Page 218 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

are planned for a site should be listed in the management programme and in relation to the long-term objectives. This should be done in an action plan in the form of annual short-term (2 to 5 years) and long-term work plans (5 to 30 years) to guide the decisions of the competent authority.
When drafting the outline of the plan, it is important to involve all competent authorities and institutions responsible for conserving the site. It is imperative that the outline of the plan be continually updated to make it possible to react to changes and developments. In addition to mentioning needs for restoration and current construction, questions of security, fire safety, use, stationary and flowing traffic as well as protection of the environment should be addressed.
The masterplan should be accompanied by a catalogue of measures and a time schedule listing interventions and monitoring times to guarantee follow up.
Provisions for science and research
Protection of heritage builds on scientific evaluation through research. In archaeology, research often implies excavation or intrusive sampling, which compromises the integrity of the
site that the management plan tries to preserve. Nevertheless, it would be counterproductive
not to make provisions for research in a management plan. These can be extensive,
but can also be highly restrictive and subject
to very stringent considerations. An example
could be the limitation of access to timber to
parts of the year when tunnelling organisms
such as Teredo Navalis are least active, or when
other environmental threats are least. Though
some restrictions are appropriate, research
is necessary for proper site management and monitoring. Other research may have wider implications. Research must always be accom- modated for and provisions facilitating research
must be in place. It is important to remember
that one of the functions of remains of the past, 217
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Conservation and site management