Identification and Analysis of Problems in Selected European Historic Gardens during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The paper is based on a survey and investigates the functioning of historic gardens during the pandemic. The authors collected and analysed information on the impact of the pandemic on the behaviour of visitors, maintenance, and condition of cultural heritage assets, European historic gardens. Four aspects were considered particularly carefully: the situation of gardens during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintenance and care in gardens, virtual activity and communication, and financial consequences. The authors determined the conditions of the gardens and the problems they faced based on a survey completed by 23 managers of 31 historic gardens from June to August 2020 and then proposed a diagnosis. The paper presents the survey results. In general, visitor volumes tended to drop in 2020, which significantly affected gardens’ financial standing and contributed to workforce reductions. The garden condition and treatments were affected, as well. Reduced visitor volumes resulted in positive environmental changes. Among them were ecological succession, the stability of landscaped plants, increase in vegetation, improved biodiversity in the ground cover, and enhanced animal presence. Additional safety measures were implemented after the gardens were reopened to the public during the pandemic, mostly social distancing, and obligatory face masks. Less than half of the gardens had contingency plans, and 25% of the respondents were working to develop one. The analyses provided foundations to start working on a universal emergency strategy similar to procedures used for years for permanent collections at museums. Note that, being open public spaces and live museums, historic gardens were the first places reopened after the lockdown. Recommendations based on the study can contribute to the future safe functioning of historic gardens in other similar crises. The guidelines offer instructions, advice, and recommendations that form foundations of the development of a universal management model facilitating the preservation of historic gardens in good condition while exploiting their ecological potential.

Redefinition of Park Design Criteria as a Result of Analysis of Well-Being and Soundscape: The Case Study of the Kortowo Park (Poland)

“…The approach proposed in this study might enrich the current activities of local governments in the field of urban re-development and adaptation to climate change [107][108][109] by supporting architects and planners with more holistic methods for the design of parks and urban public spaces. Currently, the role of parks in human well-being may be even higher due to restrictions connected with the COVID-19 pandemic [110] and anxiety among society due to sedentary behaviors in new daily routines [111].…”

Natural Environment and Cultural Heritage in the City, a Sustainability Perspective

“…The authors declare no conflict of interest. In this Special Issue, you can find recent and multidisciplinary studies focusing on four main pillars, which are: gardens and parks, their maintenance and use, ecosystem services served [31][32][33][34][35][36].…”

“…Main themes appearing in all 22 articles published in this Special Issue refer to cities and urban areas, their development, green and public spaces, trees and water, visual and functional features of space, gardens and built environment, as well as the local character of discussed cases and their use over time (Figure 1). In this Special Issue, you can find recent and multidisciplinary studies focusing on four main pillars, which are: gardens and parks, their maintenance and use, ecosystem services served [31][32][33][34][35][36].…”

COVID-19 on the Ground: Managing the Heritage Sites of a Pandemic

“…There is a growing body of literature that comments on the impact of COVID-19 and the associated restrictions on gatherings and people's movement on exhibitions [9], performances [10,11], museums [12,13], heritage conferences [14], employment conditions of heritage professionals [15], heritage tourism [16,17], library use [18], historic gardens [19], heritage soundscapes [20,21] and cultural festivals [22]. While they describe the effects of the pandemic on cultural industries, these approaches are purely retrospective.…”

“…Eighteen months after the formal naming of the then novel virus (SARS-CoV-2) and then naming it the disease it causes (COVID- 19) [1], this paper will examine the nature and range of cultural sites associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, its management and containment.…”