EDITOR'S BLOG
WINTER THOUGHTS
It's been a difficult year
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR
 
Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

Coming off the back off a challenging season we are now moving into a crucial period of maintenance for turf professionals.

 


This week’s blog is really just a thank you to everybody for supporting TurfPro and taking the time to read our weekly Briefing. I have very much enjoyed writing the weekly blogs - there is always something interesting to say about our diverse industry. This edition will be the last one until the new year, so on behalf of TurfPro, I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and prosperous new year.


I’m looking forward to chronicling the season throughout 2019 – and as ever I am always on the lookout for any interesting technical articles which any of our readers would like to submit. So please if you have something to say on a fascinating turf industry subject, drop me a line at laurence@turfpro.co.uk.


I'll leave you with some thoughts and reflections of 2018, starting with perhaps the most challenging aspect of your job, dealing with the weather. It has certainly been difficult coming out of a cold and wet prolonged winter, straight into a dry and windy April - followed by four months of the hottest weather on record. Not a good year for selling mowing machinery and fertiliser products.


Our two main industry shows (IOG & BIGGA) again enabled us the opportunity to see the latest industry developments and innovation in machinery, products and services along with the opportunity to network and meet fellow professionals. I also enjoyed attending a number of conferences namely the Amenity Forum, STRI Science Live and the Service Dealer Conference.

 


However, on the sporting front we have had a number of successes, notably the FIFA World Cup held in Russia, with many British companies involved in the preparation and maintenance of the pitches and the fact that England performed better than expected.

 


In July Neil Stubley and his team of groundstaff prepared the immaculate Wimbledon courts and had the job of maintaining them through one of the hottest championships weeks of the year.


We also held this year’s golf Open Championship at Carnoustie. Another great effort by the greenkeeping team to produce an excellent playing experience for all those who competed.


Also, hats off to all the companies and suppliers involved in this year’s Ryder Cup in France - again another successful win for the European team.


As for cricket, it was a very challenging time for all the groundsmen who had to prepare a series of wickets for this year’s round international matches. And while on the subject of cricket I would like to congratulate Karl Mcdermott on his appointment at Lord’s. Looking forward to visiting you in the new year, Karl.

 



I personally enjoyed the autumn series of rugby internationals with all UK teams playing some great rugby on excellent playing surfaces. I was privileged to take the opportunity to visit Twickenham and meet up with Keith Kent and his team as part of my new role of Volunteer Pitch Advisor (AVP) for the Midlands as parts of the Groundsmen Connect programme.

 



As ever at Christmas it is a very busy period for the football groundsmen, having to prepare and repair playing surfaces at the coldest / wettest time of the year.
All in all, it has been a challenging year for all who work in this unique and diverse industry. It is often these challenges and high expectations that attracts us to this industry. No two years are ever the same, with every day a test to our commitment and skills to produce the best playing surfaces we can with the resources we have at our disposal.
While on the subject of the weather, we will no doubt during the winter months have to deal with some snow and icy conditions. Turf is especially prone to damage when it is frozen and when the ground is thawing. Normal practice is to keep off the playing surface during these conditions and wait until the ground has completely thawed, which is often not until mid-morning and, in extreme cold snaps, not at all.

 



Frost on the grass leaf tells us that the water inside the leaves is frozen. Remember that approximately 80% of plant tissue is made up of water. When this water is frozen, foot traffic on the turf causes the ice crystals in the cells to puncture through the plant's cell walls, thereby killing plant tissue.


When frozen, the leaves of the turf get easily bruised by foot traffic. After thawing, the affected turf turns black or brown and becomes sparse. The turf can often remain thin for long periods if damage occurs early in the winter. The fine turf on golf / bowling greens becomes more susceptible to disease and the playing surface can become uneven.
More long-term damage can be caused when play takes place as the turf is thawing after a prolonged freeze. Under these conditions, the top surface of the turf may be soft, but the underlying soil can still be frozen.


Most top end (professional / semi-professional) sports facilities have the ability to protect their playing surfaces with the use of undersoil heating systems, lighting rigs or frost covers. However, the rest are left with living with the consequences of the weather.


Most sports facilities should ideally have a frost and snow policy in place to help ensure player safety, whereby several contingencies are put in place to reduce frost damage and allow sport to be played during frosty conditions.


The sports facility should be inspected every morning by the groundsstaff, who then make a judgement on whether the surface is playable, depending on the severity of the frost. Most often the decision to postpone a match is often left to the referee.


As for most golf courses, to help cope with the wintery conditions, winter tee mats, are brought out for the winter period with temporary green areas mown out and introduced for winter play - often on the approaches, but also dedicated areas that have been set aside and managed, of sorts, ahead of winter. The best policy is for the club to inform golfers of the reasons why greens need to be taken out of play and, in extreme frosts, why the course needs to be closed.


Tree or woodland lined courses are more at risk to a prolonged white frost than those out in the open and free of any shade or restricted air movement. A continuous frost occurs at consistently lower temperatures and directly freezes the leaves of the plant. It is not as visible, but the risk of damage can be more severe since the entire leaf blade can rupture under the weight of traffic.
The other main issue is when the ground starts to thaw. Here, the surface becomes soft, wet and, sometimes, temporarily flooded since the underlying soil remains frozen and impervious to drainage. The grass plant is at severe risk at this stage due to the possibility of damage caused by the 'shearing' of the roots / stem, caused by the movement of foot traffic over a solid sub-surface. Fortunately, this condition seldom lasts for more than 24 to 48 hours within the UK.

