HERITAGE NOUN (ENVIRONMENT)

In environmental jargon: the sum of the natural and constructed surroundings which a nation can pass on to future generations (especially areas of outstanding natural beauty, architectural monuments, and sites of historical interest). Often used attributively, especially in: heritage centre, a multi-media museum celebrating local history and traditions; heritage coast, a stretch of coastline whose natural features are protected by law from destruction; heritage trail, an organized walk or tour which takes in sites of historical or natural interest, often on a specific theme. Etymology: A straightforward sense development from the original sense of heritage, 'that which is or may be inherited'. History and Usage: The word has been used officially, in national heritage, to refer to architectural monuments (and especially 'stately homes' with their collections of art, antiques, etc.) since about the beginning of the seventies; heritage coasts were also first defined at about that time. It was not until the middle of the eighties, though--in the UK perhaps partly as a result of the creation in 1984 of English Heritage, a new Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England--that heritage began to be packaged and marketed as a commodity, a development which led to the name heritage industry for this aspect of tourism. At about the same time, renewed interest in the natural environment and green issues generally led to a greater emphasis on this aspect of heritage. Some writers add an adjective to make their intentions clear--cultural or architectural heritage for buildings, natural or green heritage for nature--but often both are implied, and a preceding adjective is not possible when heritage is used attributively. What significance does the renewed interest in a 'national', 'local' or 'industrial' past packaged as intrinsically 'British' by the relentless 'heritage' machine, have at such a moment?...Heritage may indeed be a growth industry. Art Feb. 1988, p. 28 The site will become an increasingly popular open air museum and a model of heritage interpretation. British Archaeology May/June 1989, p. 12