Heritage–what gives someone their identity, sense of self, and history. Although it can be defined differently based on one’s concept, it includes the shared legacies of the natural environment, the creations of humans, and the interactions of humans and nature. It encompasses built, terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments and landscapes, cultural practices, knowledge, living experiences, shared history, and more. Often overlooked in crisis planning, it gives communities vital places to gather, share resources, keep cultural practices alive, and heal and recover from a disaster. It is now under threat from a source most would not imagine and is frequently overlooked: climate change.
Heritage places are tangible links to the past. They honor the wisdom and accomplishments of people who came before us and reflect the events that created our communities. Each community’s unique history is written in its streets, buildings, and urban landscapes, as well as in its trees, mountains, and wild landscapes. As a result, heritage landmarks serve as memories of a shared history that help define the character of our cities, towns, and rural areas and build our sense of identity.
Extreme weather brought on by climate change disproportionately affects U.S. Latinx and occurs in locations significant to Latinx populations, heritage, and history. Over half of the U.S. Latinx population resides in states with the highest levels of climate change threats, such as air pollution, extreme heat, and flooding. Moreover, approximately 71% of Latinx adults said climate change impacts their local community at least some.
Temperatures in New Mexico have risen over 2°F since the beginning of the 20th century, which has led to an increase in the intensity and frequency of wildfires and exacerbated deterioration rates through erosive or corrosive processes for both natural and built heritage sites. De El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, or Royal Road of the Interior Land, which spans from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Mexico City, Mexico, and includes world heritage sites on the Mexican side and a national historic trail on the United States side, is an example of a heritage disaster made worse by climate change. The trail’s historic multipurpose function and multicultural influences undoubtedly shaped the physical and cultural landscapes of the American Southwest, and in 2000, an extensive fire burned nearly all homestead archeological sites at Bandelier National Monument, most of which were constructed of wood.
Coastal regions boast numerous Latinx sites that are now under threat from rising sea levels and inundation. In cases where extreme precipitation is increasing, higher relative humidity will accelerate the corrosion of materials and increase occurrences of mold and decay, endangering ancient remains' integrity. The intensity and duration of rain events contribute to the severity of erosion, to soil displacement that leads to artifacts being taken out of their context, to the loss of archaeological sites and catastrophic collapse of earthen structures, and the loss of knowledge of adobe architecture and other earth-building traditions.
Climate change affects not only the tangible aspects of heritage, like cultural heritage sites, unique natural environments, or foods and crops grown, but also the intangible aspects of heritage, like practices, knowledge, skills, and traditions. The Latinx community accounts for 46% of construction laborers and 47.2% of agricultural field workers in the U.S., and extreme summer heat in the U.S. poses threats to the continuity of these forms of livelihoods. While rising temperatures will stress all crops, they also increase the threat wildfires and droughts will pose to the structural integrity of both natural and archeological heritage sites.
In this pivotal moment, community participation is paramount. Tribal and community leaders, versed in heritage preservation, should be integral to emergency preparedness plans and culture preservation projects. We need to continue educating ourselves to learn more about our heritage; if we can’t attend city council and historical society meetings, we can do so via our phones by following the organizations and people who are sharing this knowledge on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, or read the recently released report “Cultural Erosion: The Climate Threat to Latino Heritage”.
Heritage is our ancestors, our past that leads to where and who we are now, what defines our identity and who we are, and what gives us a sense of belonging and community. Heritage is our history and our story in the country and planet. I invite you to learn more about it and, in the process, learn more about yourself.
