ASCENT to Summit: a Journey to Sustainable Management in European Uplands & Natural Environments
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ASCENT to Summit: A Journey to Sustainable Management in European Uplands & Natural Environments Conference Report 2019 www.ascent-project.eu ASCENT - Conference Report 2019 Contents Executive Summary 4 CHAPTER 4 Progression of Sustainable Solutions 30 CHAPTER 1 4.1 Management Plan 31 Introduction 5 Eldhraun 31 1.1 The Project Focus 6 Úlfarsfell 31 1.2 Seven Sites of Natural Beauty 7 Errigal 31 Eldhraun Lava Field, Iceland 7 Slieve Donard and Slieve Gullion 31 Úlfarsfell Mountain, Iceland 7 Hossa National Park 32 Errigal Mountain, Ireland 8 Trolltunga 32 Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland 8 4.2 Assessment of Upland Path Conditions 33 Slieve Gullion, Northern Ireland 8 4.3 Specialist Upskilling Programme 34 Trolltunga, Norway 9 4.4 Educational Upskilling Resources 34 Hossa Region, Finland 9 Promoting Responsible Recreation at Errigal 34 1.3 Project Management and Implementation 10 Hike to Trolltunga Video 34 1.4 Collaboration and Sharing Knowledge 12 PAVE 35 1.5 Progression of Sustainable Solutions 12 Mr. Moss 35 1.6 Engagement with Communities and Trialling Techniques 12 Branch and Aggregate Technique on Slieve Donard 35 1.7 Raised Awareness and Changed Behaviour to Natural Areas 13 4.4.1 Case Study 1: Indicators for Monitoring Sustainability 35 1.8 The Project Partnership 13 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 5 Sustainable Management in Protected Areas 14 Engagement with Communities and Trialling Techniques 36 2.1 Global Sustainable Development 15 5.1 Participatory Methods/ICT based tools 37 2.2 The Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme Area 15 5.1.1 Case Study 1: ASCENT in 3D 37 2.2.1 EU Member States 16 5.2 Piloting of Learned Methods 38 2.2.2 Non-EU Member States 18 5.2.1 Case Study 2: Sheep Wool 39 2.3 Planning Control for Conservation Management 19 5.3 Education and Upskilling Programmes 40 2.3.1 Case Study 1: Donegal County Council at Errigal Mountain 20 CHAPTER 6 2.3.2 Case Study 2: Soil Conservation Service in Iceland 21 Raising Awareness and Changing Behaviour 42 6.1 Communication underpinning Activity 43 CHAPTER 3 Conference Report Produced by: Collaboration and Sharing Knowledge 22 6.1.1 Case study 1: Changing behaviour at Trolltunga 43 3.1 Researching the ASCENT Sites 23 6.2 Promotional Material 44 Rosita Mahony 3.1.1 Case Study 1: Social Media Game Changers 23 6.3 Publications 45 Donegal County Council 3.2 Reviewing Best Practice 24 6.3.1. Case study 2: The Chronicles of Mourne 45 3.2.1 Case Study 2: Managing Upland Paths – Are Good 6.4 Public events 46 Matthew Bushby Principles Enough? 25 6.4.1. Case study 3: Norway Path Conference 47 Mourne Heritage Trust 3.3 Sharing knowledge through Living Laboratory Study Visits 26 6.5 Digital Activities 47 3.3.1 Case Study 3: Living Laboratory Study Visits 27 Darren Rice CHAPTER 7 3.4 Key Learning 28 Newry, Mourne & Down District Council Further ASCENT 48 7.1 The Ascent Impact on Sustainable Management 49 Davíð A. Stefánsson 7.2 Building Sustainable Sites and Durable Communities 49 Soil Conservation Service of Iceland 7.3 Creating Innovation 49 Anu Hjelt 7.4 Exchanging Solutions 50 Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland 7.5 Flourishing Skills and Competencies 50 7.6 Transferability to natural protected areas 51 Marta Dixon 7.7 Exposure to National and International Networks 51 Hordaland County Council 7.8 Moving from a brand to a concept 51 2 www.ascent-project.eu [email protected] 3 ASCENT - Conference Report 2019 1 Introduction CHAPTER 1 Introduction ASCENT - an acronym for Apply Skills and Conserve our Environment with New Tools - was awarded funding under the INTERREG VB Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme (NPA) 2014-2020; with support from the European Regional Development Fund; whose vision is to generate sustainable communities through transnational cooperation. Under the Programme Axis 4, Objective 4, which seeks to increase the capacity of remote and sparsely populated communities for sustainable environmental management, the ASCENT project, was developed. Donegal County Council (DCC) managed the European project and worked with local and environmental authorities including Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland (PWF), the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland (SCSI), Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) and Mourne Heritage Trust (MHT) in Northern Ireland and Hordaland County Council (HCC) in Norway from 2016 to 2019, for its successful implementation. In addition, Údarás na Gaeltachta in Ireland, Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust in Northern Ireland, Mossfellsbaer Municipality and Skaftárhreppur in Iceland were associated with the project. Rapid growth in tourism numbers and the desire