Cultural Heritage
for Nature Restoration
Helping organisations and communities bring living heritage into nature recovery
Nature recovery is as much a cultural task as it is an ecological one.
Lasting stewardship depends on the relationships people hold with the places they inhabit — relationships shaped by memory, meaning, values and practice as much as by science and policy. These connections are carried through living cultural heritage: in placenames, songs, stories, customs, language and traditional ecological knowledge.
Recognised internationally through the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), these traditions hold knowledge of landscapes, species and seasonal cycles, foster belonging and care, and help communities imagine and shape more resilient futures. The Convention explicitly recognises ICH as a vital resource for biodiversity and sustainable development — yet living heritage remains largely absent from how nature recovery is planned, funded and delivered.
As a researcher and creative practitioner, I work with organisations, community groups and policymakers to explore how intangible cultural heritage can contribute to nature recovery, environmental decision-making and community stewardship. Through research, facilitation, creative engagement and strategic advice, I help connect ecological restoration with the cultural life of landscapes and communities.
The long-term sustainability of environmental stewardship depends on emotional, ethical and cultural connections between people and place. Music, song, story, and traditional ecological knowledge offer a powerful means to nurture that connection.”
This British Academy policy discussion paper explores how integrating Intangible Cultural Heritage can support place-sensitive nature recovery. Through two case studies from the Scottish Highlands it examines how placenames, creative cultural expressions and traditional ecological knowledge can contribute to inclusive, forward-looking, adaptive approaches.
‘Integrating Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Nature Recovery: A Place-Sensitive Approach in the Scottish Highlands’ (2025)
