The legacy of post-mining landscapes: risk and challenges of a multifaceted heritage

The chapter explores how “cultural landscapes” conceptually evolved regarding post-mining territories and examines the methodological approaches to their patrimonial recognition while negotiating their multifaceted legacies at local and regional levels. Specifically, the chapter builds on the tensions between heritage and environmental approaches, with focus on risks and challenges. It uses two Romanian case studies: Roșia Montană, a UNESCO site and post-mining “waste landscape” and Ștei, a “toxic and difficult landscape” from the socialist era, still seeking patrimonial official recognition.