Historic British landscapes under severe threat from climate crisis

The Dysynni Valley in Wales which is home to the remains of post-medieval agricultural activity that include drystone walls. Drystone walls are a key element of the historic character of the landscape in the Dysynni valley, but also across the rest of Snowdonia, the Lake District, and the Peak District. Changing weather conditions, such as warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons, means that the vegetation type in this area may change, shrubs or trees may grow over the remains, obscuring them and altering the historic character of the landscape

Some of Britain’s most loved historical landscapes such as the Lake District, Snowdonia and the Orkney Islands are at risk of being severely damaged and changed forever by the effects of climate change, according to an archaeologist from the University of Sheffield.

Research by Isabel Cook, a PhD student from the University’s Department of Archaeology, is adding to the growing evidence that historic landscapes across the UK have already been affected by climate change impacts, such as sea-level rise, coastal erosion and flooding.

Among the historic landscapes affected is the Dysynni Valley in Wales, which is home to military remains dating back to the Second World War. Isabel’s research has found that the area is at risk from sea-level rise and flooding, with the remains under severe threat of erosion.

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