First Phase of the Interreg project covers 5 semesters and is dedicated to inter-regional learning based on the exchange of experiences and study visits that serve as inspiration to improve the policies of the territories represented in the project, through the Action Plans (APs). These APs are the essential result of the project.
The AP is a document providing details on how the lessons learnt and exchange of experience from the interregional cooperation will be exploited in order to improve the regional policy instruments. The Action Plan specifies the nature of the actions to be implemented, their time frame, stakeholders involved, the cost, and funding sources.
In the case of OurWay, the good practices and, subsequently, the APs, have been aimed at learning about good practices that allow improvements in Preservation and promotion of cultural and natural heritage through GreenWAYs regarding :
- Governance
- Promotion
- Funding
The Action Plans prepared by the six territories involved in the project include actions in all the above-mentioned areas. The proposed Action Plans are linked to the partners’ competences, capacity for action, and/or their capacity to influence stakeholders with whom they have been collaborating throughout the process, that will carried out some of the proposed actions, as well as their commitment and interest.
The Region of Murcia leads the OurWay project. The Action Plan of the Greenways in the Region of Murcia is aimed at promoting and improving the quality of the services offered in the surroundings of the greenways. It will include different types of actions (information in different languages, new web contents, direct marketing, brochures…). The lead partner has also been strongly working on a proposal for a pilot plan, which has been recently approved. It is a very innovative an challenging action, since it will be the first experience at Spanish level. We wish the best implementation to this ambitious pilot project.
Ireland’s partner, Northern and Western Regional Assembly, will undertake a number of actions that will result in strategic changes to its spatial planning policy and improved governance. In particular, the AP foresees to integrate greenways into regional planning documents and to set up a regional forum for the development of greenways planning and funding. Another action integrated in its AP aims to encourage the development and promotion of greenways by making a recommendation to local authorities to include a plan or strategy for the development and funding of greenways in the new County & City Development Plans.
The Polish region of Podkarpackie has proposed a particularly ambitious Action Plan, which includes the implementation of a region-wide, coordinated and stakeholder-involved cycling policy.
In Hungary, the partner Hajdú-Bihar County Government, has proposed the realisation of a “Hike in Hadjú-Bihar” Programme, involving stakeholders (municipalities, suppliers, accommodations…). It will integrate the many singular natural, cultural and landscape values along the county section of the national long distance trail in Hungary “Alföld Blue Trail”. In addition to the routes it will include the formulation of the framework and the content of a reward system for walkers who finish the trail, as a way of promoting the trails and the local services (accommodation, restaurants, …) located in their surroundings.
The Bulgarian partners, Vratsa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, have worked very intensively with the stakeholder group, in particular with the active participation of the representatives of the Vrachanski Balka Nature Park during all the period.
The Action Plan of the French partner, L’Herault, will focus on the promotion of the green network and greenway under a project called “Discovering the Herault roaming”.
The partners from Poland and Bulgaria presented their plans to the Stakeholders last February. EGWA participated in these on-line events with a presentation on Greenways routes in Europe: their importance and role in preserving and promoting cultural and natural heritage. The objective was to raise awareness of the importance of greenways for the promotion of cultural and natural values of the territories, encouraging partners to implement their action plans and to integrate the great values they have in their territories when planning and promoting their itineraries, for the benefit of their territories and Europe as a whole.
