Page 219 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

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is that they offer the source material for writing and rewriting history. This cannot be done without research.
Preservation mechanism
Preservation or protection is the broadest objective of the management plan that also encompasses other aspects. However, mana- gement is certainly more than preservation as such. Preservation and protection are, after all, carried out for a specific purpose, that is the use, research and enjoyment of the cultural heritage by present and future generations. In other words, a management plan will aim at balancing benefits with acceptable levels of degradation, in view of the available possibilities. The two questions that need to be addressed are: how can the continued existence of the most vulnerable parts of the site (or the most significant ones) be warranted, and how can the most be made of opportunities.
a. Status report
The site’s condition needs to be monitored and a status account should regularly report on the following aspects: Are conditions deteriorating since the site was first discovered? Is the site stable? If assumptions are made, they need to be substantiated. Some additional research or monitoring may be necessary to draw up the actual status. The status report is important because it provides the base-line from which the effectiveness of measures in the management plan can be measured.
b. Current and possible threats
Along with the status report, it is essential to assess threats and opportunities. They can relate to archaeological interventions, commercial exploitation, development pressure, climate change, natural disasters, tourism, and po- pulation development, among many others. Obviously, many threats will – if handled well – create opportunities, while thoughtlessly seizing opportunities may pose serious threats. This applies to archaeological research and excavation as much as it does to tourism and
Conservation and site management