A VITAL COMMUNITY RESOURCE
Filed under: Networks News Green Space & Conservation
Public parks and green spaces play a vital role in the environmental, social, cultural and economic life of the UK.
Parks account for 20 percent of the developed land area in the UK, with over half of the population making an estimated 2.5 billion visits each year. But despite their popularity, public parks and green spaces are in decline and are failing to play their proper role in contributing to the quality of the urban infrastructure and helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Their benefits of providing opportunities for nature conservation, encouraging a more diverse landscape, stimulating interest in the environment, mitigating the urban heat island effect, and providing valuable flood storage areas are recognised. But unfortunately there is a public perception that certain parks should be avoided due to anti-social behaviour and institutional neglect. This neglect is of serious concern and reflects badly on national and local governance.
CIWEM regrets the low priority that is attached to public parks and green spaces by Government and decision-makers. CIWEM believes that this is due to the absence of a dedicated national agency which could provide strategic support, advice and funding over a guaranteed timescale in the same way that public bodies do for sport, recreation and the arts.
Public parks and green spaces should be at the centre of policies for tackling climate change, urban renewal, sustainable development and social cohesion. The Government should recognise the importance of public parks by making specific reference to them in developing and assessing the spending plans of local authorities.
CIWEM
wishes to see a broad spectrum of stakeholders to be involved in the
maintenance in order to foster community stewardship; the reinstatement
of site-based staff; a dedicated professional body to encourage
continuing professional development; and strong partnerships between
organisations such as water companies, environment agencies and local
authorities. CIWEM would also like to see universal local authority
participation in the Green Flag Awards Scheme which would be used to
measure of the quality of green space provision throughout the UK.
Nick Reeves, CIWEM Executive Director says:
“Many
Government priorities for sustainable living and safer communities
depend on good quality, accessible green spaces. Public parks encourage
strong community identities through social interaction and have the
ability to foster public spiritedness. They are one of the few public
services that cut across social, financial, cultural and ethnic
barriers. They epitomise the concept of social inclusion. National,
regional and local government must take whatever actions are necessary
to improve the status, condition and resourcing of these essential
areas.”
For more information, contact Emily Doyle, CIWEM Press and Marketing Officer, on 020 7831 3110 or emily@ciwem.org .
See CIWEM’s Policy Position Statement on Public Parks and Green Spaces on www.ciwem.org/policy/policies/parks_new.asp
The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)
www.ciwem.org| Contact Person | Emily Doyle, CIWEM Press and Marketing Officer |
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| Contact Telephone | 020 7831 3110 |
| Contact email | emily@ciwem.org |
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