London's Royal Parks retain prestigious Green Flag Award
London’s Royal Parks have been recognised as among the best in the UK, after they retained their Green Flag awards - the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.
The Royal Parks charity manages London’s eight Royal Parks along with other important green spaces in the capital. Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Richmond Park, Bushy Park, The Green Park, St James’s Park and The Regent’s Park all have the award together with Brompton Cemetery.
They were all scored exceptionally well this year, with Brompton Cemetery receiving the highest award of those inspected, receiving very positive feedback from the judge.
All sites also achieved the much-coveted Green Heritage Site Accreditation, supported by Historic England, for the management of its historic features.
Over the last 18 months, parks and green spaces have played a vital role for people through lockdowns as a place to relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely. This award recognises the hard work and dedication of The Royal Parks’ teams who make these iconic green spaces beautiful, welcoming spaces that everyone can enjoy for free, to boost physical and mental wellbeing and discover the natural world on their doorstep.
Nicholas Petridis, The Royal Parks’ Landscape Management Officer, said:
“The award brings with it a vast amount of prestige. It is an excellent example of community achievement and provides our park management teams with a great sense of pride.”
In a record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award, as the scheme marks its Silver Jubilee, the parks are among 2,127 celebrating success today.
The Royal Parks joins parks and green spaces as diverse as the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, Woodhouse Park in Peterlee and Chiswick Old Cemetery in London.
Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd said:
“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making all these wonderful Royal Parks and Brompton Cemetery worthy of a Green Flag Award.
“To meet the requirements demanded by the scheme is testament to the hard work of the staff and volunteers who do so much to ensure that the parks have high standards of horticulture, safety and environmental management and are places that support people to live healthy lives.”
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here
Further reading
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London's Royal Parks
Find out about the eight Royal Parks in London.
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The Royal Parks charity
Our vision, purpose and information about the work we do to care for the parks
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