Summer has arrived and as many thousands of people venturing into the outdoors to enjoy our beautiful beaches, forests, parks, mountains and lakes around the country, Leave No Trace Ireland are encouraging everyone to enjoy our outdoors responsible.
Maura Lyons, Programme Manager with Leave No Trace Ireland, a charity promoting responsible outdoor recreation in Ireland says “We should all enjoy and celebrate our scenic countryside and the many activities we can do in the outdoors but we should also try to minimise any negative environmental impacts we may be creating by planning our trips a little better and adhering to a few simple outdoor messages”
With great weather, people love to picnic, barbaque and party in the outdoors. To ensure safe and pleasant experiences for everyone and avoid any risk of wild fires, people are also encouraged to prepare and eat in designated sites and avoid the lighting of fires outside designated sites. People are also encouraged to always take rubbish home as nobody wishes to see rubbish left behind in scenic areas.
Many people love to take their pet dogs into the outdoors and while this is certainly fun for the dog, it can create some problems for other recreation users and local farmers. If planning on taking your dog into the outdoors, people are encouraged to keep their pets under effective control at all times and to avoid agricultural areas, especially where sheep or cattle are grazing and are required
Car parking can be a real issue in many areas with so many people driving into the countryside to visit scenic spots. This is a real problem, not only for visitors but for our farming communities as it’s a busy time of year on all farms. To avoid parking problems, people are encourage to park in designated car park areas where possible, avoid blocking roads and access points to farmland and agricultural lanes.
Finally, Summer time is a busy time in nature, with lots of breading birds and animals active and our wild flowers in full bloom. We should celebrate and enjoy nature and wildlife but we should always do so quietly, taking only photos and leaving only footprints!
More information on responsible outdoor recreation and Leave No Trace Ireland education programme is available on www.leavenotraceireland.org
