Cultural Landscape

A geographic area, including both cultural and natural resources, including the wildlife or domestic animals therein, that has been influenced by or reflects human activity or was the background for an event or person significant in human history. There are five general kinds of cultural landscapes, not mutually exclusive:

Historic Scene

A micro-environment where a significant historic event occurred, frequently with associated structures or other tangible remains. In historic areas, such remains often are the most significant physical resource. The cultural scene provides the context for understanding and interpreting the events, ideas, or persons associated with the area. The historic scene is always present in historic areas, although its integrity may be severely diminished because of intrusions such as nearby developments, inappropriate plantings, or lack of maintenance.

Historic Site

A site where an event or activity has imbued a particular piece of ground with significance warranting preservation of the historic appearance of the landscape, i. e., battlefields, landing sites, and historic routes.

Historic Designed Landscape

A landscape where form, layout and/or designer, rather than significant events or persons, are the primary reasons for its preservation, although both may be relevant. With historic designed landscapes, as with historic structures, attention to detail is important, i.e., formal gardens and parks such as at Olmsted National Historic Site.

Historic Vernacular Landscape

A landscape possessing a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of natural and man-made components that are united by human use and past events or aesthetically by plan or physical development.

Ethnographic Landscape

A landscape characterized by use by contemporary peoples, including subsistence hunting and gathering, religious or sacred ceremonies, and traditional meetings. A difficult resource to manage because its significance derives from human interaction with or consumptive use of the natural environment. To effectively manage the area, the manager must assure perpetuation of the resources, should afford contemporary groups or individuals the opportunity to continue their traditional uses, and must provide for the general visitor.

From Cultural Resources Management Guidelines, NPS-28, National Park Service.