Management team in place for geopark bid

Management team in place for geopark bid

22 January 2020

A NEW management team has been established to oversee three stunning areas of outstanding natural beauty which are at the heart of the district’s bid to secure a world renowned tourism designation.

Strangford and Lecale, the Mournes and Ring of Gullion feature heavily in Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s bid for prestigious UNESCO geopark status which has the potential to generate millions of pounds in tourism revenue.

Typical activities in geoparks include the development of walking and cycling trails, training local people to act as guides, the provision of information signs and the development of visitor centres.

Northern Ireland’s only other current geopark — the Marble Arch Caves which inhabits the rugged mountainous uplands and gentle rolling lowlands of counties Cavan and Fermanagh — contributes just over £15m to the economy in this area.

Local council officials, who confirmed a pre-Christmas Recorder story that the formal bid for geopark status had been submitted, have revealed that an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) management team for the three local areas has been created.

Council officials say that they are continuing to work secure geopark status which is primarily about environmental sustainability and trying to increase economic revenue in a part of the world already revered for its stunning beauty. 

Geoparks are based around significant areas of geology and are set up to support sustainable economic development of an area, primarily through geological and eco-tourism.  

But they are not just about geology and include sites that are of interest for their history, archaeology, biodiversity, folklore, cultural and local heritage.

Securing the prestigious geopark designation is one of the key planks of Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s tourism strategy, with those behind the bid confident that it has the potential to deliver high quality tourism in the area, increasing the number of international visitors in particular. 

But securing geopark status is not just about delivering financial benefit.

Geoparks in other areas have empowered local communities, providing them with opportunities to develop cohesive partnerships with the common goal of promoting the area’s significant geological and other heritage.

If the local bid for geopark status for a huge swathe of land covering Strangford and Lecale, the Mournes and Ring of Gullion is successful, the international designation is expected to play a key role in helping transform the local economy.

The geopark brand will use the geological heritage of the three areas to develop sustainable tourism that generates economic benefits, while providing recreational opportunities and increased awareness of the area’s natural assets, working with landowners, businesses and communities.

The ultimate aim of a geopark is to enhance the economy and develop employment opportunities for the people who live there, but the global brand does not impose any restrictions on farming practices, planning or development. 

There are currently 127 geoparks found in 35 countries across the world, all of which have been developed using a so-called bottom-up approach with local communities playing a significant role in this process.