Below prior warning of the 'launch' date for 'Heritage Counts 2003', which is the follow-up to last year's SHER or State of the Historic Enviromment Report 2002 (which can be found at www.historicenvironment.org.uk), and will provide facts and figures about the historic enviroment in England:
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English Heritage Press Release
17th September 2003
HERITAGE COUNTS
The recent BBC series "Restoration" has made millions of viewers aware of the plight of 30 of our most important listed buildings and has done much to further their cause. But what about the rest of England's heritage?
"Heritage Counts" is an audit of the state of the whole of our historic environment: listed buildings, ancient monuments, archaeology, churches, conservation areas, rural landscapes, market towns and inner cities. It will be published by English Heritage on Wednesday 26th November, 2003.
Produced by English Heritage on behalf of the heritage sector, Heritage Counts is in its second year. It has already become an essential guide to the true state of arguably England's greatest asset. It sets statistics showing that much of the heritage is in peril against research which proves that, if properly cared for, the historic environment leads to social and economic regeneration and enhances the quality of all our lives.
Heritage Counts will also include facts and figures on the state of heritage education in our schools and communities, on heritage tourism and on employment in the historic environment.
This year Heritage Counts will contain new research on:
- the vast numbers of volunteers in the heritage sector;
- the harm caused to the quality of our streets by piecemeal changes such as new windows, loft conversions, conservatories, tarmaced front gardens;
- the vulnerability and state of decay of historic parks and gardens;
- the challenge to the heritage sector to include all groups of society; and
- the economic contribution the heritage makes to the national economy.
"Restoration" signals a culture change, an emerging passion among the general public to save their local heritage and a new willingness to think creatively and imaginatively about re-using redundant historic buildings. Heritage Counts will not be asking for readers' votes but we hope it will be a spur to the action needed on all fronts to save our historic environment for future generations.
Notes to Editors
Heritage Counts will take the form of one summary document, one main document and nine regional documents produced by English Heritage regional offices in collaboration with regional Historic Environment Forums.
For further information, please contact:
Beth McHattie, English Heritage Corporate Communications
020 7973 3254
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