Monaghan County Council has held the first meeting of its URBACT Local Group (ULG), marking an important milestone in the county’s participation in the European PARKS Transfer Network.
Following Monaghan’s recent selection as one of just four Irish local authorities to join new EU funded URBACT Transfer Networks, the inaugural meeting brought together a broad range of stakeholders, including Council staff, elected members, state agencies, Tidy Towns & Town Teams, businesses and environmental organisations.
The meeting was facilitated by Allen McAdam, Managing Director of MCA Consulting, and included presentations from Marc Coyle, Climate Action Coordinator with Monaghan County Council, outlining the objectives of the PARKS Transfer Network, progress to date and the next steps in developing the project locally.
The URBACT Local Group will play a central role in helping Monaghan adapt and apply the PARKS Good Practice developed by lead partner city Perugia, Italy. The project focuses on the shared governance and sustainable management of green spaces, while strengthening biodiversity, climate resilience and community participation in shaping local environments.
A key purpose of the group is to create a platform where stakeholders can work together to explore how the PARKS approach can be adapted to the Monaghan context. Through a collaborative process, members will identify local opportunities and challenges, help shape project activities and ensure that local priorities and expertise are reflected in the actions developed through the network.
The first meeting provided an opportunity for participants to learn more about the PARKS Transfer Network, discuss local opportunities and challenges, and begin identifying priorities that will help inform the project’s activities over the next 30 months.
Participants also heard about learning from the project’s initial exchange activities, including the visit of the URBACT Lead Expert and Lead Partner to Monaghan earlier this year, as well as a recent network meeting in Valongo, Portugal. These exchanges showcased innovative approaches to the management of green spaces, community engagement, biodiversity enhancement and climate resilience, providing valuable insights that can be adapted and applied locally.
Speaking following the meeting, Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council, Cllr Aidan Campbell, said:
“The URBACT Local Group is a key element of the PARKS project. It brings together a diverse range of voices and expertise from across the county to help shape the future of our green spaces and how we manage, enhance and activate them. With the Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District acting as the project’s pilot area, we have a real opportunity to work with communities, businesses and stakeholders to test new approaches and develop practical solutions that deliver benefits for biodiversity, climate resilience and local wellbeing. By working collaboratively, we can build on existing strengths and create greener, more resilient places for everyone.”
While the project centres on parks and green spaces, discussions highlighted how its themes extend across many areas of local government, including climate action, regeneration, planning, tourism, health and wellbeing, community development and biodiversity.
The Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District will act as a pilot area for the project, providing an opportunity to trial innovative approaches to the shared governance and management of green spaces. The URBACT Local Group will help guide and inform these pilot actions, ensuring that local knowledge, community aspirations and stakeholder expertise are at the heart of the project. The experiences and learning from the pilot area will help inform future approaches to green infrastructure, biodiversity enhancement and community participation across County Monaghan.
Nial O’Connor, Director of Services for Transportation, Environment & Climate Action, welcomed the establishment of the group and the collaborative approach being taken:
“The challenges and opportunities associated with climate adaptation and biodiversity require a joined-up approach. The URBACT Local Group provides an excellent forum for sharing knowledge, building partnerships and ensuring that learning from our European partners is translated into meaningful local action here in Monaghan. Through this project, we have an opportunity to build on the excellent work already taking place across our communities and develop new approaches that will enhance our green spaces for future generations.”
Over the coming months, the Local Group will contribute to the development of a Transferability Study and local action planning process, helping to shape how the PARKS model can support Monaghan’s ambitions for climate resilience, biodiversity enhancement, community wellbeing and community-led green infrastructure development.
Monaghan County Council looks forward to continuing to work with its European partners and local stakeholders to ensure that the benefits of the PARKS Transfer Network are realised locally and that the learning gained through the project helps create greener, healthier and more resilient communities across the county. Monaghan’s participation is being led by the Council’s Climate Action Unit, which secured the county’s place in the project and will coordinate delivery over the next 30 months. The project is part of the URBACT PARKS Transfer Network, a European collaboration on improving urban green spaces, with further information available at https://urbact.eu/networks/parks