A brief description of INTO, the International National Trusts Organisation, as well as both the ACNT, the Australian Council of National Trusts, and the NTHP, the National Trust for Historic Preservation of the USA, with an overview of NTHP’s “11 Most Endangered Historic Places” and the ACNT’s “Our Heritage At Risk – National Top 10” with a comparative assessment of the weaknesses and strengths of some of the approaches.

1. Europa Nostra Forum 2012
“Saving Europe’s Endangered Heritage”
1st June 2012
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal
The Australian “Heritage at Risk” & the US
“Most Endangered Historic Places”
Professor Simon R Molesworth AM QC
Executive Chairman, International National Trusts Organisation
International Affairs Ambassador, Australian Council of National Trusts

2. Europa Nostra Forum 2012
Australian Council of
National Trusts

3. Europa Nostra Forum 2012
I will:
(1) Briefly describe INTO, the International National Trusts
Organisation;
(2) Briefly describe both the ACNT, the Australian Council of
National Trusts, and the NTHP, the National Trust for
Historic Preservation of the USA.
(3) Provide an overview of NTHP’s “11 Most Endangered
Historic Places” and the ACNT’s “Our Heritage At Risk –
National Top 10” with a comparative assessment of the
weaknesses and strengths of some of the approaches.

4. Europa Nostra Forum 2012
The Mission of INTO is:
To promote the conservation and enhancement of
the cultural and natural heritage of all nations for
the benefit of the people of the world.

5. America’s 11 Most
Endangered Historic
Places
AN OVERVIEW

6. America’s 11 Most Endangered
Historic Places
Since 1988, the National Trust for Historic
Preservation has used this list to raise
awareness about the threats facing some of the
USA's greatest treasures.
6

7. America’s 11 Most Endangered
Historic Places
• The list, which has identified 233 sites to date, has been so
successful in galvanizing preservation efforts that only a
handful of sites have been lost.
• Dozens of sites have been saved through the tireless work of
the National Trust, its partners, and local preservationists
across the US.
• Many more sites are now considered "favorable" and are on
the path to a positive solution.
• Still, others remain threatened, and the National Trust and its
partners continue in their efforts to protect these important
endangered places. 7

8. America’s 11 Most Endangered
Historic Places
Nomination
Sites can be nominated both internally (by NTHP staff) and externally (by
anyone, from Heritage Partners to the general public)
NTHP Field Staff vet the nominations and make a first cut at which ones
should move forward
The list goes through informal vetting in the NTHP Marketing and
Preservation Divisions. It also goes through a more formal vetting process
with the Leadership Team (about 30 senior managers)
The final decision is made by the NTHP 8-person Executive Team
(comprising the NTHP CEO plus the Division chiefs). 8

9. America’s 11 Most Endangered
Historic Places
Awareness
Variety of public outreach events: major press conference (that is often
picked up by the major television networks); exclusive stories to the largest
newspapers (e.g., New York Times); and sometimes do regional press
conferences.
The online presence of the NTHP’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places –
both on the web and social media is huge – recording their biggest site
visitation numbers of the year.
Web site (http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/11-most-endangered/)
9

10. America’s 11 Most Endangered
Historic Places
2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the program,
which has become one of the most effective
tools to save the USA's irreplaceable
architectural, cultural, and natural heritage.
The following are some examples of successes
through the past 25 years.
10

11. South Pasadena/El Sereno – Listed 1989
South Pasadena, California
• Predominantly Hispanic communities distinguished by handsome,
well-preserved Victorian, Craftsman bungalow, and
Mediterranean Revival-style houses.
• Threatened in late 1980s by a proposed six-mile, $1.4 billion freeway
extension, which would have cut through four
nationally-recognized historic districts and destroyed almost 1,000
homes.
• 1999 lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and
others led to federal injunction prohibiting the California Department of
Transportation from purchasing additional land and planning or
designing the freeway.
• Federal Highway Administration withdrew its funding support in 2003
of the 710 Freeway Extension, and in 2004, the California Department 11

12. Wentworth-by-the-Sea Hotel – Listed 1996
New Castle, New Hampshire
• 1874 resort hotel; Hosted guests ranging from
middle-class families to celebrities and diplomats
until its closure in 1982.
• Stood vacant and neglected for more than two
decades and faced deterioration.
• After the hotel’s inclusion on the 11 Most list, the
National Trust worked with a local friends group
and a developer to secure funding from key state
agencies for rehabilitation.
• The property, restored to its Victorian
grandeur, re-opened in 2003 and is now a premier
Marriott destination hotel and spa and a member
12
of

