Sustainable Countryside Recreation Development

Government policy seeks to encourage farm diversification and thereby strengthen the rural economy. In recent years this has generated an increasing number of proposals for sporting and outdoor recreational activities in the countryside. There is, however, growing concern regarding the environmental impact of certain countryside pursuits and their related developments. The Department is aware of these concerns and wishes to ensure that new recreational development in the countryside is sustainable and does not conflict with the need to preserve, and wherever possible, enhance our environment for future generations.