Assessing SHINE features in the Lake District National Park using the NCA/Cultural Capital process

Historic England, in partnership with the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA), has identified a need to explore and develop methodologies capable of capturing the values of the natural capital and ecosystem services flowing from the historic environment. The overarching focus of this project is to develop and implement a research methodology to improve the assessment of values arising from the historic environment in order to contribute to improved decision making. The project will inform guidance for the wider heritage sector on ways to incorporate the concepts of natural capital and ecosystem services. The project objectives are to: 1. Assess the heritage assets in the Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England (SHINE) dataset and portal within the area of the LDNP World Heritage Site (WHS) area using the Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) approach. 2. Consider the feasibility of assessing which features in the SHINE dataset contribute to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) attributes of the WHS. 3. Conceptually map ‘Cultural Capital’ values that are not adequately captured by the NCA approach. 4. Provide a basic economic assessment of the value the assets bring to the local economy through their contribution they make to ‘place’. 5. Identify the tourism value of SHINE features. 6. Determine the impact of AES and other spending on SHINE features. 7. Work with the Cumbria Pioneer Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) Test and Trial to explore how well the SHINE approach works to inform historic environment asset assessment. 8. Assess whether it is possible to attach a value to heritage assets which can be used to outline the benefits to partners, policy makers, farmers and land managers of including heritage features in ELMS. 9. Identify the cultural services/public goods that are derived from these assets and the valuation of these and the case for public payments for maintaining and enhancing these public goods through ELMS