Funded through INTERREG EUROPE, this project commenced in April 2016. Phase 1 will run to September 2018 with Phase 2 and the project concluding in March 2020. The overall objective of the project is to foster integrated management of natural and cultural heritage within inland waterway regions by improving the partner regions’ related policy instruments in order to create a better balance between the protection and sustainable exploitation of the natural resources and the built heritage sites.
There are five (5) other organisations involved in the project from Netherlands, Italy, Slovakia and Latvia. Project activities include analysis of situation in each partner region, good practice and knowledge transfer and development of Action Plans to improve respective partner policy instruments.
See http://www.interregeurope.eu/sware/
In January 2017, the Council appointed Future Analytics Consulting Ltd. with Deirdre Black & Associates and Altemar Environmental Ltd. to complete a Green & Blue Infrastructure Masterplan Roadmap for Tipperary Waterways. The study is now completed.
The Roadmap takes a holistic strategic view of the two primary waterways in County Tipperary – Lough Derg and River Suir. By taking a whole of green/blue system approach, issues such as leisure, tourism, heritage, communities, sustainability, water eco-system management, Natura 2000 sites, S.P.A’s and S.A.C , biodiversity management and interpretation of sites were examined in order to facilitate a co-operative strategic developmental view of the waterways.
The key tasks of the study included a literature review; identification, mapping and assessment of the major eco-systems and eco-system services; planning for green/blue infrastructure; and setting out mechanisms for implementation, including detailing possible actions and projects.
The Green & Blue Infrastructure Masterplan Roadmap for Tipperary Waterways was adopted by the members of Tipperary County Council at its meeting in September 2018 and is published below.
