WATERFORD’S Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark and the Munster Express were awarded a prestigious ‘Community Impact’ prize at the national ‘Get Involved’ 2015 award ceremony in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown, Dublin on Thursday last.
‘Get Involved’ is a sustainable communities initiative developed by 51 local newspapers throughout Ireland, represented by the newspaper network, ‘Local Ireland’ and is a way for local communities all over Ireland to work together to improve their own lives, create local jobs, and protect the environment.
The main sponsor of ‘Get Involved’ 2015 is the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
In addition, Clann Credo, the Social Investment Fund also supported this worthy initiative by sponsoring a new category this year – the ‘Community Impact’ prize.
This category highlights how outstanding community-based projects meet local and community needs in an innovative and collaborative way.
‘Get Involved’ 2015 aimed to inspire and stimulate community collaboration through voluntary efforts and to foster ‘green’ and ‘social impact’ enterprises, to build local resilience and generate new and sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative has focused on the following eight areas: Energy, Food, Biodiversity, Ecotourism, Water, Resource Efficiency, Sustainable Employment, Community Impact.
The Copper Coast Geopark represented an ideal partner for The Munster Express for this year’s ‘Get Involved’ project. Since its inception in 2000, the European and now Global Geoparks Network has emphasised the growth and promotion of geotourism as a means of contributing to the sustainable development of Geopark communities. This form of special interest tourism is now regarded as an emerging global phenomenon with an educative function.
Pictured at the 'Get Involved' awards, representing the Copper Coast Geopark were John Galloway, Bruce McDonald, Orlaith Hamersley and Catherine Kavanagh. Also pictured are Kieran Walsh and Kieran Foley (The Munster Express) and Judging Panel Adjudicator Duncan Stewart. | Photos: Conor McCabe
Said John Galloway, Director of the Copper Coast Geopark: “This award has been a really encouraging boost for everyone involved in the Geopark as has been this collaboration with The Munster Express’.
What sets the Copper Coast Geopark apart from other Global Geoparks is that it is a social enterprise managed by volunteers, many of whom are local and whose vision is for a thriving and sustainable community in the Copper Coast.
It aims to help create employment and enterprise opportunities to generate economic development through sustainable tourism and supporting local arts, crafts and food producers etc.
Tourism is another huge aspect for the Copper Coast Geopark, and with so much on offer it’s easy to see why. From the iconic drama of the former mine buildings at Tankardstown, to the picturesque beaches and coves, the Copper Coast is a jewel in Waterford’s crown.
One of the most interesting aspects of the Copper Coast Geopark is the community collaboration which the project fosters in the local villages of Annestown, Boatstrand, Bonmahon, Dunhill, Fenor, Kill and Stradbally. This community collaboration is particularly evident through the innovative ‘Copper Coast Biodiversity Project’ which aims to educate schools and empower local communities, and Tidy Towns groups to appreciate and enjoy the benefits of biodiversity habitats.
Each village in the Geopark has created two biodiversity habitats from common areas in the village that are currently mowed. One will be planted with different Irish wild flowers, while the other habitat will be left to grow naturally.
Local school children are learning how to conduct a science project by performing a flora and fauna audit of each site at the start of the project and a final audit at the start of summer. This will allow the schools to compare the different plants, animals and insects between the sites as well as learning about how plants and flowers grow through the seasons.
By bringing the communities together, the schools will also be able to compare the flora and fauna in the seven villages arising from differences between coastal and inland habitats.
The Geopark’s Biodiversity Project will help strengthen links between the seven villages to share ideas, and create further opportunities to work together. It’s hoped this project will mark the beginning of many future village collaborative projects in the Geopark area.
The Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark were delighted and honoured to be awarded the third prize in this competition and would like to thank all those who supported us and voted for us in this competition.
“We’re delighted to have been associated with this success,” said Munster Express Managing Director Kieran Walsh.
“The Munster Express has championed local social enterprise and community-led initiatives for decades and to be among the prize winners at this fantastic ceremony is something that the staff and I, spearheaded by reporter Kieran Foley, are particularly proud of, and I’d like to thank Kieran in particular for all his efforts in promoting the initiative in recent months.”
Judging Panel Chairman Duncan Stewart commended all participants for the quality of the projects presented and for their unstinting commitment to making their communities more sustainable for the future.
“I can see this initiative being in every community in Ireland over the next 10 years,” he said. “If it’s not, then those communities will die because they are facing massive challenges. The impacts of climate change are coming upon us very quickly.
“We have seen it in Ireland with the flooding. I think the only solution is going to be a bottom up movement and you are the pioneers of this movement. It is only through local collaboration that we can turn it around and capitalise on these opportunities.”
For his part, Clann Credo CEO Paul O’Sullivan stated: “The synergy between local newspapers and communities is part of the resilience of communities across rural Ireland. One of the things that is vital for our survival on this planet is to address our environmental sustainability.
Johnny O'Hanlon, President of the Regional Newspaper Association of Ireland, addresses guests at Thursday last's awards ceremony.
“For Clann Credo it is not the financial return that is paramount, rather how is the social dividend of the group or project going to manifest itself? The loan finance that we make available has helped many communities to recognise their vision or dream.”
Loughmore Community Tea Rooms were the big winners at the ceremony, with the North Tipperary initiative bringing home a first prize cheque for €5000 in the Sustainable Communities awards section, sponsored by the Sustainable Energy Authtority of Ireland (SEAI) and a further €1,500 for second place in the Community Impact section, sponsored by Clann Credo.
For more information on the Copper Coast Geopark, visit www.coppercoastgeopark.com
and for more on Get Involved, visit www.getinvolved.ie