Modalités de l'appropriation patrimoniale des reliefs

Abstract

Before the selection or the evaluation of geomorphosites, processes, most of the time spontaneous, contribute to a progressive heritage designation of landforms, which means a consideration of landforms, close or distant, as objective part of the heritage of individuals and societies. The heritage dimension begins with conditions of appropriation, which precede conditions of preservation and transmission of knowledge. These conditions of appropriation improve at different times and with different durations. The appropriation of landforms, with the prospect of a heritage designation, is then usually handled according to immaterial, or mainly immaterial conditions: by naming the memorable landforms (toponymy), the description of landforms (to identify them) and their representation (at first on maps). It is also handled according to material, or mainly material, conditions which leave, for their part, traces in the landscape, by the religious or commemorative uses of some landforms, by the conquest and by the economic exploitation, essentially touristic. It comes along with land use regulations which are the most important degree of heritage appropriation.

Keywords

• geomorphosites
• landforms
• geomorphologic heritage
• heritage designation