Offaly County Development Board has called for submissions for a 10-year "vision plan" to protect and develop the county's natural environment.
The detailed analysis of the environment will look at natural features such as the Slieve Bloom Mountains and environmental park, the Shannon callows and the Shannon and Grand Canal waterways, peatlands, meadows and mountains.
The environmental review is being undertaken as part of the board's overall strategy, which includes 10-year plans to develop the local economy, the arts, cultural and heritage amenities and the natural environment.
Already the "En Route" tourist trail through the county, developed in conjunction with Shannon Development, is designed to pull tourists from the N6 and N7 Dublin to Limerick and Galway roads, into the county.
The trail covers natural and manmade amenities such as the Grand Canal which is steeped in commercial history, Shannon Harbour, Clonmacnoise, the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre at the heart of Ireland's distilling history, and Birr Castle with its historic science centre and internationally renowned gardens.
The focus of "En Route" is on the county's potential to generate additional tourism business. But development board spokesman Eoin Doyle is quick to point out that the protection of the natural environment is paramount. Commercial development, he says, will happen only in a sustainable fashion. The county development board was set up last year and is headed by Jack Keyes, who is its director of community enterprise.
It consists of representatives of local government, State agencies and the social partners, including the community and voluntary sector, as well as local development groups. All of these groups have been asked to contribute to the environmental strategy.
"Integral to this process are the views and opinions of the people of Co Offaly" Mr Doyle said.
"At present, the board is seeking to consult with all groups and individuals who have an interest in the environment. This is vital to ensuring that a fully inclusive strategy for Co Offaly is achieved," he stressed.
The county development board strategy comes in tandem with a programme to revitalise areas of west Offaly. This programme, A Revival Strategy for West Offaly 2000-2006, will attempt to address population decline. It proposes an investment of £69.5 million over the next six years in rural development, education training and re-skilling and social inclusion.
This strategy will also attempt to address employment concerns brought about by the announcement by the ESB of the closure of the Ferbane and Shannonbridge peat-burning stations, as well as Bord na Mona rationalisation.
Recommendations outlined in the strategy include an audit of transport in the region and studies on e-commerce opportunities. According to Mr Keyes, this strategy has already "gained widespread local support and a definite series of actions on foot of some of its recommendations has already been put in place". Mr Keyes added that it was essential that future progress with Government agencies be achieved.
Details of the west Offaly revival strategy and guidelines on submissions on the environmental initiative may be had from the Offaly Community Development Board, Tullamore, Co Offaly.
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