MOPARK is one of several projects in the North Sea Programme, which will close during the course of 2006. Eight partners have been involved and the total budget amounted to € 5.6 million. The project ran from 2003-2006 and its final conference was held in Leeuwarden on 29-30 June.

MOPARK is a project about sustainable development in national park areas in the North Sea region and promote the use of environmental techniques to reduce pressure by high traffic volumes in such areas.

Making national park areas better known
The MOPARK project aims to make national parks in the region better known and more accessible to the general public.

The tourism industry is heavily involved in the work. The aim of the project has been to raise the income of national parks by increasing the numbers of visiting tourists whilst protecting the natural assets. This has been achieved by applying modern technologies including transport, information and telecommunication when promoting the national parks.

"It is important to involve entrepreneurs and to invite them to become part of the project", said Peter Byman, politician from the Province of Fryslân.

At the Joint MOPARK and Water City International II Final Conference in Leeuwarden, on 29-30 June, the work and results of the two projects were discussed in different sessions and workshops. The participants split into two main groups after the initial joint plenary. Read WCI-II news story here.

Into framework of tourism planning
The MOPARK session highlighted their main achievements, such as integrating national parks into the common framework of tourism planning. Issues such as achieving a higher degree of accessibility for disabled persons and giving school children the opportunity to explore and to learn more about the importance of national parks, were emphasised during the MOPARK workshops.

Read more about the MOPARK project here.