This summer, Waterways Ireland has partnered with Leave No Trace Ireland to bring the ‘Love This Place’ message to Ireland’s inland waterways.
The Love This Place campaign is a nationwide effort being run by Leave No Trace Ireland in conjunction with nine partner organisations and 80 supporting organisations from the sports, tourism and outdoor activities sectors, sharing the message of responsible outdoor recreation.
Across the island of Ireland there are over 1,000 km of inland navigable waterways for everyone to enjoy — from a walk under the leafy canopies of the River Barrow towpath, to a cycle along the banks of the Grand Canal.
Waterways Ireland says it is committed to the Leave No Trace principles which are integral to its work, including education and training programmes.
“By working together, we can all make a difference and reduce the pressure points on our environment and outdoor spaces from recreation and leisure activities,” it says.
The ‘Love This Place’ initiative calls on the public to help:
- prevent littering and its impact on urban, rural, and marine environments
- protect the many different habitats that make up our wonderful natural environment
- prevent the destruction caused by wildfires
- by being responsible for proper management of our dogs when outdoors
- by avoiding noise pollution and its impacts
As you get out and about this summer, Waterways Ireland have three tips to help everyone Love This Place:
Disinfect: We can all be habitat heroes and play our part to protect our habitats by following the Check – Clean – Dry – Disinfect method. This way, we make sure that we prevent the spread of invasive species between waterways and keep our waters healthy.
Be Considerate of Others: Whether it’s keeping the dog on a lead, cleaning up after them, keeping our music to ourselves or parking so as not to block access roads or driveways, there are many ways we can share our outdoor spaces and recreational areas responsibly.
Dispose of Litter and Waste Properly: Whatever we bring outdoors with us, be prepared to bring it home again. Rubbish or leftover food impacts on the environment, animals, waterways, and other visitors. Whatever your plans for the outdoors, on land or on the water, bring a bag to clean up and Leave No Trace.
