Photo: Bridge Buncrana.
DR PETER DORAN
I met Dr Peter Doran when he was out canvassing during the run up to the elections. Peter is the Green Party’s local election candidate and works at the Dial Eireann as a researcher. Peter chips away behind the political scene to influence the attitudes of politions around the country to think more about healthy solutions to the countries economic and environmental problems. The list of issues that Peter is addressing for Inishowen has similarities to other parties, some of these are: Infrastructure, job creation, NoW DOC services and broadband, which I sort of understand, but I wanted a bit of clarification to two green party issues in particular that I was a bit confused about. One point he raises is Ecotourism and the other is sustainable development. Here is what Peter has to say on these issues……
ECO TOURISM
Ian: You say you support eco-tourism for Inishowen Peter, what exactly does that mean?
Peter: Eco tourism is essentially a tourism strategy based on protecting and exploiting the beauty and splendour of our natural heritage. We'd develop tourist accommodation in eco-buildings...encourage hotels and accommodation to supply locally grown food, some of it organic. Promote eco-tours of the peninsula perhaps on bicycle, with visitors stopping off at sites of historic and ecological interest and calling into hostelries on the route to hear story-tellers from the region recount the history of the peninsula for example.
Ian: So those tourists who come here because they like the natural environment and beauty of Inishowen would also appreciate other natural experiences such as home made locally grown food, cycling and experiencing local culture and crafts. Yes I can see how that would be a good niche market to develop.
Peter: Yes Ian, ecotourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the tourism market and attracts people with high spending power. The beauty of ecotourism is that it creates a positive feedback loop by encouraging local people to appreciate that there is an economic premium in valuing and protecting our natural heritage and controlling planning, lest it undermine the ecotourism industry.Ian: Yes, I see, because the tourists appreciate that the peninsula has not been over developed, it will be in the local interest to make sure Inishowen does not lose what makes it so special as a tourist attraction through bad planning.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Ian: So lets move on. What does sustainable development mean?
Peter: Sustainable development is generally an unhelpful word these days as it can mean all things to all people. Put simply it is about respecting the ability of the environment to absorb the impacts of our economic and other activities and making adjustments to our behavior and institutions. A traditional saying sums it up: 'Tread lightly upon the earth'. This applies to the economy, to industry, to communities and to ourselves....
Ian: So, it is thinking about the long term of what we do both as individuals and as a society?
Peter: Yes. For example, I have been working on local sustainable development (Local Agenda 21) issues in Derry and Donegal. This means promoting jobs through sustainable waste management and encouraging the zero waste economy that designs waste out of the production system.
Ian: That is a good challenge!
Peter: There are also community-owned renewable energy initiatives e.g. a proposed community owned wind farm in Quigley's Point, which I am very happy to be supporting.
Ian: Thanks for taking the time to talk to me Peter. I am sure you will have a positive effect on the well being of the Inishowen peninsula.
CONTACT DETAILS
To contact Peter please ring: 074 9383431
E-mail: pfdoran@hotmail.com
WEB: www.greens-in.org/inishowen/
Environmental.
No comments:
Post a Comment