Regenera Water Sport
The Regenera Water Sport project aims to enhance the sustainable and regenerative management of physical activity and practice of sports in freshwater areas and environments with a significant impact on them (blue space). The project is inspired by the concept of regenerative tourism, aiming to develop a methodology that not only support sports and activities to be more sustainable, but also actively contributing to the revitalisation of the environment.
About the project
The project aims to develop regenerative concepts involved around the sports and activities in blue spaces. An important premise is to work through a 5-helix multistakeholder governance model with collaboration between public authorities, sports clubs, tourism companies, civil society organisations and environmental organisations. The objective is to improve the sustainable management of sports practices and activities related to the blue spaces in four pilot sites. These pilot sites include Banyoles (Catalonia, Spain), Tampere (Finland), Bled (Slovenia) and Achill (Ireland). The project partnership includes six organisations from five European countries including Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, Finland and Belgium. Four of these organisations, Consell Esportiu del Pla de l’Estany, Ekokumppanit Oy, Veslaska Zveza Slovenije and Leave No Trace Ireland will simultaneously act as a pilot implementation site to test the effectiveness of the methodology developed by the academic partner Institut Nacional d’Educacio Fisica de Catalunya (Catalonia, Spain). Finally, a strategic partner Association of Cities and Regions for Sustainable Resource Management (Belgium) ensures the sustainability and transferability of the project.
The effects of the three-year project (2024-2026) are evaluated on two levels. First level includes the outcomes of the project pilot site actions in the short term, evaluating the population reached, the number of actors involved, and the number of regenerative practices implemented. These actions benefit the professionals, athletes, amateurs, tourists and researchers directly and the organisations involved are also trained on the multidimensional environmental impact of sports and physical activity on blue spaces. Second level includes the long-term impacts in terms of environmental and social impacts which are assessed based on carbon footprint, waste management, water use, biodiversity, social impact and stakeholder engagement indicators.
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Partners
Consell Esportiu del Pla de l’Estany (Catalonia, Spain)
Consell Esportiu del Pla de l’Estany (The Sports Council of Pla de l’Estany) is a social organization with the main goal of promoting physical activity and sport in the Pla de l’Estany region situating in Banyoles. To do so, the organization is strongly connected to other entities in the region such as councils, sport clubs, foundations, schools and many other public and private associations. Lake of Banyoles is famous as the location for the Barcelona Olympics 1992 and the World Rowing Championships in 2004. It is also a popular water sports training and activity location.
www.ceplaestany.cat
Ekokumppanit Oy (Finland)
Ekokumppanit Oy (EcoFellows Ltd.) is a not-for-profit organisation providing information, counseling, training and expert services in the Tampere region in Finland promoting a sustainable way life and business. The operations of the organisation are divided into several areas, consisting of outdoor life, sports & tourism, energy efficiency and circular economy. Sustainability is the principle ethos behind all the activities developed. Tampere situates in the Lakeland area of Finland providing multiple year-round opportunities for sports and activities in surrounding lake environments.
www.ekokumppanit.fi/en
Veslaska Zveza Slovenije (Slovenia)
Veslaska Zveza Slovenije (Rowing Slovenia) is the governing body for rowing in the Republic of Slovenia, and thus, member of Olympic Committee of Slovenia and World Rowing Federation. Rowing Slovenia’s two main objectives are competitive rowing and events organizing, with a very long and rich history in both. The Rowing Center at Lake Bled has hosted four World Rowing Championships, European Rowing Championships, World Rowing Junior Championships, European Rowing Championships and three World Rowing Masters Regattas. Lake Bled is a natural Alpine lake and is protected by local and national policy. Sustainability awareness and clean water policy are key focuses in all of the activities.
www.veslaska-zveza.si
Leave No Trace Ireland (Ireland)
Leave No Trace Ireland is Ireland’s only outdoor ethics programme, which promotes the responsible use of the outdoors. Through education, research and partnerships, Leave No Trace Ireland enables and supports individuals, communities, organisations and companies in reducing the environmental impact of outdoor activities. The mission is Empowering environmental stewardship and responsible recreation across the island of Ireland that is in harmony with our shared outdoor heritage. Through the education & training, national interagency public awareness campaigns, social media and website, Leave No Trace Ireland encourages, empowers and builds individuals’ confidence to play their part in protecting and caring for outdoor recreational spaces, countryside, and environment. All the work undertaken underpins the objectives of the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy.
www.leavenotraceireland.org
Institut Nacional d’Educacio Fisica de Catalunya (Catalonia, Spain)
Institut Nacional d’Educacio Fisica de Catalunya (The National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia) is an autonomous body of the Generalitat de Catalunya, attached to the Department of the Presidency, through the General Secretary of Sport. The Institut’s mission is the training, specialisation and improvement of graduates in physical education and sports, and also for scientific research and the dissemination of their work and studies. To fulfil this mission, they have three academic centers, in Barcelona, Lleida and La Seu. The three academic centers have a staff of teachers with recognized experience in the field of teaching and in the professional exercise of the different fields of physical education and sports.
www.inefc.gencat.cat/ca/inici
Association of Cities and Regions for Sustainable Resource Management (Belgium)
Association of Cities and Regions for Sustainable Resource Management is an international network of cities and regions sharing the aim of promoting a sustainable resource management and accelerating the transition towards a circular economy on their territories and beyond. To strengthen the knowledge and capacities of the network and push forward innovation in the field of material resource management, the organisation is also involved in several projects at European level and in the Mediterranean region, in cooperation with its members. Sustainable sport management is increasingly assuming a focal role, recognising the potential and advantages of sports to contribute to the overall mission of applying circular economy and environmental management principles in daily life.
www.acrplus.org/en
Resources
The Best Practices Catalogue
This material offers thematic sustainability principles and basic guidelines with best practices from different countries, events and organizations for everybody to learn from if you are arranging, organizing and governing a water ecosystem where different sports, events or recreational activities are taken place.
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