Cultural environment - Cultural heritage around us

Buildings can be protected through zoning plans under the Land Use Act and the Act on the Protection of the Built Heritage. The aim of the protection that is based on these acts is to create viable cultural environments and good environments for everyday living. 

The Church Act and the Act on the Orthodox Church apply to the protection of religious buildings, and provisions on ancient monuments are laid down in the Antiquities Act.

A protection proposal may be filed by the site’s owner, a government authority, the municipality, the museum with the regional responsibility, or a registered community, if the site is in its area of operations and its operations involve safeguarding cultural heritage or influencing the quality of built environment. The Sámi Parliament can make a proposal if the matter is related to the built heritage of the Sámi and 
the Skolt Sámi siida council, if the matter is related to the built heritage of the Skolt Sámi. 

The municipality decides on the commencement of local planning. However, residents of the municipality and organizations operating in the municipality have the right to take initiatives in matters concerning the municipality's operations.

The proposal must be submitted in writing, and it must include arguments in favour of protecting the building. The proposal must include the information about the building’s location and its owner or holder. 

Important information to be included in the proposal are eg. the age of the building, its history of use and related events, the preservation of the exterior/interior, and its position as part of a historical entity or cultural landscape. It is a good idea to attach maps, images and copies of documents to clarify the arguments.

If the author of the proposal is a registered organization, the proposal must include a statement of the organization's current rules and the persons authorized to sign, for example, an up-to-date extract from the association or trade register.

The proposal is addressed to the ELY centre in the area where the object is located.

Additional information can be found in the following web page in Finnish or Swedish:

• Rakennussuojeluesityksen tekeminen | ely-keskus.fi

The ELY Centre can also initiate the building protection process itself.

The ELY centre will make the decision on the matter of protection. The decision will become legally valid if it is not appealed to an Administrative Court.

Before its decision, the ELY Centre will hear the owner and holder of the building and property, as well as the neighbours adjacent and opposite to the site. It will also request statements from the Finnish Heritage Agency, the municipality, and, at its discretion, other communities necessary for the resolution of the matter. This may be the Museum of Finnish Architecture, a scientific society in the field or an operator in the local heritage movement.

In the home region of the Sámi and in matters regarding built Sámi heritage, a statement will also be requested from the Sámi Parliament and Sámi Museum Siida. In the Skolt region and in matters regarding built Skolt heritage, a statement must also be requested from the Skolt Sámi siida council.

The ELY Centre may also arrange a meeting with the concerned parties to discuss the matter and present their opinions on the protection.

Unfortunately most of the pages are available only in Finnish or Swedish.

• Avustukset rakennusperinnön hoitoon (ELY-keskus)
• Avustukset taloyhtiöille ja muille kiinteistöyhtiöille (Asumisen kehittämis- ja rahoituskeskus ARA )
• Hankeavustukset rakennusten ja kulttuuriympäristökohteiden entistämiseen (Museovirasto)
• Helmi-elinympäristöohjelman kunta- ja järjestöavustukset (ELY-keskus)
• Korjausavustus iäkkäiden ja vammaisten henkilöiden asuntoihin (Asumisen kehittämis- ja rahoituskeskus ARA )
• Kotitalousvähennys (Vero)
• Maatalousluonnon ja maiseman hoitosopimus (Ruokavirasto)
• Seurantalojen korjausavustukset (Kotiseutuliitto)
• Valtionavustukset muun muassa kulttuuriin (Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö)
• Ympäristökasvatuksen ja -valistuksen hankeavustukset (ELY-keskus)

Well-managed cultural environments enhance our wellbeing. They can add a very special narrative to a residential area and attract residents, tourists and businesses. Cultural environment programmes can be success stories.

The programme is a plan for how the cultural environment can be managed and utilised sustainably and in a climate-smart way.

Preservation and management of the cultural environment support sustainability. The methods and information gathered in cultural environment programmes can help find solutions that support climate action.

The management of landscapes and traditional landscapes can prevent the loss of nature. A cultural environment programme can prevent conflicts of interest in advance and help prioritise, for example, the use of areas.

Concrete benefits

Program helps to utilise the existing cultural environment. Several programmes have shown that a cultural environment program drawn up together and carefully produces long-term benefits for many parties. The programs are excellent background material because the information they cover remains useful for a long time.

Local appeal and identity are strengthened through information. The program can be a for example a tool for environmental education or sustainable municipal image. 

The fluency in municipality's operations

• interaction with residents
• decision-making
• cooperation with other authorities
• background for other strategies, programs and plans

Planning and building control become more efficient

• tool for prioritization
• background material for planning and assessment
• tool for commissioning underutilized buildings
• guidance for renovation and new construction

Companies receive support for their operations

• idea bank for tourism attraction factors
• idea bank for products and services

• background material for projects

   

The process of making the program can create new ways of working, provide interesting information and open up perspectives on one's own environment. 

The needs and goals of the municipality, province, local association, owner of cultural environment sites or other program creator determine the content, scope and form of the program. When the program or parts of the program have been discussed and approved together, it becomes a shared state of will.

The preparation of a program is, at its best, an interactive process. All stages of the process, from preparation to the finished program and implementation, are equally important.  

Determining the area and content of the program

Cultural environment programmes can be carried out in cooperation between regions or as part of other programme work. The programme can include a municipality, municipalities or a province, a village, a city district or another smaller area.

The programme can deal with the cultural environment in its entirety or part of it. The programme can also be thematic, such as a programme focusing on built heritage.

