The Toolkit to Responsible and Sustainable Outdoor Challenge Events is provided to promote best practice in organising outdoor challenge events and to encourage the responsible and sustainable use of the Northern Ireland countryside.
Many popular event venues are subject to heavy use on a regular basis. By following these guidelines, you will help preserve the special nature of the environment we enjoy and rely on.
A well planned and managed event will comply with legal requirements, avoid or minimise impact on the landscape heritage features, plants and wildlife, and have no adverse effects on other established recreational activities or other uses such as farming or forestry.
Any event that is run following the good practice guidelines within the toolkit can claim to being run under the principles of Leave No Trace and assure participants that events are planned in such a way as to minimise the environmental impact.
Leave No Trace principles should be incorporated at each stage of your event.
The Toolkit to Responsible and Sustainable Outdoor Challenge Events is simple and straight forward to use. It follows three key stages to assist you in planning a responsible and sustainable outdoor challenge event.
Whilst some form of restorative work is always inevitable during and following your event, the toolkit should ensure it is kept to a minimum. This final stage will inform you on post-event consultation with those involved in the event organisation as well as how you can review and obtain feedback on your event and share good practice amongst other event organisers.
Click on the links below to find further information on each stage of the toolkit. In addition, there are several Case Studies to help show elements of the toolkit in practice.
This project is funded by Sport Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and is supported by Mourne Heritage Trust, Leave No Trace, National Trust, Ring of Gullion Landscape Partnership Scheme, Strangford Lough and Lecale Partnership and Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust.