Dudley Council parks and green spaces get Green Flag status
In a record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award, awards have been given to seven of the borough’s parks, nature reserves and allotments.
Buffery Park, Huntingtree Park, Mary Stevens Park, Priory Park, the Leasowes, Saltwells National Nature Reserve and Wren’s Nest National Nature Reserve all achieved Green Flag status. The award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.
Mary Stevens Park and Priory Park have also achieved the much-coveted Green Heritage Site Accreditation, supported by Historic England, for the management of its historic features. Finally, Abbey Road allotment scored in the category of Community Award Winners.
It was the first time Saltwells National Nature Reserve took a Green Flag.
Councillor Karen Shakespeare, cabinet member for public realm, said:
Our parks and green spaces have played a vital part in ensuring our residents have a safe place to relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely not only through lockdown but also as life starts to get back to normal.
The news that so many of our parks and green spaces have achieved the Green Flag Award is testament to the hard work and dedication of our wonderful teams, friends groups and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make our green spaces a great place everyone can enjoy.
Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd said:
I would like to congratulate everyone involved. 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 Dudley borough has high standards of horticulture, safety and environmental management and is a place that supports 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.
In celebration of this year’s announcement, Green Flag Award is asking buildings and monuments around the UK to #GoGreenForParks today to show appreciation for the spaces that mean so much to people.
A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available online.