Donegal Outdoor Recreation Strategy

The Challenge

Outscape was commissioned by Donegal County Council and Donegal Local Development Company to prepare a County Outdoor Recreation Strategy with a vision set up to 2040 and an Action Plan up to 2028. 

As Donegal’s first Outdoor Recreation Strategy, it will ensure outdoor recreation in Donegal is developed, managed and promoted in an environmentally sustainable and responsible manner, facilitating a greater awareness and understanding of the County’s natural, built and cultural heritage, whilst nurturing and supporting its communities in realising the potential of ‘The Place’ for the greater good of its people, visitors and the economy.  

The Role

Over the past number of years, there has been a heightened awareness and understanding both internally within Donegal County Council and among the other key players across the County responsible for outdoor recreation, that a collaborative approach was needed to guide future decision making related to outdoor recreation, given the increasing and diverse, albeit interlinked body of work everyone was doing. 

To inform the delivery of this Strategy and ensure an informed and collaborative process ensued, a Outscape established a Steering Group comprising representatives of the Council and the Rural Recreation Officer of Donegal Local Development Company. 

A wider Stakeholder Group was also established which provided a source of information for the audit, contributed to the formulation of the Strategy’s vision, mission and themes and agreed the Strategy’s recommendations and associated lead delivery agencies, as outlined in the Action Plan.  

To inform the development of the Strategy, a comprehensive audit was undertaken together with an extensive consultation process, with cognisance given to the wider external environment and emerging trends in outdoor recreation across Ireland and in the UK, to ensure recommendations are future proofed across the lifetime of the Strategy. 

From the audit and consultation process, a vision and mission were developed.  

To inform the delivery of the Strategy’s vision and mission, six themes were identified from which several strategic actions flow. The key Themes are: 

1. Collaboration
2. Environmental Integrity
3. Facilities and Visitor Servicing
4. Inclusivity
5. Training and Education 
6. Awareness and Participation.

The Results

A Strategy was developed with a vision to guide the activities of outdoor recreation in Donegal up to 2040 together with a more detailed Action Plan up to 2028 setting out several key recommendations under the six headings above.  

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