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DEFINITIONS

Historic Designed Landscape - a landscape that was
consciously designed or laid out by a landscape architect,
master gardener, architect, or horticulturist according to
design principles, or an amateur gardener working in a
recognized style or tradition. The landscape may be
associated with a significant person(s), trend, or event in
landscape architecture; or illustrate an important
development in the theory and practice of landscape
architecture. Aesthetic values playa significant role in
designed landscapes. Examples include parks, campuses,
and estates.
Historic Vernacular Landscape - a landscape that
evolved through use by the people whose activities or
occupancy shaped that landscape. Through social or
cultural attitudes of an individual, family or a
community, the landscape reflects the physical,
biological, and cultural character of those everyday lives.
Function plays a significant role in vernacular
landscapes. They can be a single property such as a farm
or a collection of properties such as a district of historic
farms along a river valley. Examples include rural
villages, industrial complexes, and agricultural
landscapes.
Historic Site - a landscape significant for its association
with a historic event, activity, or person. Examples
include battlefields and president's house properties.

Ethnographic Landscape - a landscape containing a
variety of natural and cultural resources that associated
people define as heritage resources. Examples are
contemporary settlements, religious sacred sites and
massive geological structures. Small plant communities,
animals, subsistence and ceremonial grounds are often
components.

Most historic properties have a cultural landscape
component that is integral to the significance of the
resource. Imagine a residential district without sidewalks,
lawns and trees or a plantation with buildings but no
adjacent lands. A historic property consists of all its
cultural resources -landscapes, buildings, archeological
sites and collections. In some cultural landscapes, there
may be a total absence of buildings.
This Preservation Brief provides preservation professionals,
cultural resource managers, and historic property owners a
step-by-step process for preserving historic designed and Figures 2-4: Character-defining landscape features (top to bottom): "Boot
vernacular landscapes, two types of cultural landscapes. Fence" near D. H. Lawrence Ranch, Questa, New Mexico, 1991
While this process is ideally applied to an entire landscape, (courtesy Chenjl Wagner); paving detail at Ernest Hemingway House
it can address a single feature such as a perennial garden, National Historic Site, Key West, Florida, 1994 (courtesy author); and,
tree planting detail for Jefferson Memorial Park, St. Louis, Missouri
family burial plot, or a sentinel oak in an open meadow. (courtesy Office of Dan KileJj)
This Brief provides a framework and guidance for
undertaking projects to ensure a successful balance
between historic preservation and change. vegetation and wildlife which have dynamic qualities that
differentiate cultural landscapes from other cultural
Developing a Strategy and Seeking resources, such as historic structures. Thus, their
Assistance documentation, treatment, and ongoing management
require a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach.
Nearly all designed and vernacular landscapes evolve
from, or are often dependent on, natural resources. It is Today, those involved in preservation planning and
these interconnected systems of land, air and water, management for cultural landscapes represent a broad
array of academic backgrounds, training, and related

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