Sligo PPN Heritage Seminar February 2016 Locally Led Heritage Partnerships: A Pathway To Realising Local Heritage Initiatives James Moran

Outline Local Led Heritage Partnerships? Examples: Burren, Wicklow Uplands Council, UK Local Nature Partnerships Local partnerships key to realising heritage initiatives Steps to developing a locally led heritage partnership

Locally Led Heritage Partnerships Nothing new-views informed by experience of locally led initiatives elsewhere Proposed Definition: A collection of local individuals/groups which work together in a defined local area to realise sustainable management of their natural and cultural heritage.

Clarifications Sustainable management: meeting current needs while not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. UNESCO World Heritage Convention Natural heritage: physical, biological and geological features; habitats of threatened plants or animal species and areas of value on scientific or aesthetic grounds or from a conservation perspective. Cultural heritage: monument, group of buildings or site of historical, aesthetic, archaeological, scientific, ethnological or anthropological value

Examples Range of different approaches Different approaches very much a reflection of local diversity (no one size fits all approach) BurrenBeo Wicklow Uplands Council UK Local Nature Partnerships (Government Supported Initiative) Locally Led Agri-environment Initiatives (response to funding call): Catalyst for set up of upland groups, Off shore Islands

Burrenbeo: Function: to promote and support the sustainable management and use of this unique landscape and heritage in an accessible, inclusive and effective manner.

Wicklow Uplands Council: Mission: To support the sustainable use of the Wicklow uplands through consensus and partnership with those who live, work and recreate there

UK Local Nature Partnerships: We want to help to create a place where our special natural qualities, including our breeding wading birds, our blanket bogs, our hay meadows, our tumbling rivers and our upland woodlands, are valued for their beauty, and for their contribution to the nation’s economic, physical and spiritual well-being. We want to see peatlands restored, new woodlands created, High Nature Value Farming systems supported and natural flood management promoted. We want to support a living and working upland landscape, a place where an environment- based economy thrives and where necessary development and growth takes place with respect for the natural environment on which it relies.

Boleybrack Mountain Project

“Better to light a candle than curse the darkness”

Local Partnership Key to Development Partnership approach works Need to secure stakeholder involvement Need dedicated community champions to take initiative and drive innovation Need a range of expertise to make a locally led programme work Prospect of funding/local issue can be catalyst to develop local partnership (why wait? be ready to seize opportunities when they arise!) Role of PPN Heritage Linkage Group (Learning network which enables local partnerships) An opportunity to come together to look at wider sustainability issues in your rural areas

Lessons for heritage partnerships Partnerships is key Participatory and inclusive (building trust) Start small with specific goals Ireland – local initiatives independent of local and national government (struggle for support) UK – government and local groups (government agencies and departments may have more capacity to engage with partnership) Happy medium somewhere! Locally led working in a supportive government and regulatory framework Support framework flexible enough to have locally adapted partnerships (no need for one size fits all)

Heritage Council and EPA Recognising potential of local partnerships 2015 Heritage Council proposals ‘Rural Towns and Villages Network’ and “Irish Uplands Partnerships” Encourage communities to establish frameworks and networks (partnerships) to realise the value and potential of their natural and cultural heritage EPA: 12 Community Water officers Engagement, participation, education, local inclusion, two way communications, understanding, trust……….. in partnership with stakeholders to meet WFD RBMP objectives

Steps to a Locally Led Heritage Partnership 1. Local Partnership 2. Geographic extent 3. Heritage baseline 4. Mission and goals year aims 6. Capacity to deliver? 7. Resources required 8. Getting support 9. Implement 10. Review and Develop Pathway to a Sustainable Future

A pathway to a sustainable future Innovation network, partnership, locally adapted and results orientated solutions