Newsletter- Issue 1

Errigal Mountain is an iconic landmark and at 751 metres high and dominates the natural landscape of the north west of Donegal. Over the last 20 years, Errigal has become a popular destination for hill walkers challenged to ascend the highest peak in the County and to experience the panoramic views from its summit extending across the Derryveagh Mountains and the Poisoned Glen, to the Donegal Gaeltacht communities and its coastal villages dappled along the Wild Atlantic Way. In 2016, Errigal hosted over 30,000 visitors.

At a local level Donegal County Council is working with the local community in Dunlewey and also the Errigal Stakeholders Group, with a vision to ‘facilitate the responsible enjoyment of Errigal in a way that protects its special qualities and benefits the local community’. The ASCENT project is the way through which this shared vision will be achieved. Over the coming months ASCENT in relation to Donegal will install visitor monitoring equipment to capture visitor trends at Errigal mountain while also engaging with the Errigal stakeholders in the development of an upland path to withstand the pressures from visitors and to ensure the conservation of the natural environment in the long term.

Rosita Mahony | ASCENT Project Co-ordinator |Donegal County Council
rosita.mahony@donegalcoco.ie
www.donegalcoco.ie/community/ascent/

Finland’s ASCENT site, Hossa, has been nominated to become the 40^th Finnish National Park. It will celebrate Finland’s 100 years of independence. The grand opening festivities will take place on June 17^th2017 in Hossa and will attract thousands of visitors. Everybody is invited to take part in a colourful ensemble of outdoor celebrations. The new national park will be opened by the Finnish President, Mr. Sauli Niinistö.

A visitor survey will be implemented in Hossa. Field work will start during the coming summer. In order to get statistically relevant data, the survey will cover summer, autumn and winter seasons. It will provide important information for the management plan that will be drafted later. The management plan will guidevisitors of the national park as well as help manage visitor flows. The ultimate goal is to manage the area in a sustainable way.

Anu Hjelt | ASCENT Project |Parks & Wildlife Service
anu.hjelt@metsa.fi

Hossa National Park opening festivities:
Sini Salmirinne, Communications Officer
sini.salmirinne@metsa.fi

A responsible tourism conference to mark the 90th anniversary of the Icelandic Touring Association hosted by Soil Conservation Services of Iceland in association with Ferðafélag Íslands (The Iceland Touring Association) was held in May 2017 which provided advice to attending delegates on responsible tourism and awareness-raising among hikers about the role of footpaths and their design with respect to nature conservation. Helen Lawless from Mountaineering Ireland, provided a key note speech and met with hiking associations, representatives from the tourism industry, and administration sector and also the Ministry of Environment. Helen was also interviewed by the widely read www.bbl.is/baendabladid. Site visits included tourist/hiking sites that are under great stress and in need of management plans for footpaths and also visitor management plans.

As an ASCENT Partner, Soil Conservation Services of Iceland invited Dr. Bob Aitken – an independent research consultant in recreation tourism and countryside management – to speak with engineers and landscape architects about path management and design. A number of days were spent visiting both ASCENT sites at Elðraun and Mosfellsbær, where work is ongoing on trail management and other sites challenged with increasing tourism numbers. Engagement took place with the Ministry of Tourism about the best approach in managing and designing sites and about informing policy making in relation to responsible tourism and awareness-raising among tourists and hikers alike. Interviews by Icelandic TV (RUV) about path management and safety refer:
http://ruv.is/frett/haettulega-gongustiga-tharf-ad-laga
http://ruv.is/sarpurinn/klippa/lelegir-og-haetturlegir-gongustigar

Orn Halldorsson | ASCENT Project |Soil Conservation Service of Iceland
orn.thor.halldorsson@land.is

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Northern Ireland
in conjunction with
Mourne Heritage Trust

The Ring of Gullion Partnership and the Mourne Heritage Trust have been very busy over the last few months.

During May Chris York, from Walking the Talk, visited the area and has been working with the ASCENT team to create drawings in order to protect the rich habitats of Slieve Gullion and provide a sustainable path. We were very pleased to be able to consult with Mountaineering Ireland and industry leader Bob Aitken, who provided valuable insights into erosion control on Slieve Gullion.

There also has been lots of work happening at Slieve Donard.  The team have been carrying out upland erosion repair work on the Glen River Path, which is the main route to the summit.  The aim is to minimise erosion damage caused by walkers by building a trail and associated landscaping, which will encourage people to stay on the preferred, sustainable line.  Passersbys were encouraged to make a donation towards the project though a donation box on site.

We are delighted that a number of volunteers have been involved with the ASCENT project.  These volunteers vary from students, who are gaining valuable work skills experience, to retired people, who have enjoyed the exercise and fresh air.

Darren Rice | ASCENT|Newry, Mourne & Down District Council
darren.rice@nmandd.org

Hordaland County Council, Norway

ASCENT partner Hordaland County Council’s (HCC) site is within the iconic rock formation Trolltunga (Troll’s Tounge) in Odda, Norway. The dramatic increase in the number of hikers over the past few years has provided new jobs and enthusiasm in the area but nevertheless the sudden increase has caused challenges with erosion, rubbish and safety which must be addressed.

HCC has been working to link ASCENT up to national initiatives led by Innovation Norway and the Norwegian Environment Agency, where the aim is to find lasting solutions for path management, rubbish handling and safety. ASCENT project’s work at Trolltunga will be trialling solutions which may be implemented nationwide and the aim is to establish transferable methods and models for monitoring and handling of the challenges. HCC is also working with the Norwegian Trekking Association, who maintain about 20,000 km of foot trails across Norway. Establishing an agreement with the land owner in Odda, Statkraft will allow funding raised from parking to contribute to the upkeep of the trail and other facilities as a top priority. This will be the basis of a lasting system for maintaining the path, signposting and information to hikers. HCC and Odda municipality are also excited to be planning a visit from our ASCENT Partners in Northern Ireland, which will include their path team for a mutual exchange of learning and experiences.

Marta Dixon | ASCENT Project | Hordaland County Council
Marta.Dixon@hfk.no