13. Central High School – Listed 1996
Little Rock, Arkansas
• 1927 public high school; Site of forced desegregation in
1957 when African American students were escorted into
the building by U.S. Army soldiers.
• School suffered from deteriorating building conditions as a
result of urban flight, a declining neighborhood, a dwindling
tax base, and shrinking budgets.
• The school's inclusion on the 11 Most list helped secure
National Historic Site status and grants totaling $2.5
million. In 2000, the Little Rock School District budgeted
$10 million for the rehabilitation of the building.
• This work went hand-in-hand with the creation of a Central
High Museum and Visitors Center, and the neighborhood is
experiencing positive revitalization ripples.
• In 2007, Central High celebrated 50 years of integration.
13

14. Eisenhower VA Medical Center – Listed 2000
Leavenworth, Kansas
• Veterans healthcare facility founded in 1884.
National Historic Landmark, part of the National
Home of the Disabled Volunteer Soldier Historic
District.
• Threatened in 2000, when the Department of
Veterans Affairs wanted to demolish 39 of the
historic buildings as part of a downsizing project.
• Publicity from the 11 Most list led to
Department of Veterans Affairs signing a long-
term lease with developers Pioneer Group, Inc.
• Pioneer Group, Inc. is rehabilitating the buildings
to provide veteran-related uses, including senior
housing. Also seeking tenants and adaptively
rehabilitating buildings for office space,
14
classrooms and residential uses.

15. Nine Mile Canyon – Listed 2004
Carbon, Duchesne & Uintah Counties, Utah
• Often called "the world's longest art gallery," as it contains
more than 10,000 images carved and painted onto canyon
walls by Native Americans.
• Also home to numerous archeological sites, including pit
houses, granaries, and village locations.
• Threatened by tourism, recreation, and energy
development, particularly truck traffic associated with
natural gas development on the plateau above the canyon.
• Despite 11 Most publicity, Bureau of Land
Management announced in 2008 it would sell new oil and
gas leases on the plateau, further endangering the site.
National Trust and others filed a lawsuit, and U.S. District
Court issued an order that prohibited BLM from issuing the
leases.
• United States Secretary of the Interior formally cancelled
each of the leases at issue in the lawsuit, thus sparing Nine
Mile Canyon from the additional harmful effects of truck
traffic. 15

16. Pillsbury “A” Mill Complex – Listed 2011
Minneapolis, Minnesota
• 1881 flour mill regarded as largest and most
advanced industrial facility in the world at the time
of its completion. National Historic Landmark.
• Closed in 2003. Acquired by preservation-sensitive
developer, but financing failed and the property was
foreclosed upon in 2010.
• Buildings stood mostly empty and with an unknown
future upon complex’s inclusion on 11 Most list.
• After listing, plans began for some of the buildings
to be converted into apartments, studios and
galleries for local artists.
• The Trust will continue to be involved in the site’s 16
future as rehabilitation moves forward.

17. Europa Nostra Forum 2012

18. Europa Nostra Forum 2012
Australian Council of
National Trusts
6 states + 2 territories
= 8 National Trusts

19. Our Heritage at Risk
National Top Ten
2010

20. The Our Heritage at Risk program is designed to raise awareness in the
Australian community of the threats to our heritage and encourage all levels
of government to conserve these places and collections for the future.
The National Top Ten includes natural, indigenous and other cultural heritage,
industrial and built heritage at risk from neglect, lack of funding, legislative
failures or lack of enforcement, or inappropriate development.
The inclusion of a place in this National Top Ten List does not necessarily
imply a criticism of the owners or agencies responsible for the listed places,
rather listing draws attention to the realities of threats, which may be beyond
the capacity of individual owners but capable of being safeguarded through
community-wide or whole-of-government responses.

21. Europa Nostra Forum 2012
Connecting with traditions, local
communities, people in their places.
Aim is to foster passion about the
potential loss of their cherished
heritage

22. Nominations
Partner organisations – such as the Federation of Australian Historical Societies – join in
the exercise – so as to increase objectivity, credibility and capacity to influence
community and government attitudes.
Determined to work with the community – to give “the people” a sense of ownership of
the programme – the call for nominations is advertised in national newspapers.
As the National Top Ten “Our Heritage at Risk” is just a sample of that actually at risk
across Australia each year, selected from nominations from across Australia, a larger list
of about 70 nominations must be reduced to the finalists.
Nominations are grouped in to State/Territory lists, with each National Trust choosing 3
or 4 priority nominations in their jurisdictions, determined by professional conservation
staff. At the national level, the ACNT then reduces the list to the finalists.

