a linear cultural
landscape, or an integral component of a complex cultural
landscape.
APPENDIX
It was felt important to seek methodological means to improve and
clarify to the degree possible the application of the test of
authenticity to canals and to their associated landscapes. In
this endeavour, it was felt useful to expand the aspects of
authenticity examined from the four currently noted in the
Operational Guidelines, to associate these with criteria or
indicators which could suggest how authenticity of canals might
best be measured in relation to each of the aspects considered
and to examine these within a time continuum including project
planning, execution and ongoing use. It was felt important to
stress that the resulting matrix was not meant to be used in a
directive or mechanistic fashion, but to provide a guiding
framework for consideration of a range of evidently
interdependent factors, and ultimately to provide an integrated
overview of these various factors.
The proposed table is to take the criteria of 24b(i), expand on
them, and suggest new criteria. For this purpose, we have
provided an outline for approaching authenticity. One of the
first distinguishing features is their evolution over time:
design, then construction, then uses.
We have chosen the format of key words and explanatory
subcriteria. This outline is not exclusive; it is basically
indicative and is intended to facilitate an exploration of the
authenticity. It is a guide for examining possible questions.
The result should not be an arithmetic sum of the positive
responses in a table, but a harmonious whole representing a
synthesis of elements of authenticity of a canal.
*[7]
PLAN EXECUTION USE
1. Intentions - Objectives
- decipherable
- documentation
- intellectual context
2.Know-how
- transmissions
- technological context
3.Environment - physical
surroundings
- validity of canal
- environment links
- implications of
know-how (2)
- implications of
materials (4)
4.Materials
- conservation
5.Design - restoration
- periods decipherable
- influences
- documentation
6. Uses and functions
- continuity of uses
- congruence
- interruptions in uses
and functions