Glenveagh National Park has become Ireland’s newest Leave No Trace Training Centre.
The park is the first National Park to join the programme and the first Accredited Training Centre in the North-West.
Leave No Trace Ireland provides research, education and outreach so every person who ventures outside can protect and enjoy the outdoors responsibly.
Glenveagh has undertaken to provide quality tuition in Leave No Trace Training Programmes and adhere to the 7 Principles in their work practices.
The park is seen as an ideal fit for a centre, with 16,000 hectares of uplands, woodlands, peatland and freshwater rivers and lakes to explore in the heart of the Derryveagh Mountains in Donegal.
NPWS Regional Manager, Ger O’Donnell with Glenveagh National Park Head Guide Clare Bromley and Education Guides Patrick McConigley and Noreen Boyle.
Minister of State for Heritage, Malcolm Noonan TD, lauded the connection and said: “I can think of no better ‘classroom’ than this beautiful part of Donegal.”
“The move demonstrates and solidifies Glenveagh National Park’s role as an active steward of the outdoors and reinforces the commitment of both the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Leave No Trace to work together.”
Clare Bromley, Head of Education & Learning in Glenveagh said: “We are very much looking forward to delivering programmes and courses that promote the Leave No Trace Ethic. Glenveagh is a protected area for nature conservation as well as a place for tourism and recreation. Finding the balance is key, so creating memorable and unique learning experiences for all our visitors is a central part of what a National Park is all about. Protecting biodiversity is done best by us all working together, so this is an important partnership we looking forward to building on.”
The first of the Leave No Trace training courses taking place in Glenveagh National Park is the one-day Certified Awareness Course on 26 July and a two-day Trainer Course on the 11-12 October. You can register for both of these courses on the Leave No Trace website.
