Green Flags fly high at award-winning parks

They have just been given a Green Flag Award - the national award for public and community parks and green spaces.

The open spaces in St Albans and Harpenden are managed by St Albans City and District Council. They are among a record 1,424 UK parks and open spaces to receive a Green Flag Award this year.

The four parks and open spaces were presented with a Green Flag after impressing the scheme’s judges with their excellent use of green space, well-maintained facilities and high standard of safety and security.

The judges commended the work carried out to improve the open spaces through wildlife conservation and sustainable planting. For example, the re-introduction of grazing on heathland at Bricket Wood Common and the planting of wild and nectar rich flowers at Clarence Park.

The Green Flag scheme helps ensure that everyone has access to well-managed, high-quality green spaces that are important for health and leisure activities. 

Cllr Daniel Chichester-Miles, Portfolio Holder for Environment for St Albans City and District Council, said: ”This is the fifth year in a row that Clarence Park, Rothamsted Park and Sopwell Nunnery have won this award and the second for Bricket Wood. They are all very different, but each provides a wonderful environment for people to visit and enjoy. Sopwell Nunnery is the site of a scheduled ancient monument and a haven for wildlife, while Clarence Park, St Albans has a croquet lawn, bowling club, cricket square, bandstand and tree trail. Rothamsted Park in Harpenden covers 23 hectares and offers a wide range of sporting facilities while Bricket Wood is home to 27 different butterfly species. I am very proud that the quality of these sites and the work of council staff and contractors has again been recognised.”

Only green spaces that are free to enter and are open to the public are eligible to win an award through the Green Flag scheme which is run by environmental charities Keep Britain Tidy, TCV and GreenSpace through the Green Flag Plus Partnership. 

Paul Todd, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, said:”We are thrilled to announce yet another record-breaking year for Green Flag Awards and Green Spaces. A Green Flag award provides national recognition for the achievements of all those whose hard work and dedication has helped to create these fantastic places for all to enjoy.”

Details of all the award-winning sites can be found at www.greenflagaward.org.uk

Cllr Daniel Chichester-Miles

Portfolio Holder for Environment St Albans City and District Council

Tel: 01727 819281

Amanda Wilkinson, Media and Internal Communications Officer 

St Albans City and District Council 

Tel: 01727 819317 

E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk

www.stalbans.gov.uk

1. St Albans City and District Council is responsible for around 70 green spaces across the District, including Rothamsted Park in Harpenden and Sopwell Nunnery Green Space, Clarence Park and Bricket Wood Common in St Albans. More information about these green spaces is available on the Council's website.

2. The Green Flag Award Scheme is managed by a consortium, comprising Keep Britain Tidy, TCV and GreenSpace. Known collectively as the Green Flag Plus Partnership, the consortium manages the scheme in England on behalf of Communities and Local Government (CLG) and in Wales for the Welsh Steering Group. For more information visit the Green Flag Award website.

Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag status. 

The vision behind the Green Flag Award is that by 2020, 50 per cent of green spaces in England and Wales will be of Green Flag standard – the equivalent of 15,000 sites.

3. Keep Britain Tidy is an environmental charity and the anti-litter campaign for England. Keep Britain Tidy also runs programmes such as Eco-Schools, Blue Flag and Quality Coast Awards for beaches as well as the Green Flag Awards for parks.

4. GreenSpace is a charity which works to improve parks and green spaces by raising awareness, involving communities and developing the skills of professionals working in the sector. For more information visit the GreenSpace website.

5. TCV is a charity that encourages volunteers to improve their local environment by supporting conservation projects. More information about TCV is available on the charity's website.

Bricket Wood Hornbeam coppice area (above)

Clarence Park Wild and nectar rich flower planting (below)