Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

NGOs in conservation

England and Germany:

Opportunities and boundaries of civic activities in the heritage sector

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Introduction

Introduction

England and Germany:Different systems, different civic

institutions

NGOs in conservation:Activities and framework

Conclusion

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Achim Schröer

Urban planner with background in administration and federal policy

Lecturer at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar,

PhD project on „Heritage Governance“

Initiator and spokesman of the „Denkmalnetz Bayern“

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Leading Questions

What can NGOs do in conservation?

How are these activities determined by the

specific institutional framework they work in?

Can this framework be altered by the NGOs?

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

England and GermanyDifferent systems,different civic institutions

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

England

Part of the UK

Centralised government

Long tradition of civic activity

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

England

„The strength and depth of voluntary involvement in the historic environment in England is envied throughout the world.

It is unique.“

Report „Power of place“, English Heritage 2000

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Heritage NGOs in England

Broad and well structured scene of NGOs:

• Local Civic Societies

• National Amenity Societies

• Building Preservation Trusts

• Network and Umbrella Organisations

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Civic Societies

Tradition of „Local Amenity Societies“ since 1840 until today

Continuity rather than single-issue-actions

Official consultation on local planning issues

Research and education in local history

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

National Amenity SocietiesFounded as interest groups since 1877(SPAB by William Morris)

Focus on special architectonical periods, thus contribuiting to the heritage discurse

Official consultation on planning andconservation issues

Research, education, lobby activities

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Building Preservation TrustsAcquire, restore and maintain heritage buildings

From „single building trusts“ to regional or national trusts

Further educative and lobby activities

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

The National Trust

Founded 1895

UK‘s largest charity with 3,7 mill. members,

UK‘s largest landowner

4500 employees, 61.000 volunteers

Tailor-made legislation

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Umbrella organisations

• Civic Trust / Civic Voice

• Joint Committee of the National Amenity Soc.

• Association of Building Preservation Trusts

• Heritage Alliance

Advice, information, political activities

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Germany

Federation of 16 Bundesländer

Particular competencies of the Bundesländerin cultural policy

Long tradition of public institutions

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Heritage NGOs in GermanyBürgerinitiativen (Local Civic Societies)

New Regional Network Organisations

Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz(German Conservation Trust)

Public-civic institutions

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Bürgerinitiativen

Local or regional initiatives

Mostly on single issues / single buildings

Continuity in case of the Stadtforen (City Forums)

„Verein“ as a rather flexible legal basis

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Network Organisations

New development since 2011

Loose networks of civic societies in one or more Bundesländer

Exchange and mutual advice

Joint political activities

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Dt. Stiftung DenkmalschutzFounded in 1975

Single national heritage NGO

Collects donations for single private projects

Activities in education and policy

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Public-civic institutions

Heimatpfleger („caretaker“) installed by the

Bavarian conservation law

„Civic activity with a public brief“

Umbrella organisation:Bayerischer Landesverein für

Heimatpflege

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

NGOs in conservationActivities and framework

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Civic activities in conservation

Involvement in local politics

Involvement in national politics

Education and awareness raising

Financial activities

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Local politics

„Core“ of civic activity in conservation

Participation in heritage-related issues

Local council and administration as important partners / counterparts

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Local politics in GermanyPossibility to participate in planning issues

Civic activity often single-issue based rather

than continuous, and often rather isolated

Bürgerentscheid (local ballot) in some Bundesländer; example of Munich

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Local politics in England

Opportunity to participate in planning and building issues

Comprehensive information policy: Formal consultation with the civic initiatives, information on site

Continuity of civic activity

Advice and support by network organisations

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

National politics

National politics provide the framework forpolicies directed to conservation and civic activity

Parliaments and national administration as important partners

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

National pol. in Germany

NGOs have no status in conservation policy

Hardly any involvement of (local) initiatives

Public-civic advising bodies (e.g. Deutsches Nationalkommittee) allow a very selective and top-down participation

New networks as potential new acteurs?

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

National pol. in England

NGOs as an integral part of the conservation

policy

Tailor-made legislation for national NGOs

Formal consultation with, and strong voice of,

the national and umbrella organisations

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Education and awarenessImportant activity for securing a broad support for conservation issues

National bodies can offer large education programmes (DSD, NT)

National bodies have better access to national media

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Financial activities

NGOs need financial resources for

• project work, like the acquisition of buildings and conservation work

• continuous work, like political or educative activities

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Project funding in GermanySupport for conservation projects mainly through reliefs on income tax (unsuitable for NGOs)

Limited support available from state authorities

of different levels, the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz or some other funds

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Project funding in EnglandSpecial funds and tax reliefs for projects available only for Building Preservation

Trusts, not for single private owners

Eben public funds often controlled by independent boards, like theArchitectural Heritage Fund

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Continuous funding in GermanyNo support for the continuous work of heritage NGOs

Private donations deductable from income tax

(advantage for wealthy donors)

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Continuous funding in EnglandSupport schemes for continuous work by English Heritage

> Question of independence?

„Gift Aid“: Public addition to private donations

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Conclusion

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Conclusion

Forceful civic activity in conservation is based on

1.a supporting legal framework, concerning consultation and participation as well as funding issues

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Conclusion

.. and on

2. strong networking of the single initiatives,and strong presence on the national level.

Chair of Urban PlanningDipl.-Ing. Achim Schröer

Thank you!