As part of the “Conservation in Common” series of events, IAI member Cóilín Ó Drisceoil from the National Monuments Service and CIfA members Kara Ward and Vicky Ginn from the Historic Environment Division NI will give a paper entitled Informing climate change responses: the role of archaeology online next Thursday November 9th from 1 to 2pm. For more details on this paper please see below, and to register for this talk, please visit this the events page on the RSUA website.
CIfA and IAI – Informing climate change responses: the role of archaeologyArchaeologists spend their lives studying past societies and their environments and are uniquely placed to help us understand and adapt to environmental changes in the future as a result of the climate emergency. Drawing on case studies from the built and natural environments, this CPD session will focus on ensuring that responses to climate change are informed by an understanding of the historic environment, how it has evolved and how it might be impacted in the future.Case study 1 – adaption and reuse of urban early buildingsCóilín Ó Drisceoil, National Monuments ServiceEmploying case studies from the medieval town of Kilkenny, the talk will highlight some of the benefits and challenges that arise for archaeology from the adaptation and reuse of urban early buildings. Experience demonstrates that the proactive integration of archaeological investigations, and particularly buildings archaeology methods, into such projects reveals new knowledge about the origins, development and changing forms and uses of early buildings. This knowledge is vital for informing the architectural, conservation and engineering designs of adaptations but also adds greatly to their overall cultural value by providing historical integrity and authenticity. Proactive and ongoing iterative archaeological investigation is essential for resolving the tensions that can arise between the needs of archaeology and the practicalities of modern interventions in historic buildings.Case study 2 – peatland restoration: challenges and opportunitiesKara Ward and Vicky Ginn, Historic Environment DivisionKara will give an introduction to peatland restoration and its role in meeting climate change targets. She will also discuss the value of peatland archaeology, threats to peat and peatland archaeology, the NI Peatland Strategy and its context and future considerations for the restoration of peatlands. The case studies that Vicky will present give a brief overview of some of the issues facing exposed archaeology within peatscapes, and examine how these issues may be addressed.The speakersKara Ward and Vicky Ginn are archaeologists with the Department for Communities’ Historic Environment Division in Northern Ireland. They have a particular interest in environmental archaeology and conservation.Cóilín Ó Drisceoil is an archaeologist with the National Monuments Service. He has a particular interest in the archaeology of early buildings and gardens and has undertaken excavations and buildings archaeology investigations on many of Kilkenny’s key medieval and early modern buildings.