In a recent essay in Period Homes magazine, Clem Labine, the magazine’s founder (he’s also the founder of the Old House Journal), pointed out the need for historic preservationists to “reset” their vocabulary in order to adjust to the changing perceptions of younger generations as well as current economic conditions.
In the same vein, noted preservation economist Donovan Rypkema has asserted the need for the historic preservation movement to better align itself with the rest of the world by becoming more about “heritage conservation, rather than historic preservation.”
Certainly we need to engage younger audiences in historic preservation (or heritage conservation if you prefer) if we hope to keep the cause relevant in the coming decades.
I hope you’ll take a look at the links I included above, so we can begin this much-needed dialogue. And please, let us know what you think should be done to address changing demographics, vocabulary, and the preservation movement.