ISCCL – Cultural Landscapes

International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes

Cultural landscapes, for the purpose of the International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes (ISCCL), are inclusive of designed, evolved, and associative landscapes as defined in the UNESCO Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The objective of the ISCCL is to research and promote understanding, protection, conservation, and management of cultural landscapes. The ISCCL collaborates and works with the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), and UNESCO (in regard to World Heritage). The ISCCL maintains an institutional record of its activities and work.

The ISCCL website is currently being reconfigured after being hacked.

The ISCCL has its origins in the ICOMOS-IFLA International Committee for Historic Gardens, established in 1971. At its meeting in Florence in May 1981, that Committee drew up a charter on the preservation of historic gardens, The Florence Charter, which was adopted by ICOMOS in December 1982. In 1998 the ISC was re-titled the International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes to reflect the broadening of its scope with regard to designed, evolved and associative landscapes and in accord with ICOMOS 2005 Eger Xi-an Principles. In 2017, the two doctrinal texts prepared and promoted by the ISCCL were adopted by the ICOMOS General Assembly and IFLA World Council – ICOMOS-IFLA Principles Concerning Rural Landscapes as Heritage and ICOMOS-IFLA Document on Historic Urban Public Parks. The ISCCL adopted new by-laws in January 2021.

The current President of the ISCCL is Patricia O’Donnell (USA), the Secretary General is Elizabeth Brabec (USA), the Membership Secretary is William Cumming (Ireland), the Scientific Work Coordinator is Maya Ishizawa (Peru), and the Vice-President for the ISCCL’s Asia-Pacific Region is Fran Han (China).. Recent meetings of the ISCCL have taken place online (2020) and in Dublin, Ireland (2019), Mendoza, Argentina (2018), Delhi, India (2017), Bath, UK (2016),Jeju Island, South Korea (2015), Florence, Italy (2014), Sydney and Canberra (2013), Hangzou, China (2012), Paris, France (2011), Istanbul, Turkey (2010), Tokyo, Japan (2009), Oslo, Norway (2008), and Vermont, USA, and Quebec, Canada (2008). 2021 marks the 50-year anniversary of the ISCCL and will be celebrated online. The Australian members of the ISCCL (listed below) participate in the ISCCL work of evaluating World Heritage nominations as well as in a range of working groups on topics including World Heritage Evaluation Guidelines for cultural landscapes, an international cultural landscape bibliography, better integration of natural and cultural heritage, world rural landscapes, urban public parks, and 20th century landscapes.

The Australian members provide an annual report on ISC activities to the ISCCL Bureau and the Australia ICOMOS Executive Committee. The ISCCL Australian members work closely with the Australia ICOMOS National Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes and Cultural Routes.

Australian Members

  • Dr Steve Brown – Honorary Member
    Australian voting member, former ISCCL President (2014-2017)
    Email Steve
  • Dr Jane Lennon AM – Honorary Member
  • Ms Juliet Ramsay – Honorary Member
  • Prof Ken Taylor – Honorary Member
  • Mr Stuart Read – Expert Member
  • Ms Rachel Jackson – Expert Member
  • Dr Prof Neale Draper – Expert Member
  • Ms Caroline Grant – Expert Member
  • Ms Flavia Kiperman – Expert Member
  • Ms Kristal Buckley – Expert Member