AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

Natural landscapes and their non-human components are as much a part of cultural heritage as man-made materials and their intangible elements. By acknowledging the fragility of these environments, cultural heritage conservators can better engage with the natural ecological connections that are intertwined with the source of heritage and belongings made by communities local to these natural landscapes.

The concept of our project is part of a larger initiative to highlight local and significant ecological resilience concerns, and discuss their relation to cultural heritage and broader regional adaptation strategies. Communities near the Great Salt Lake have been chronicling the effects of climate change on the body of water, which has both functional and cultural value to those who reside near it, and are known to be affected by connected and related water sources. Indigenous voices and other under-represented communities have been sidelined from the conversation of growing concerns for the Great Salt Lake’s survivability, and are only recently being consulted and considered in efforts to preserve the lake and its inhabitants.

In this presentation we will highlight regional perspectives and draw connections with ecological and cultural conservation communities, which have critical overlaps. Our profession has the capacity to think holistically and ecologically, not just in terms of waste and carbon footprint, but also in the way we view our systems and social context. As non-residents of Utah, we will engage a regional scholar of the Great Salt Lake to share their unique perspective and history, either live or as a recording to play during the presentation.