For the public, underwater heritage parks amalgamate the thrill of sports diving with the educational enjoyment of a museum. Consequently, underwater heritage parks have been a popular medium to...Show moreFor the public, underwater heritage parks amalgamate the thrill of sports diving with the educational enjoyment of a museum. Consequently, underwater heritage parks have been a popular medium to present in-situ underwater cultural heritage (UCH) in countries, such as Australia, the UK, Finland, Sweden, Canada and the US. However, this method to present insitu UCH is not used in the Netherlands. Within the context of the Dutch government’s recent decision to ratify the Faro Convention (Council of Europe 2005) and the growing blue tourism economy and diving community within the country, this thesis assesses the effectiveness of underwater heritage parks and explores the plausibility of utilising this approach within the Netherlands. Through an analysis of literature and case studies pertaining to the global use of underwater heritage parks, this thesis first analyses the challenges and opportunities that underwater heritage parks present for heritage management and determines that the challenges can be mitigated. This makes underwater heritage parks an effective tool for heritage management. However, this also highlights a need to explore the challenges and opportunities that underwater heritage parks potentially bring nearby residents. Through an analysis of the case study of the Museum of Underwater Art, Australia, this thesis found that underwater heritage parks can bring societal, environmental, and economic benefits to the communities that they are located nearby. This can be achieved sustainably when mitigating the harmful impacts of heritage tourism through working with the ongoing consent of nearby residents, providing honest and positive experiences for tourists, and competitiveness cluster strategies. However, all of this can only be accomplished when the sustainability of the UCH resources of an underwater heritage park can be ensured. Through an analysis of case studies in Croatia, Sweden and Finland, this thesis determines that sustainable diver access can be achieved through protective methods of site protection, which use prohibitive equipment or create tour guides through commercial dive operators. However, sustainable access can also be achieved through admissive methods of site protection, which allow unrestricted access but protect UCH through community stewardship, legislation, or initiatives that have successfully changed attitudes towards UCH. However, changing attitudes towards UCH also necessitates reaching the non-diving community. This thesis explores how underwater heritage parks have accomplished this and through the case study of Fathom Five Marine Parks, Canada, states that a multi-faceted approach that provides a broad range of ways to interact with UCH is most effective. Having established the effectiveness of underwater heritage parks and the best methods to provide access to UCH and ensure the sustainability of the resource, this thesis then assesses where this approach could be utilised within the Netherlands. Through building on O’Brien and colleagues (2011, 87) matrices of activities that contradict cultural heritage conservation, based from Ehler and Douvere (2009, 58-59), this thesis found that underwater heritage parks could present in-situ UCH at Cuijk, Europoort, Grevelingen, Hellevoetsluis, IJsselmeer, Maasdriel, Oostvoornse Meer, and the Wadden Sea.Show less
