Cultural heritage of New Ingrea

Cultural heritage in New Ingrea encompasses the places, objects, landscapes, species, traditions and historical records considered worthy of preservation for future generations. A love of tradition is a core feature of New Ingrean culture, although heritage protection is generally understood as more than the preservation of attractive old buildings or familiar customs. It includes the protection of historic settlements, industrial sites, transport infrastructure, archaeological remains, significant landscapes, native plants and animals, museum collections, archives, memorials and places associated with the social and political development of the country.

The cultural heritage of New Ingrea is therefore commonly divided into two broad and overlapping fields: the built and cultural heritage created or shaped by human activity, and the natural heritage formed by the country’s geology, climate and native ecosystems. The distinction is not always clear. Many of New Ingrea’s most valued places are cultural landscapes in which human history and the natural environment are inseparable. Historic farms, Ngāti Mōri settlement sites, railway corridors, mining districts, harbour works, mountain huts, managed forests and traditional fishing grounds may all possess both cultural and environmental significance.

Management and administration

National heritage policy is coordinated by the Ministry of Conservation and Land Management, who are responsible for culture and national heritage. Specialist advice and statutory assessment are provided by the National Heritage Council, which maintains the National Register of Historic Sites and Monuments, develops conservation standards, and advises the government on places of national importance.

The administration of natural heritage and most large protected areas is split between the Royal National Parks Service and the Forestry Commission. Their responsibilities include national parks, nature reserves, historic reserves, visitor facilities, wildlife management and the conservation of archaeological sites located on public land.

Other major participants include:

• County councils, which maintain local heritage schedules and regulate development through planning schemes;
• Municipal and parish authorities, which manage historic precincts, street-scapes, parks, monuments and civic buildings;
• The National Archives of New Ingrea, which preserves government records and documentary heritage;
• The National Museum of New Ingrea and regional museums, which care for archaeological, artistic, scientific and social-history collections;
• The National Trust of New Ingrea, a charitable body that owns or assists with significant properties;
• Ngāti Mōri heritage organisations, which exercise cultural authority over places, traditions and objects associated with their communities;
• University colleges and research institutions, which undertake archaeological, ecological and historical research;
• Religious denominations, railway societies, industrial museums and local historical associations; and
• Private owners, farmers and businesses responsible for the everyday maintenance of a large proportion of listed heritage.

Coordination between these bodies is essential because ownership, regulation and technical expertise are often divided. A historic railway station, for example, may be owned by the railway, listed by the National Heritage Council, regulated by a county council, occupied by a commercial tenant and interpreted by a local historical society.

National Register of Historic Sites and Monuments

Main article: National Register of Historic Sites and Monuments

Symbol of the National Heritage Register

The Register is the central record of recognised cultural heritage places in New Ingrea. It contains entries of national, county and local significance and is used by planners, landowners, researchers and conservation agencies.

Entries may include:

• Historic buildings and structures;
• Archaeological sites;
• Monuments and memorials;
• Historic districts and street-scapes;
• Industrial and transport sites;
• Gardens, parks and designed landscapes;
• Ngāti Mōri cultural sites and landscapes;
• Shipwrecks and underwater archaeological sites;
• Significant trees and natural features; and
• Collections or groups of related objects inseparable from a particular place.

Registration normally follows historical research, physical assessment, consultation with owners and affected communities, and consideration by a heritage authority. Emergency registration may be used where a place faces an immediate threat.

Listed places are graded according to the extent and nature of their significance. The highest categories are reserved for places of exceptional national importance, while regional and local categories recognise places important to a county, town or community. Lower grading does not mean that a place is expendable; it reflects the geographical extent of its significance rather than its condition or popularity.

The Register is distinct from public ownership. Many listed properties remain in private hands, and ordinary maintenance generally does not require special permission. Significant alteration, subdivision, demolition or relocation may require heritage consent in addition to normal planning approval.