Cultural relict plants – a living heritage

• Published in: Nordisk Museologi
• Main Authors: Solberg, Svein Øivind, Breian, Line, Ansebo, Lena, Persson, Erik
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: University of Oslo Library 2016
• Subjects: cultural relict plants; cultural heritage; natural heritage; ethno-botany; trans-disciplinary; conservation; in situ; seed bank; Arctic
• Online Access: https://journals.uio.no/museolog/article/view/3089; https://doi.org/10.5617/nm.3089

Cultural relict plants are remaining populations of plants once introduced for cultivation and use. The plants have survived, even though the population is no longer actively maintained. Cultural relict plants can be found in the close surround- ings of historical places such as monastery ruins, churches, castles, fortresses, manors, old farms and villages. The plants are part of a living heritage, but the responsibility tends to fall between different perspectives – between the conservation of buildings, ob- jects and immaterial knowledge (cultural heritage) and conservation of nature (natu- ral heritage). In this article we debate the value of such plants as parts of a place. We list potential species and findings from a project with focus on the Arctic region in the Nordic countries. We furthermore emphasise the need for trans-disciplinary approaches to secure the habitat and increase awareness about cultural relict plants.