The National Landscape Forum 2026, themed 'Our Shared Landscape', will take place on 15 May at the Peace Campus in Monaghan Town, County Monaghan.

Organised by Landscape Alliance Ireland (LAI) in partnership with Monaghan County Council, the forum aims to deepen public understanding of shared built and natural heritage within Ireland's planning and development system, the EU EIA/SEA Directives, Ireland's National Landscape Strategy 2015 and the European Landscape Convention 2000.

Founded in 1995, LAI has hosted the forum 14 times, most recently in Waterford (2023), Tralee (2024) and Athlone (2025), featuring talks, debates, workshops and field trips. Proceedings were printed for five editions, with more recent outcomes shared digitally. LAI also organised the 3rd European Landscape Convention Workshops in Cork in 2005.

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LAI has launched a new website to share forum outputs and wider resources on landscape planning, management and protection as envisaged in the National Landscape Strategy 2015.

While retaining a broad brief to consider both local and national landscape matters, this year's focus will examine the challenges and values of shared landscapes and the role of democratic processes in addressing them.

The programme is expected to include presentations, workshops and a guided walking field trip in Monaghan Town on Friday 15 May. Additional activities under consideration include a longer County Monaghan field trip and workshop on Thursday 14 May, as well as an advance online workshop for planners, landscape practitioners and other relevant professionals and experts.

Attendees are anticipated from County Monaghan, neighbouring counties including those in Northern Ireland, and further afield.

Updates and registration details will be posted in the coming weeks at www.landscapeallianceireland.com.