Recreation
Recreational and Social Use of Our Forests
Our forests offer great opportunities for recreation and public access. On 2 July 2009, the DARD Minister launched the Recreation and Social Use Strategy, which commits Forest Service to develop business partnerships with suitable public, private and voluntary sector providers to secure a more diverse range of facilities and attractions for visitors to our forests, to promote social use, recreation and tourism.
The Strategy also recognises the importance of tourism in enabling economic development and the potential contribution forests could make.
In practice, the Strategy is being implemented through five main areas:
- Forest Management Planning and Stakeholder engagement and participation
- Partnership working
- Promoting access and equality
- Contributing to Health and Education
- Enabling Economic Development
Since publication of the Recreation and Social Use Strategy, Forest Service has developed specific guidance on how it will approach the development of cycle and horse riding trails. This guidance describes the preference to work with partners and provides details of the operating principles under which a partnership approach might operate.
Related Links:
