ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the main features of ecomuseological approaches as a prelude to analysing their actual and potential impacts on the perception of cultural landscapes and how these spaces and places are sometimes rebranded into ‘new’ landscapes by local communities. Ecomuseological approaches recognise the interplay between nature and culture as a dynamic process, welcoming change while also conserving aspects of natural and cultural heritage seen to be important to local communities. They provide a system that helps to shape sense of place; they inform and change attitudes and perceptions of the cultural landscape. Individuals, communities and democratic processes lie at the heart of the ecomuseum philosophy; by encouraging interest groups and individuals to work together to contribute to understanding, celebrating and even improving the environment, new images of places are created. Sometimes these images are formed by using marketing tools, ‘rebranding’ for economic purposes to encourage tourism for example, but usually (and more importantly) these actions, through inclusive processes and gains in cultural capital, engender a local sense of pride and belonging. These ideas are explored here using four case studies of initiatives that have the word ‘ecomuseum’ in their titles and two examples of projects that do not include the term ecomuseum in their name, but which have instinctively followed integrated approaches, principles and practices that are very similar to those of the ecomuseum. All these examples indicate the ‘added value’ that ecomuseological-like approaches give to the perception and (re-)development of cultural landscapes. Many of the landscapes described are already regarded as significant, beautiful, spectacular and/or fascinating by local people and outsiders, but it is argued that by adopting ecomuseological-like approaches and principles new layers of experience can be created, changing the ways in which places are perceived and promoted.
