Field Workshops on Tue 29th Oct – 14:00 – 17:00 

Diamond Hill – Connemara National Park

 

1 Overtourism – How to better manage the flows of people ? During peak tourism season, Connemara National Park experiences high visitor numbers, leading to pressure on Park infrastructure, which include parking and toilet facilities. In this workshop, we will reflect on what actions the Park managers undertake in order to better regulate the flow of people through the site and what improvements can be made to enhance the visitor experience.

 
2 Indicators – How to measure the impact of tourism on biodiversity? There are a few indicators to measure the carbon, water or waste footprint of tourism. However, measuring the  impact of tourism on biodiversity is a difficult task. In this workshop, we will creatively think on ways to measure tourism impact on biodiversity.

 
3 Meaningful visits – How to make visits unforgettable? Emotions last forever. In this workshop, we will explore how interpretation techniques can help make visitors experience unforgettable while increasing their knowledge and care.

 
4 Visitors with Dogs – How to manage pets in Protected Areas? The rising number of visitors with pets in Protected Areas is becoming an issue for certain Parks. Pets can cause damage to sensitive ecosystems if not on leash. Dog waste disposal is an additional issue of concern. In this workshop, we will exchange guidelines and potential solutions to manage pets in protected areas. 

 
5 Cooperation between the Tourism Board and Protected Areas – What actions can be undertaken to foster it? Throughout the world, National Parks have  traditionally been managed largely for conservation and education purposes. However, nature based tourism is a large and growing component of international tourism, particularly in relation to our National Parks. Tourism Boards increasingly support improvements to access, facilities and interpretation of our heritage sites in order to enhance the visitor experience. In this workshop, we explore ways to optimise the sustainable tourism potential of heritage sites in a way that is compatible with the Parks overriding conservation objectives.

 
6 Trails – How to manage them in a sustainable way? Connemara National Park is crossed by several popular trails such as the Lower and Upper Diamond Hill Loop. In this workshop, we will discuss how we can manage trails to preserve the natural beauty while fostering a balance between conservation and tourism.