RDP project database

In this Leader transnational cooperation (TNC) project Flemish and Polish LAGs involve a variety of stakeholders from their local communities to jointly elaborate and pilot a new concept for capitalising on their ecologically valuable landscapes.

Tielts Plateau (Roeselare, Belgium)

Three LAGs in a different setting and phase of development were looking for interesting ways to apply both the bottom-up approach and TNC to develop action plans promoting landscape conservation and tourism development. The involvement of different target groups of the local community, including public and private sectors, political stakeholders and other organisations and youth groups was seen as useful for cultural exchange and as a pre-condition for broadening the support base for the different actions to be agreed upon within in the frame of such type of project.

The objective is to elaborate of a tourism/recreational concept, with the Flemish Westhoek area being the pilot region, and the other partner areas sharing the benefit from the transfer of the jointly developed knowledge and expertise. More specifically, the partnership intends to jointly establish a high quality tourism offer, by capitalising on the ecologically valuable landscape of each region. This requires improved access to and the design, management and maintenance of existing and newly developed recreational infrastructure. Upon project completion, the partnership would like to realise an easy-access network for recreational use in regions with ecologically valuable landscapes.

A number of expert working meetings will help to get to know each other, to introduce the different features and to share the achievements of the partner regions to date. Joint evaluation of the work is expected to produce tips and tricks for solving common challenges. A joint conference in Poland (May 2013) will involve West-Flemish experts in tourism and public-private sector cooperation. An exchange visit programme for relevant organisations, youngsters and political stakeholders is underway.

Each region will tailor the joint results for integration into their tourism/recreational action plans. The Westhoek region agreed to run a pilot project over the duration of the project, aiming to optimise and achieve a high quality recreational offer, while paying attention to sustainable management and maintenance of resources. This will involve the development of infrastructures (including slow roads, green areas, heritage sites) and the establishment of an easy-access network on recreation among partners interested in shared promotion and communication. Knowledge exchange is also expected to deepen practical experience of LAGs and specific target groups (including the youth) with TNC.

The geographical distance between the LAG partners and the high number of actors involved make this a complex TNC project. LAG coordinator Pieter Santens highlights the communication and language skills required to manage such a project. He considers language in particular a time-consuming, but also very interesting challenge, and he adds: “During the preparatory phase LAG partners and their administrations were not always clear how to handle the project application process”.

More information (in Dutch) about related activities undertaken in the Tielts Plateau Leader area can be found at: https://www.detorenvalk.be/natuurbeheer-en-landschapszorg/leader/re-creation-of-the-landscape-wat-is-het-project Impressions (in Dutch) from a visit to Poland and more images are available at: https://www.detorenvalk.be/natuurbeheer-en-landschapszorg/leader/fotos-bezoek-polen-juli-2012

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Pieter Santens

Pieter.Santens@west-vlaanderen.be

+32 51 27 55 61

English, Dutch