MONA is dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism in natural landscapes. How? By advocating for a transition to more sustainable transport in nature areas, incorporating inclusive route planning and encouraging all park users to adopt sustainable practices.
Launched in 2023, MONA's mission is to promote sustainable tourism in and around nature areas in north-western Europe. This initiative benefits nature, the environment, visitors and local economies. The project achieves its goals by promoting modal shift, supporting sustainable transport, implementing inclusive route planning and encouraging both visitors and stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices.
Together, these approaches aim to effectively manage visitor flows, mitigate negative impacts on the local environment and improve inclusive access to nature reserves.
To achieve these ambitious goals MONA is implementing three pilots in eight nature areas. We will tell you more about Pilot B in this newsblog.
Pilot B: Modifying route networks and access points to improve visitor distribution and accessibility.
This pilot, led by VisitBrabant, Natuurmonumenten – National Park Veluwezoom, Tourism Province of Antwerp, focuses on the inventory of entry points and the (re)design of route networks.
Inventory of entry points: The pilot will assess existing and potential access points for walking networks, taking into account the impact on nature and local people. Accessibility for people with special needs will be analysed, with stakeholder engagement as a key component.
Inventory and (re)design of the route network: In parallel, the pilot will identify options for new or updated routes and networks, ensuring quality, managing visitor flows and protecting nature. Exploring the use of agricultural land and connecting urban areas with green areas will be part of this process.
Updating routes/networks: This activity involves concrete interventions to manage visitor flows, improve accessibility and reduce pressure on natural areas. Actions include the intelligent use of equipment to update and create new routes/entrances, connecting natural areas to route networks, and implementing marketing and communication materials. Two sites will focus on updating the walking network, while the third will focus on improving access points.