Outdoor recreation conference highlights 'responsible behaviour'
The second annual National Outdoor Recreation Conference was held today (Thursday, June 26), with over 200 people in attendance as the Radisson Blu Hotel in Limerick.
The event was attended by Minister for Rural and Community Development Dara Calleary, as well as delegates from the outdoor recreation sector.
The theme of this year's conference was 'Embracing Ireland's Outdoors - Working together to deliver high-quality and sustainable recreation opportunities'.
According to the Department of Rural and Community Development, the conference aimed to bring together the key national stakeholders in outdoor recreation to provide networking opportunities, share best practice, and inform policy implementation and future policy development.
It included a session on "responsible behaviour" in the outdoors, and also heard contributions from organisations involved in the sector.
At the conference, Minister Calleary launched a booklet titled 'Recreation in Ireland's Outdoors'.
The booklet has been developed for landowners who provide recreational access to their lands, and recreational users, and informs them of their rights and obligations.
The department said publication of the booklet is part of the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027.
Speaking at the conference, Minister Calleary said: "We all recognise the benefits that can be derived from being active and spending time in the outdoors... Here in Ireland we are blessed to have, within easy reach, so many wonderful opportunities to be active in nature.
"With that also comes a responsibility to ensure that we protect our environment by always acting in a responsible way when active in the outdoors," the minister added.
Minister Calleary also pointed out that many amenities in nature are on private property.
"At the same time, we also need to be mindful that many of our wonderful trails and walking routes are on private lands. Without the goodwill of landowners we would not have access to many areas of the countryside.
"It is vital that we all act responsibly, and support and respect landowners who have allowed access to their lands," Minister Calleary added.
On the publication of the new Recreation in Ireland's Outdoors booklet, he said: "I am pleased to launch [the booklet] to support farmers and landowners, and facilitate those who access our beautiful countryside to do so in a sustainable and responsible manner. This will benefit the landowner, walkers, hikers and tourists."
