CHAPTER 8 TOURISM
We welcome the policies and objectives relating to, Walking and Greenways and in keeping with our Brown to Green strategy Bord na Móna through its land holding in County Laois has the potential to enhance tourism and community amenity initiatives by providing connectivity and access to a rehabilitated landscape. This is also addressed later in our submission in Chapter 11 ‘Biodiversity and Natural Heritage’.
We recognise the potential of our cutaway peatlands for recreation and tourism uses from the success of both the Lough Boora Discovery Park and the Mountlucas Wind Farm amenity in County Offaly. We consider that ‘greenways’ across Bord na Móna bogs can be integrated successfully alongside other commercial developments or biodiversity and nature conservation measures etc. with minimal impacts. Now as we transition away from peat extraction further significant opportunities to enhance, expand and develop an integrated network of greenways across our peatlands will emerge. Our experience to date at Mountlucas Wind Farm demonstrates how both renewable opportunities and Greenway Infrastructure (amenity) can co-exist successfully. At this site an 84MW Wind Farm project co-exists alongside rehabilitated cutaway and 10km of walking/running/cycling tracks for people living in the local communities. With the wind assets occupying a mere 5% of the 1,100 hectare site, this rehabilitated cutaway has helped significantly mitigate carbon emissions and also developed into a rich ecosystem with a range of different habitats for native plants and animal species. It is intended that similar amenities will be provided at Oweninny, in County Mayo, as part of the consented and proposed wind farm developments and these amenities can integrate with other local amenities. In addition, a state-of-the-art visitor centre has been development at Oweninny which will further contribute to tourism initiatives at the site.
It is with this in mind that we welcome Policy Objective TM 2 and TM 11:
- TM 2: “Continue to support the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Tourism in Laois 2018 – 2023, in line with national and regional policy, tourism trends and identified challenges, in collaboration with Fáilte Ireland, Waterways Ireland, Coillte, Bord na Mona, tourism businesses and communities and other supporting agencies.”
- TM 11: “Develop the tourism potential of peatlands and in particular facilitate the further development of Abbeyleix Bog and Derryounce Bog”.
Accessibility and connectivity to amenities is crucial. Cutaway peatlands have enormous potential to provide quality recreational areas for both local and national users. By developing cycle and walkways the greater region has the potential to become more accessible to all sections of society. If done in conjunction with a well thought out tourism plan there is real potential to create sustainable tourism jobs within the local communities.