23. Awareness – 15 years on
Two stage awareness programme: 1st, at the call for nominations stage; 2nd for
the announcement of the final list. On each occasion, there is a press
conference and a multi-media release of announcements.
Usually involves the President/Chair of the National Trusts together with a well-
known public figure – a film or television identity or someone highly respected in
the Australian community. Usually a media “event” is organised – followed by
nationwide interviews.
Supported by a website awareness raising www.heritageatrisk.org.au with other
forms of social electronic media being progressively utilized.

24. Windsor Hotel & Parliamentary Precinct, Melbourne
Imminent risk of destruction and devaluation

25. The Windsor Hotel, an important part of the Victorian Parliamentary Precinct, was
saved from demolition in 1977 and restored in the 1980s. The building is noted for
its architectural and historic significance and is considered the largest & grandest of
Australian 19th century hotels. The precinct is in a Heritage Overlay and the hotel is
on State and Trust registers.
Heritage Victoria has issued planning permits for a 26 storey 91m high tower, and
associated demolition of part of the building on economic grounds. After a year of
advocating against the redevelopment, the Victorian National Trust lost its Supreme
Court legal bid against this decision. This ruling may set a precedent allowing 100-
metre buildings in the Windsor precinct.
This campaign has raised significant concerns over the minister’s and Heritage
Victoria’s handling of this planning issue. This development will significantly
impact on the architectural integrity and historical significance of the hotel and
on the broader parliamentary precinct known as Bourke Hill.

26. Lower Lakes and Coorong & the Murray Darling Basin
Immediate risk of deterioration and degradation

27. The Murray River’s drainage basin covers over 1,000,000 km2, beginning in the State of
Queensland and extending though NSW, Victoria and South Australia. The Darling
River is the longest in Australia with an even larger catchment than the Murray. Both
river systems support agriculture and a wide variety of ecosystems, and have
archaeological, scientific, ecological, Indigenous and European cultural and historic
significance. This river system and catchment is the life-blood of much of Australia
supplying vital water, agricultural and ecosystem services to Australians, their livelihood
and their environment.
River flow has been drastically reduced in both river systems, ceasing altogether
in some places. 95% of the Murray is degraded due to historical over-allocation
of water. Lack of flows and excessive salt levels due to regulatory conflict,
unsustainable water extraction together with drought have endangered flora and fauna
habitats and have impacted on the sustainability of the economic and cultural practices
throughout the vast region.
Both rivers must be restored to health through action from all stakeholders. Current
market-based mechanisms are failing and Commonwealth Government intervention is
urgently needed to ensure sufficient freshwater to flush the lower Murray River.

28. Murtoa Stick Shed, Victoria
Imminent risk of deterioration and devaluation

29. Located in the Wimmera in Victoria, the building has a long low profile with the angle
of the roof the same as the angle or repose of wheat, and is a dramatic component of
the landscape. The building is the earliest and only remaining colossal grain storage
shed built during WWII in Victoria. It has National Trust & State heritage listing and
has been nominated to the National Heritage List.
Last used for storing grain in 1990, the redundant shed continues to be
threatened with demolition, and has deteriorated due to lack of maintenance
and neglect. Many of the poles are rotting at the base and the building is at
risk during high winds.
The Victorian Government has committed $1.2 million to the repair of the shed
enough to repair all poles, but only 50% of the shed. Additional funds are required
adaptive reuse should be found. Reuse will help secure its future maintenance and
preservation, however, buildings as significant as this should be preserved
regardless.

30. Burra Monster Mine Reserve, South Australia
Imminent risk of destruction and devaluation

31. Burra is an old copper mining town in the State of South Australia, founded in 1845
about 160 km from Adelaide. It is now a rural centre with a thriving cultural tourism
industry. The historic Monster Mine is at the heart of its heritage values. The
Reserve is State heritage listed and a pending nomination for UNESCO world
heritage listing focusing on its Cornish mining heritage in the context of the evolution
of Australian mining and colonial development.
Burra was the site of adoption of the ICOMOS Charter for conservation and
management of places of cultural significance.
Burra’s mining buildings are now being threatened due to an application for
an Exploration Licence over the Burra Heritage Monster Mine site. Significant
historic buildings are at risk of demolition, and the grassland could be
destroyed under these actions.

32. Europa Nostra Forum 2012
The destruction of heritage is a fundamental
breach of the principle of intergenerational
equity, in that heritage destroyed or culture
diminished within the time of the current
generation will deprive members of future
generations of their right to their cultural
inheritance.

33. Australian Council
of
National Trusts
Website: http://www.nationaltrust.org.au
Email: admin@nationaltrust.org.au
Tel: +61 (0) 2 6247 6766

34. Website: www.internationaltrusts.org
Email: into@nationaltrust.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7799 4578
Thank you