The need for studying heritage rises from different understandings of common memory. Locals' perceptions to cultural heritage, to landscape heritage, are of particular importance. Increasing number of studies has addressed the heritage sites as nodes where the competing histories - or dissonant heritages - of different social groups collide (Atkinson 2005). This paper takes as starting point the need of studying different aspects of landscape heritage in its complexity. This broad set of questions takes us to the discussion on rurality and periphery and the role of heritage in this. How do the local people, who dwell heritage, are expected to 'practice' heritage, perceive their farms, lands and environment in the context of state protection rules? What is heritage to them?

The starting point for the study is to elucidate the need for exploring issues of heritage from local community's perspective. The emphasis for understanding the locals' perceptions to cultural heritage, to landscape heritage, lies in that they are the ones who are responsible for sustainably maintaining and protecting heritage. For that, we look at community's understanding to landscape heritage through landscape biography approach.

This presentation is part of a wider project on place and identity -ongoining microscales study how people in the countryside perceive their relation to their personal histories, farmhouse, land and environment.

The study area Rebala Heritage Reserve is situated 27 km from Tallinn, and by that this region, which struggles hard to maintain its agricultural activity in the area, is the hinterland of the capital of Estonia. Within 25 sq. km there are ca 3,000 archaeological remains, making the area one of the densest archaeological sites in Estonia. The idea of the reserve is to preserve the present environment as genuinely as possible, to protect the numerous historical remains from tampering and destruction, but also to provide information for the visitors.

The study is based on two sources: 1. 21 in-depth interviews conducted during 2008-2009; 2. the process of theme plan for Rebala Heritage Reserve.

Keywords: landscape heritage protection, locals, perception, Estonia