Although cultural environment programmes are often independent processes, they have connections to many things. It is worth to consider what kind of opportunities the cooperation offers? A cultural environment programme is often naturally linked to 

• land use planning and zoning as
• tourism, climate, sustainable development, circular economy or other strategic work
• other programmes, such as an architectural policy programme
• cultural education plans

Making a cultural environment program is a large and rewarding task. Resources should be allocated for both the preparation of the program and its active implementation. If there is a lot of material to be updated, the program can also be done in smaller parts.

The need for resources depends on

• the scope of the project
• the schedule
• the connections to other work and programs
• the existing back ground materials, inventories and reports
• the publication format of the program
• implementation goals

Ensuring expertise

A good cultural environment program is created through the cooperation of many parties. In addition to experts in different fields, local knowledge is needed in the work. It is a good idea to first map out how to utilize civil service work, consulting work and purchasing services, as well as volunteer work.

If a public organisation makes the programme as part of the other duties the benefits can be good regional knowledge, linking the different sectors in the organisation. Also the implementation and updating of the programme can run smoothly.

Purchasing services, on the other hand, are often perceived as bringing special expertise and an external perspective to programme projects.

Financing of the programme work

Funding is often a critical factor. The programmes have been funded by foundations and Leader groups  among others. 

Planning, decision-making and implementation of a good environment require a variety of expertise and perspectives. The best outcome is achieved when different actors in the area are involved from the beginning. At the same time, information about the program is spread.

Residents, landowners and different organizations can have several roles and tasks in the program work. When gathering project participants and actors, it is worth reviewing at least these groups:

• residents, local community activists, district and village associations
• landowners
• entrepreneurs in trade, crafts, agriculture, food and tourism
• leisure residents
• elderly and pensioner associations
• schools, schoolchildren, students and youth associations
• museums and cultural actors
• hobby groups
• trustees and advocacy
• media  

Many ways of interaction

Meeting people in their own neighborhood and at events increases confidence in the preparation of the program. The ways of participation are chosen according to the groups. It is worth utilizing the established and proven operating cultures and methods of the regions. Active media communication and social media support the flow of information at different stages of the work.

Methods of communication and interaction include, for example:

• events, village evenings
• remote online events
• field visits, city and village walks
• workshops
• digital workspaces and applications
• map-based and other online surveys
• interviews 

Inventories and surveys are the background material for the cultural environment programme. In addition, local, previously undocumented information is often compiled for the programme.

With the help of abundant illustrations, everyone can find familiar landscapes and environments. A well-structured, well illustrated and laid out programme in clear language attracts people to read. An interesting title can also be important in the marketing phase. 

Collecting information 

Programs usually include at least the following subject areas

• program objectives
• description of the cultural environment
• measures section: who, what, when
• general cultural environment management instructions

New information is always generated during program work. Valuable material includes eg.

• old maps and photographs
• stories, yearbooks and histories
• register of archaeological cultural heritage sites and fixed ancient remains
• inventories of the built cultural environment
• listed valuable landscape areas and landscape management areas
• heritage landscapes and heritage biotopes
• sites and areas protected by law

Determining cultural environment management and other measures

Precise action plans with timetables and responsibilities can be drawn up for publicly owned sites. A significant part of the built cultural environment is privately owned. The programme cannot oblige private owners to take measures. However, sites can be taken into account by proposing encouraging measures and providing information on funding opportunities. The management of public sites can serve as examples for private parties.

The proposed measures can describe the cultural environment's

• key features, values ​​and sites
• regional and wider significance
• consideration, for example in planning and building

When the program is easily accessible, everyone can utilize and implement it. It is worth investing in communication during the process and especially when the program is ready.

The goals, needs and resources of the program author determine the publication format. Electronic  formats are becoming more common and updating is simpler and less expensive than printed products. Printed publications are still very popular among residents.

When publishing materials online, make sure that it is accessible.

Programme can be eg. an application, a printed book or a web site. 

The programme can be distributed to 

• land- and property owners
• libraries, schools, museums, municipal archives, tourist offices
• trustees
• media
• companies

To support the publication of the completed cultural environment program you can arrange

• seminars
• exhibitions
• events, such as themed walks and cycling tours

Program implementation and monitoring

Program monitoring ensures that it is in use. The implementation of the municipal and regional cultural environment program can be monitored, for example, during strategy periods. Monitoring the implementation and collecting feedback can be done by for example regional and municipal cultural environment working groups.

The cultural environment program should be updated from time to time. It is worth utilizing other projects related to the cultural environment of the area.

• Museums with regional responsibilities provide advice and develop and promote the preservation of the cultural environment.
• The Centre for State-Subsidised Housing Construction implements state-subsidised housing construction. The Centre grants state support and subsidies for housing and construction, supervises and guides state-subsidised housing construction and is responsible for the information services related to housing and the housing market.
• ELY Centres, guide the planning of their own area, apply the law on the protection of built heritage and distribute grants for the management of built heritage.
• Municipalities are responsible for land use planning in their area, supervision of construction and demolition of buildings and landscape permits. In addition, municipalities are responsible for cultural and educational activities and may own significant cultural environments.
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for, among other things, rural development.
• The regional councils are responsible for regional development and regional planning.
• Metsähallitus manages the state's built heritage, archaeological sites, traditional environments and cultural landscapes, including in national and nature parks.
• The National Heritage Board is the national expert authority for matters concerning built heritage, ancient relics and cultural landscapes.
• The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for, among other things, matters concerning the museum sector and cultural heritage.
• Senate Properties manages a significant part of the state's real estate assets. It also sells state properties that have fallen into disuse.

• The Ministry of the Environment is responsible for, among other things, the preparation of legislation concerning the cultural environment, landscape and built heritage and the general guidance and development of these matters.