{"id":260,"date":"2019-11-22T08:59:11","date_gmt":"2019-11-22T08:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/sustainable-planning-and-environments\/?p=260"},"modified":"2019-11-22T08:59:14","modified_gmt":"2019-11-22T08:59:14","slug":"how-do-the-residents-of-former-metal-mining-areas-value-this-heritage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/sustainable-planning-and-environments\/how-do-the-residents-of-former-metal-mining-areas-value-this-heritage\/","title":{"rendered":"How do the residents of former metal mining areas value this heritage?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

…By Danni Sinnett (SPE) and Margarida Sardo (Science Communication Unit)….<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are around 5,000 former metal mines in England and Wales, and many hundreds of thousands globally. Many of these mines have a legacy of highly polluted wastes, which can pose a risk to water quality and human health. As metal supplies diminish and new sources of metals are needed, especially for use in smart technologies, the potential to extract metals from these mine wastes is being examined. However, they often support important habitats and species assemblages, or are important for their historical significance. For example, around 20% of former metal mines are associated with Sites of Special Scientific Interest, around 14% are protected by European designations including in the lead mining areas in the Pennines and North Wales, and the tin-copper mines of Cornwall. Around 15% of former metal mines in England are in a World Heritage Site including the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape (Sinnett, 2018).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Wheal Maid mine Cornwall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Much of the research and policy concerned with the\nmanagement of abandoned mine wastes is focussed on environmental protection,\nlandscape quality and the need to balance this with the conservation of nature\nand, to a lesser extent, heritage. In recent years there have also be a number\nof studies examining the motivation and preferences of those visiting restored\nmineral extraction sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there has been very little research on how local\nresidents value their mining heritage and their preferences for its long-term\nmanagement. This is important as it is ultimately local people who are affected\nby both the positive and negative impacts of this legacy, as well as any\nchanges to the status quo. It is also essential to ensure that local people are\nsupportive of any plans for the management of the sites. Understanding their\npreferences and concerns can inform this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We undertook some research with residents of former mining\nareas to address this gap in our understanding. Specifically, we explored the\nfollowing questions: how do those living in former metal mining landscapes\nvalue them in terms of aesthetic appearance, role in preserving cultural\nheritage, nature conservation and tourism? What are the preferred options for\nmanaging abandoned metal mines?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We used the Q Method to examine the preferences of those\nliving in six areas of metal mining in England and Wales. Q Method allows\nparticipants to \u2018sort\u2019 a series of statements based on the degree to which the\nstatement represents their perspective on a subject. We selected a set of statements\nfrom the academic literature, policy and articles in local press. They covered\na range of opinions and options on the mining legacy and its management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our analysis revealed five perspectives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n