Heritage refers to everything an individual or society decides to conserve in order to pass it on in the best possible condition to future generations. Maritime and coastal regions boast a large number of natural and cultural features that are already considered as part of heritage or that are in the process of being incorporated into it. Some are historic (fortifications, buildings in seaside resorts, etc.) and others much more recent (quarries). In the current context of rising sea levels, some aspects of natural heritage and biodiversity are under direct threat of destruction. Maritime and coastal spaces have some heritage sites that are not specific to this type of area (archaeological remains, for example) and others that are only found in such locations, including both land-based sites (canning factories) or maritime ones (lighthouses, wetlands). Because of the competing interests of urbanisation and conservation, or developing tourism and enhancing nature, seas and coastal areas find themselves at the centre of intense challenges and interplays that make establishing their heritage value complex to define and difficult to implement.

Articles in this section focus on maritime and coastal features that are considered important to protect and enhance, including natural spaces (reserves, parks, sites), landscapes, and aspects of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage (maritime festivals, seafaring legends, music, etc.) whose ethnogeographical perspectives could make an original contribution to the field of cartography.