Policy Discussion Paper: Integrating Intangible Cultural Heritage in nature recovery: a place-sensitive approach in the Scottish Highlands
This paper explores how integrating Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), as defined by the 2003 UNESCO Convention, can support place-sensitive nature recovery. Through two case studies from the Scottish Highlands – the Findhorn Watershed Initiative and Cairngorms 2030 – it examines how placenames, creative cultural expressions and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) can contribute to inclusive, forward-looking, adaptive approaches. Drawing on qualitative, interdisciplinary methods and lived practitioner experience, the paper reflects on both the opportunities and challenges of aligning emerging ICH policy with nature recovery strategies in a Scottish context, with implications for contexts elsewhere.
Key themes
Nature recovery, Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Gaelic