Green Flag awards

The Green Flag Award is the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales. The scheme began in 1996 as a means of recognising and rewarding the best green spaces in the country. It was also seen as a way of encouraging others to achieve the same high environmental standards, creating a benchmark of excellence in recreational green areas. Any free to enter public park or green space is eligible to apply for an Award. Although the scheme is owned by the Government through the Department for Communities and Local Government, it is managed by the Civic Trust,

Parks and green spaces are judged in April and May each year and the winners are announced in July. Parks must apply each year to keep their Green Flag Award, and winning sites are eligible to fly a Green Flag in the park for a year.

Green spaces which are managed by voluntary or community groups are eligible to apply for a Green Pennant Award and Green Flag Award winning sites over 30 years old may also apply for Green Heritage Site Accreditation. [ [http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.00100200800k00a006 English Heritage Website - Green Heritage Sites Microsite] ]

Award criteria

There are eight criteria which must be satisfied to win the Award. [ [http://www.greenflagaward.org.uk/award/default.asp?n=&sectionId=27&parentId=190&pageId=192 Green Flag Award Website - award criteria section] .] These include:

*A welcoming place
*Healthy, safe and secure
*Sustainability
*Clean and well maintained
*Conservation and heritage
*Community involvement
*Marketing; Management

Source: Civic Trust Website

References

External links

* [http://www.greenflagaward.org.uk/ Civic Trust Website - Green Flag Award Microsite]
* [http://www.communities.gov.uk/communities/sustainablecommunities/cleanersafergreener/parksurban/greenflag/ Department for Communities & Local Governemnt Website - Green Flag Award page]