Vol. 16 No. 1 (2025)
Special Issue: Spatial Humanities and Contemporary Geographical Approaches

The Role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Participatory Conservation of Heritage Areas

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Hamid Salimi
School of Architecture, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Iran
Somayeh Fadaei Nezhad Bahramjerdi
School of Architecture, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Iran
Rana Tootoonchi
Institute of Archaeology, Heritage Conservation and Art History, Otto- Friedrich University of Bamberg, Germany
The location of case studies on Google Earth, 2024: (a) Valiasr Street, Tehran, Iran; (b) Michigan’s copper country, Keweenaw Peninsula, USA; (c) Nikkilä village, Sipoo, Finland; (d) Religious Complex, Old Cairo, Egypt; and (e) Teruel rural, Spain
DOI: https://doi.org/10.48088/ejg.si.spat.hum.h.sal.1.11
Categories

Published 2025-01-01

Keywords

  • Geographical Information System (GIS),
  • Public Participation Geographical Information System (PPGIS),
  • Participatory Conservation,
  • Heritage Area

How to Cite

Salimi, Hamid, Somayeh Fadaei Nezhad Bahramjerdi, and Rana Tootoonchi. 2025. “The Role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Participatory Conservation of Heritage Areas”. European Journal of Geography 16 (1):s1-s11. https://doi.org/10.48088/ejg.si.spat.hum.h.sal.1.11.

Copyright (c) 2024 Hamid Salimi, Somayeh Fadaei Nezhad Bahramjerdi, Rana Tootoonchi

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Received 2024-07-05
Accepted 2024-10-15
Published 2025-01-01

Abstract

In contemporary heritage management, participatory approaches play a crucial role in identifying and safeguarding values for a diverse range of stakeholders. This inclusive methodology involves professionals, local communities, historians, conservationists, and policymakers in conservation efforts. Successfully addressing challenges in stakeholder engagement is crucial for promoting ownership and stewardship, thereby supporting sustainable conservation efforts. Various methods such as community workshops and collaborative mapping exercises have been adopted. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have emerged as a valuable tool in facilitating stakeholder participation. This research explores the potential of GIS in participatory heritage conservation. It aims to present principles and considerations to outline the practical application of GIS in engaging communities for heritage conservation. By bridging traditional heritage management practices with contemporary participatory methods, the research aims to enhance inclusive, informed, and sustainable conservation efforts. On this basis, qualitative methods and logical argumentation are used to analyze research content, drawing on qualitative and quantitative data from previous studies. A conceptual model is presented through a literature review, followed by an evaluation of five case studies from Iran, The USA, Finland, Egypt, and Spain that have utilized GIS in participatory planning processes. The research highlights GIS's capability to capture diverse social groups' perspectives on heritage values and priorities using participatory mapping. This integration of community insights empowers stakeholders in decision-making processes, enhancing inclusivity in heritage management and supporting community-driven initiatives for urban heritage preservation.

Highlights:

  • This study explores the pivotal role of GIS in fostering participatory conservation efforts in heritage areas.
  • The research offering a framework which outlines key principles for GIS-based participatory conservation.
  • Through the evaluation of five diverse case studies, this research showcases the practical considerations of GIS in participatory conservation.
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