Topic: NI National Parks? (Read 8743 times)

LandyLiam · « **on:** August 30, 2011 »

some movement on this maybe

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/national-park-status-panel-set-up-2861748.html

Quote

A panel of experts is to assess which areas of scenic beauty in Northern Ireland could be handed National Park status.

Environment Minister Alex Attwood established the group as he gave the clearest indication yet that popular visitor locations such as the Mourne mountains, the Fermanagh lakes and the Causeway coast could be given the special protection designation.

The controversial issue has been debated for the last decade without resolution.

While environmentalists favour the legislation, many local interests, such as farmers and developers, have opposed it, expressing concern at the accompanying limits on land use.

Mr Attwood, who has also extended a public consultation period on proposals as to how a park would be managed, said he supported the case for introducing the special status.

"In my view Special National Parks would be a boost for Northern Ireland," he said.

"We are fortunate in having not one, two or three but a number of areas that might meet the proposed criteria for such areas of national importance.

"Park status would not only serve to address and enhance their landscape and natural beauty needs, but also deliver long-term benefits through a sustained government commitment."

He said the panel would start the process of selecting possible candidates for National Park status.

The consultation document looks at how a Special National Park might be managed in a way that reconciles both local and national interests, giving proper weighting to social, economic and environmental needs. The original consultation period has been extended and will now finish on October 31.

Press Association

whoRya · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2011 »

This was being discussed on Radio Ulster yesterday evening (about 5:30pm). You could probably get it on 'Listen-again' or whatever it is called.

Will it happen? The way the dicussion seems to be, I think the Mournes is the least likely to happen. Probably down to local opinion more than anything else.

I think it is far from black and white. As someone who enoys the hills, any more protection that can be afforded all the better. But on the issue of attracting lots more visitors, I'm not so sure.

It's purely a personal opinion, but I am comfortable with the promotion of places like the Mournes amongst relevant interest groups and by making good information easily available to those who would seek it. I don't think it would be healthy for the Mournes to tell the whole of NI and beyond to "have-a-go and get up there". I don't want the mountains to be covered in the paved footpaths that becomes a necessary evil when they are overcrowded and over-used.

I don't pretend to know a lot about life for those people who live or work in and around the Mournes, so I don't want to be ignorant or dismissive of their (legitimate?) concerns. Some families that have lived there for generations can be priced out of the area. Farmers in the wider area may struggle to compete with others due to restrictions on their farming methods. If so, are they compensated by the National Park Authority?

As I have said my opinion is far from certain on the whole issue. There needs to be consideration given to those from outside the area who wish their playground to be better protected, but at what costs to those that live in the area?

Can the sort of protections that I would like to see, for instance to prevent over-development, enforcement of littering and criminal damage byelaws, sustainability planning, 'park' wardens etc. all happen regardless of whether there is a national park or not?

What are other people's thoughts?

RedLeader · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2011 »

True, it's a thorny one. National park status is good because it stops development etc but with the Mountains that's not such an issue.

My question would be one of overnighting - if it was a national park then would they "officially" ban wild camping. Northern Ireland doesn't have a great record on free access.

LandyLiam · « **Reply #3 on:** September 01, 2011 »

Not sure where i stand on this one (if i get to vote on it i will research it more but i don't think i'll have a say in it

) but having been to Snowdonia National Park recently its obvious what a more popular place it is and much better catered for tourists (although they have a much larger population to hand). I think the Mournes can handle a LOT more people (granite is hard stuff

) and most of them would probably do Donard anyway leaving all the good hills for us

I think a railway up Donard would be brilliant, cafe and all, just like Snowdon, there's nothing quite as nice as taking a cool beer from the fridge after walking up a hill, just don't forget your wallet

Samm · « **Reply #4 on:** September 01, 2011 »

Quote from: whoRya on August 31, 2011

It's purely a personal opinion, but I am comfortable with the promotion of places like the Mournes amongst relevant interest groups and by making good information easily available to those who would seek it. I don't think it would be healthy for the Mournes to tell the whole of NI and beyond to "have-a-go and get up there". I don't want the mountains to be covered in the paved footpaths that becomes a necessary evil when they are overcrowded and over-used.

I don't pretend to know a lot about life for those people who live or work in and around the Mournes, so I don't want to be ignorant or dismissive of their (legitimate?) concerns. Some families that have lived there for generations can be priced out of the area. Farmers in the wider area may struggle to compete with others due to restrictions on their farming methods. If so, are they compensated by the National Park Authority?

As I have said my opinion is far from certain on the whole issue. There needs to be consideration given to those from outside the area who wish their playground to be better protected, but at what costs to those that live in the area?

Can the sort of protections that I would like to see, for instance to prevent over-development, enforcement of littering and criminal damage byelaws, sustainability planning, 'park' wardens etc. all happen regardless of whether there is a national park or not?

What are other people's thoughts?

The Mournes are already protected by the strongest European legislation we have for these kind of things, as a Special Area of Conservation. National Park status is actually below this on a scale of 'protection'. Not that I'm saying for one second that it's designation as a SAC is protection enough. But as regards restrictions to those in the area, anyone who owns land within the Mournes SAC is already restricted to what they can do, far more than they'd ever be in a National Park, as far as I'm aware. So, National Park or no National Park, that won't change. I imagine it's also an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) too, which technically should cover all the planning stuff you would like to see. So most of what you want already exists, just isn't enforced as well as it could be. Call me cynical, but an extra designation won't change that, possibly!

As far as I know, they're looking at it more along the lines of the National Parks in the rest of the UK rather than the Irish version, i.e. a living place, like we already have with the Fermanagh Geopark. With any of these places, there'll always be the honeypot areas, the places where tourists flock to, but with careful placement of the visitor centre and teashop, I wouldn't imagine the Mournes being any more crowded than it currently is.

But there's possibly more important areas to be made into National Parks before tackling the Mournes!

Anyway, that's my tuppence worth!

LandyLiam · « **Reply #5 on:** September 02, 2011 »

i've just read a piece about it in the local rag and have yet to see the cons listed, they just mention lots of local objection, but not why they object

i'd love to see a good debate on this

admin · « **Reply #6 on:** September 06, 2012 »

Please continue any discussions in the official thread here:

http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3625.0

It's useful to keep all these discussions in one place.

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Author Topic: NI National Parks? (Read 8743 times)

LandyLiam

NI National Parks?

whoRya

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RedLeader

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LandyLiam

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Samm

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LandyLiam

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admin

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