Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark invites public consultation

Cavan County Council and Fermanagh and Omagh District Councils are encouraging members of the public to get involved in a public consultation process currently being undertaken in relation to Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark.

The Councils, who are jointly responsible for overseeing the management of the Park, are consulting on the boundary of the Geopark and on new branding.

Commenting on the consultation, Cllr Bernice Swift, Chair of the Joint Operating Committee for the Geopark, said: “Cavan County Council and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council are keen to create a unique brand for the Geopark which reflects the history and geography of the area and reflects the values of the Geopark.

“We are especially keen to engage with all stakeholders across education, tourism, visitor engagement, local and regional businesses, to work together collectively to establish the wider region as a destination that has an aligned brand, and is joined up in its thinking and its approach. We are keen to make this consultation as inclusive as possible and to secure the public’s view on the Geopark, and the role of a new brand in capturing and reflecting the elements of the Geopark which are most important for us to consider when taking this brand development project forward.”

One of the interesting areas of the consultation process will be around determining the boundary of the Geopark: “We are very keen to agree a boundary for the Geopark during this time. This is a significant opportunity for the local area to position itself as a tourism, conservation, and business asset, and to create a brand which encompasses the values and mission of our Geopark.”

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, the brand and boundary consultation will be undertaken through an online survey, and a small number of online meetings in the weeks ahead.

The Councils are currently unable to undertake face to face consultations, so the survey findings will be very important in informing the development of a new brand for the Geopark and agreeing the final boundary. You can participate in the brand and boundary survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/macuggeopark.

The survey only takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The online survey consultation closes on Sunday November 15. Both local authorities welcome public input.

"We will of course keep you up-to-date as the consultation progresses and we hope to bring a smaller gathering of key stakeholders together online as part of a more detailed engagement to inform both the brand and boundary development in November," Cllr Swift said.

If you would like to be involved in these online consultations which will take no longer than 1 hour, please register your interest by contacting info@macklecommunications.com by Friday, November 13 2020. (Numbers will be limited to 20 per online group consultation, over two dates on a first come, first served basis.) Participants are asked to indicate if they wish to participate in the BRAND and/or BOUNDARY consultation.