Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and Orkney Islands Council (OIC) are looking for feedback on the draft management plan for the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site.
The sites that form part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney (Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar, Maeshowe, and the Stones of Stenness) are in the care of HES, while the World Heritage Site is managed in partnership by HES and the OIC, with support from the UHI Archaeology Institute, NatureScot, the RSPB and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
The new management plan will guide protection and conservation of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. The draft builds on previous measures to mitigate vulnerability to climate change and is seeking views on how to further balance access to tourists and residents.
Increased footfall can contribute to erosion of sites – particularly at the Ring of Brodgar, where measures have been introduced to alleviate the impact on the monument and surrounding area.
Input is being sought to shape the direction of the draft plan, which also lays out how continued engagement with Orkney communities will be a focal point in the sites’ management for the next ten years.
The consultation runs until May 13, 2025, and the finalised plan, which will be in place for ten years, will come into effect later this year.
To view the draft plan and participate in the online consultation, click here.