to experience and explore the Executive Summary natural environment has brought its own unique challenges in managing the landscape and in preserving its qualities for future generations. Multi-region In 2016, five European countries representing recommending a more collegiate approach to site ASCENT partners were committed to address the environmental challenges seven sites, with over 500,000 visitors annually, specific responses and further develops sustainable associated with increased visitor numbers and unregulated access and in marrying came together connected by a shared goal – to collaboration for national and international their collective experience to create new ways to conserve, protect and sustain protect and manage their respective upland alignment. Chapter 4 details the progress made these natural sites without taking from the experience they offer. Working in sites and natural areas sustainably. ASCENT is to develop site specific sustainable solutions and partnership with all project partners, stakeholders and local communities focussed a multi-region project rooted in collaboration, community participation to determine the best on promoting sustainable access has positively contributed to the long-term sustainability, conservation, international learning approach to management planning. Chapter 5 conservation of these natural areas for future generations to enjoy, whilst also and the power of communities working together. presents the practical, innovative solutions and allowing the local communities to benefit. This conference report: ASCENT – A Journey to measures and the mechanism tested, which cultivates Sustainable Management in European Uplands and better engagement with host communities, key Natural Environments is the summary output of users and stakeholders for sustainable environment that work. management. Chapter 6 explores how an awareness of the value and vulnerability of sensitive landscapes was In response to protecting upland sites and natural raised and thereby changed behaviours. The impact of areas in a sustainable manner, Chapter 1 presents ASCENT in the journey to sustainable management is the common environmental challenges and the included in Chapter 7. measures and approaches adopted by working in partnership with all project partners, stakeholders and The ASCENT partnership was established to achieve local communities, who are focussed for the long- the project’s objective; to deliver on the main outputs, term conservation of seven sites of natural beauty. appropriate to each site; and in setting the knowledge Chapter 2 sets the policy context for the project on base for the transfer of learning, skills and expertise. an international basis, referencing clear alignment Collaboration, engagement and transnational co- with the priorities of the Northern Periphery and operation were the key themes that underpinned Arctic Programme and the management of protected ASCENT’s main achievements and its legacy. areas. Chapter 3 establishes the condition of all sites, 4 www.ascent-project.eu [email protected] 5 ASCENT - Conference Report 2019 1 Introduction CHAPTER 1.1 CHAPTER 1.2 The Project Focus Seven Sites of Natural Beauty The ASCENT project aligns with the NPA Programme The approach taken to achieve ASCENT’s objective and The Seven Sites of Natural Beauty are experiencing heavy recreational induced pressure. ASCENT sites are Objective; priority axis 4 in contributing to increased outputs involved: visited by over half a million people per annum. ASCENT partners are collaborating to address the environmental capacity for community-based sustainable threats and pressures to their local upland areas and natural sites, where the high conservation value of the seven environmental management to facilitate Collaboration and Sharing Knowledge unique and natural sites is sensitive to tourist demands and numbers. A coordinated and sustainable approach community development while balancing is required more than ever, across all sites, to build solutions to maintain the balance between competing environmental, economic and social interests in With each region having a unique set of environmental, economic, social and tourist interests. remote and rural areas. characteristics including governance, designations, capacity to respond to future environmental Eldhraun Lava Field, Iceland With recreational induced demand adversely challenges, opportunities to overcome those impacting on upland and natural environments would be realised with collaboration and shared The unique lava field of Eldhraun, created during one and landscapes, ASCENT brought together five knowledge, whereby competency and experience the greatest volcanic activities in human history, is regions to collectively address the challenges facing in one region permeates across the partnership located within the municipality of Skaftárhreppur in the conservation of natural areas of