HDC projects in 2016

HDC Americas Project 2016

Below is a small selection of international heritage interpretation and tourism planning and development projects we carried out in 2016.

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ProjectCountryCompletion DateDetails
Harts District Council, Fleet Pond Nature Reserve, Hampshire, UKUKDec 2016HDC commissioned to research, plan, write, illustrate, design, build and install orientation, information and interpretive media and exhibits for the Fleet Pond Nature Reserve. Fleet Pond is the largest freshwater lake in Hampshire and the nature reserve has 54.6 hectares (141 acres) of varied habitats. The pond itself occupies approximately half of this area. The surrounding land features heathland, woodland, reedbed and marsh, and is home for many species of birds, butterflies, dragonflies and wild flowers. Fleet Pond is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI.) The area is managed by the Hart District Council Countryside Ranger Service in partnership with the Fleet Pond Society which provides generous support to the Countryside Rangers as well as offering exciting volunteer opportunities for the local community. The Fleet Pond Restoration Project is run in partnership between Hart District Council, Fleet Pond Society, Natural England and the Environment Agency.
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, UKUKOct 2016HDC commissioned to make interpretive media and exhibits for the Fleet Pond Nature Reserve. WWT Slimbridge is a wetland wildlife reserve near Slimbridge in Gloucestershire. The reserve, set up by the artist and naturalist Sir Peter Scott, opened in November 1946. Scott subsequently founded the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), which has since opened eight reserves around the country. Slimbridge comprises some 800 hectares (2,000 acres) of pasture, reed bed, lagoon and salt marsh. Many water birds live there all year round, and others are migrants on their ways to and from their summer breeding grounds. Other birds overwinter, including large numbers of white-fronted geese and increasing numbers of Bewick's swans. Besides having the world's largest collection of captive wildfowl, Slimbridge takes part in research and is involved in projects and internationally run captive breeding programs. It was there that Peter Scott developed a method of recognising individual birds through their characteristics, after realising that the coloured patterns on the beaks of Bewick's swans were unique. The public can visit the reserve throughout the year. Besides examining the collections, they can view birds from hides and observatories and take part in educational activities
Snowdonia National Park Training Centre, Plas Tan Y Bwlch, Wales, UKUKOct 2016HDC delivered a range of heritage interpretation training courses at the Snowdonia National Parks; Plas tan y Bwlch study centre. HDC are qualified NPS and NAI Certified Heritage Interpretation Trainers.
Allegheny County Parks, PA, USAUSAMay 2016Delivered interpretive training course for new and seasonal interpretive staff on Interpretation and Interpretive Program Development at Boyce Park in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
Historic Quarter of Valparaiso UNESCO WHS, ChileCHILEApr 2016Commissioned by the Plan Rumbo to develop an interpretive master plan or the historic quarter of the City of Valparaiso. Valparaíso is a major city, seaport, and educational center on the Pacific coast. Valparaíso played an important geopolitical role in the second half of the 19th century, when the city served as a major stopover for ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by crossing the Straits of Magellan. Valparaíso mushroomed during its golden age, as a magnet for European immigrants, when the city was known by international sailors as "Little San Francisco" and "The Jewel of the Pacific". In 2003, the historic quarter of Valparaíso was declared a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site. Notable features include Latin America's oldest stock exchange, the continent's first volunteer fire department, Chile's first public library, and the oldest Spanish language newspaper in continuous publication in the world, El Mercurio de Valparaíso. The second half of the twentieth century was unfavorable to Valparaíso, as many wealthy families abandoned the city. The opening of the Panama Canal and reduction in ship traffic dealt a serious blow to Valparaíso's port-based economy. Over the first 15 years of the twenty-first century the city reached a recovery, attracting artists and cultural entrepreneurs who have set up in the city's hillside historic districts. Today, many thousands of tourists visit Valparaíso from around the world to enjoy the city's labyrinth of cobbled alleys and colorful buildings. The port of Valparaíso continues to be a major distribution center for container traffic, copper, and fruit exports. Valparaíso also receives growing attention from cruise ships that visit during the South American summer. Most significantly, Valparaíso has transformed itself into a major educational center with four large traditional universities and several large vocational colleges. The city exemplifies Chilean culture, with festivals every year, and street artists and musicians.
Compton Verney, Warwickshire, UKUKMar 2016HDC in conjunction with PLB consulting commissioned to plan, design, build and install a large number of interpretive media and exhibits in and around the historic house and gardens. Compton Verney House is an 18th-century country mansion near Kineton in Warwickshire, which has been converted to house the Compton Verney Art Gallery. The building is a Grade I listed house built in 1714 by Richard Verney, 11th Baron Willoughby de Broke. It was first extensively extended by George Verney, 12th Baron Willoughby de Broke in the early 18th century and then remodeled and the interiors redesigned by Robert Adam for John Verney, the 14th baron, in the 1760s. It is set in more than 120 acres (0.49 km2) of parkland landscaped by Lancelot "Capability" Brown in 1769. In 1993 it was bought in a run-down state by the Peter Moores Foundation, a charity supporting music and the visual arts established by former Littlewoods chairman Sir Peter Moores. The property was restored to a gallery capable of hosting international exhibitions. Compton Verney Art Gallery is now run by Compton Verney House Trust, a registered charity. The collections include Neapolitan art from 1600 to 1800; Northern European medieval art from 1450–1650; British portraits including paintings of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Edward VI and works by Joshua Reynolds; Chinese bronzes including objects from the Neolithic and Shang periods; British folk art; and the Enid Marx / Margaret Lambert Collection of folk art from around the world which inspired the textile designs of 20th century artist Enid Marx.
Norfolk County Council, Marriott’s Way Trail, Norfolk, UKUKFeb 2016Commissioned to develop an interpretive master plan and exhibit plan for this 26-mile long trail along a disused steam railway. The Marriott's Way is a long-distance footpath, cycle-path and bridleway between Norwich and Aylsham in Norfolk. The name of the route originates from the chief engineer and manager of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GNJR), William Marriott, who held the position for 41 years. The path uses the track beds of two former railway lines, from Norwich to Themelthorpe and from Themelthorpe to Aylsham. The Themelthorpe to Norwich line was built in 1882 by the Lynn and Fakenham Railway Company which was taken over by the M&GNJR in 1893, as part of a line that ran to Melton Constable. This line gave a through route to the Midlands. The Themelthorpe to Aylsham line was completed in 1893 by the Great Eastern Railway to provide a link to its other lines at Wroxham and County School railway station close to North Elmham. The lines were never profitable. Freight services were largely based on farm products and the line closed to passenger traffic in 1959. In 1960 the two lines were joined by the so-called Themelthorpe Curve (believed to be the sharpest bend in the British Rail network). Its construction was to keep open the important movement of concrete products from Lenwade railway station. Once concrete production ceased in 1985 the line was closed.
Oakham Castle, Rutland, UKUKFeb 2016HDC in conjunction with PLB Consulting commissioned to design, build and install a large number of interpretive media and exhibits in and around the castle. Oakham Castle was constructed between 1180 and 1190 for Walchelin de Ferriers, Lord of the Manor of Oakham. The Castle is known for its collection of massive horseshoes and is also recognised as one of the best examples of domestic Norman architecture in England. Oakham Castle was awarded a £2.165 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2014 following a joint bid by Rutland County Council, Oakham Town Council and the Friends of Rutland County Museum. The castle reopened on 30 May 2016.