The Historic Garden Climate Risk Management Framework (HG-CRMF): A Multi-Scale Heritage-Centered Methodology for Integrating Climate Risk into Conservation Management Plans

Abstract

Historic gardens are among the cultural heritage assets most vulnerable to climate change because their significance depends on the continuous interaction between living ecological systems, designed landscapes and cultural values. Although international policies increasingly advocate the integration of climate adaptation into heritage management, operational methodologies capable of systematically incorporating climate risk into the conservation planning of historic gardens remain limited. This paper develops the Historic Garden Climate Risk Management Framework (HG-CRMF), a multi-scale, heritagecentered methodological framework designed to integrate climate risk management within existing Conservation Management Plans (CMPs). The framework was developed through the synthesis of international heritage conservation principles, climate adaptation policies, environmental risk assessment methodologies and adaptive governance approaches. Its principal innovation lies in combining strategic conservation planning at the scale of the historic garden with operational implementation through Garden Conservation Units (GCUs), spatially coherent heritage entities that enable site-specific assessment of heritage values, climate hazards, exposure, vulnerability, adaptation measures and monitoring indicators. The HG-CRMF provides a structured workflow linking heritage significance, climate risk assessment, adaptation planning, monitoring and adaptive governance within a single decision-support methodology. Rather than constituting a stand-alone adaptation strategy, the framework strengthens existing conservation planning by embedding climate-informed decision-making into routine management processes.