NEWS
IOG RECOMMEND 2.5% PAY RISE
For grounds staff
 
IOG recommend 2.5% pay rise

Institute say the recommendations have been made against a backdrop of economic uncertainty over the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, which is likely to impact growth.

 


The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is recommending a 2.5 per cent increase in grounds staff’s national minimum salary bands for 2019.

 

 

The IOG say the recommendations have been made against a backdrop of economic uncertainty over the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, which is likely to impact growth; GDP growth is expected to be low in the medium term, with 1.6% the forecasted figure for 2019, and it is not expected to rise above this level until after 2023.

 

The suggested rise sits between CPIH (Consumer Price Inflation including owner-occupier’s housing costs) inflation of 2.2% and the 2.9% increase in the voluntary living wage. As a result, it should take account of any increase in the cost of living and should ensure that grounds staff pay rates remain competitive.

 

The IOG recommended national basic salary bands for 2019 are:

  • Grounds manager - £34,782-£55,431
  • Head groundsperson - £30,517-£41,885
  • Deputy head groundsperson/sole charge - £24,967-£31865
  • Groundsperson (skilled) - £23,348-£29,785
  • Groundsperson - £18,706-£23,863
  • Junior groundsperson - £15,905 (Age 17)
  • Junior groundsperson - £13,208 (Age 16).

These bands reflect minimum recommended basic salary payment and are based on a 37.5-hour week. Bonuses, overtime and subsistence payments have not been included and are therefore additional.

 

Importantly, the bottom of the scale for groundsperson (£18,250 for 2018) is already above the current UK-wide living wage rate. The recommended minimum pay rate for a groundsperson in London should be set at £21,000 (Outer) and £22,500 (Inner) to ensure everyone receives at least a living wage.

 

The IOG also encourages all employers to become accredited living wage employers and to make this explicit in their recruitment and employment offers.

 

In addition, a 5% increase to at least £575 per annum (compared to £550 in last year’s recommendations) should be paid to everyone - not just to junior posts as in the past - for the successful completion of IOG qualifications. This, says the IOG, will encourage an ongoing focus on training and professional development.

 

Given the current climate of economic and political uncertainty and on-going fiscal restraint, the IOG says it is of critical importance to job satisfaction levels that employers ensure they are meeting their obligations in ensuring fair payment for overtime worked and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This should be done in partnership with employees with agreements reached about the balance between overtime pay, time off in lieu and flexible working.

 

In addition to this survey, IOG chief executive Geoff Webb says the IOG will be commissioning a separate body of research to look at salary scales in elite, global sports stadia.

“While the IOG’s suggested salary scales have progressively improved over the last decade, it is recognised that the roles and salaries of those working at sports stadia across the UK require further review and analysis,” he comments. “This will be undertaken within separate, ongoing IOG Industry Research and the results will be presented at SALTEX 2019.”

STATEMENT ON LOSS OF PROPICONAZOLE
Issued by Amenity Forum
 
Banner Maxx II is a product which contains propiconazole

Following the EU Commission announcing its decision not to renew the approval for the fungicide active ingredient, propiconazole, The Amenity Forum voice concern.

 

 


The EU Commission has announced its decision not to renew the approval for the fungicide active ingredient, propiconazole.

 

As a result, all products containing propiconazole for any market, including turf management, will be withdrawn from sale over the coming months. Approval was not renewed because it failed the cut off criteria given its classification linked to the potential to give rise to groundwater metabolites above permitted levels. There were also various areas stated as of some concern although not as it is understood finalised. It will impact significantly on control in grassland, particularly given the earlier loss of iprodione, but the UK Government supported non-renewal.


The date set for final sale of products containing the active is 19th June 2019 in the UK.

 

The Amenity Forum say they recognise the concerns that result from this decision. In a statement they said, "The continuing loss of activevingredients in the amenity market means that the quality of our sportsturf and amenity spaces is likely to suffer. In this particular case, the loss of any fungicide active is a concern in terms of loss of quality and range of tools for sportsturf managers to avoid current and potential disease resistance in the future.


"Integrated approaches to weed, pest and disease management are our priority but this needs to be based upon the widest options of non-chemical and chemical approaches, implemented by professionals fully supportive of the Amenity Forum and its commitment to best practice and to producing amenity spaces which are safe and healthy environments, fit for purpose."

 

The official response continued, "The loss of this active does significantly reduce the sector’s options with the further loss of formulated products. This revocation in effect means that we have lost a multisite active ingredient which reduces further the number of modes of action we have available in the amenity sector."

CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO DELIVER FOR PARKS & GREEN SPACES
From The Land Trust's chief exec
 
Green space

Euan Hall has called on the government to deliver on its commitments in their 25 year environmental plan as the national land management charity publishes its 2017-18 annual report.

 


Land Trust chief executive, Euan Hall, has called on the government to deliver on its commitments in their 25 year environmental plan as the national land management charity publishes its 2017-18 annual report.

 

 

As the Land Trust looks back on a year which has seen 1.3 million people spend time on Land Trust spaces, 40,000 volunteer hours completed and 13,200 individuals taking part in educational and training activities, the Trust is now turning its attention to areas such as the environment.

 

Hall, said, “As the 15th anniversary of the Land Trust rapidly approaches it is incredible to see how far we have come and how many people’s lives we are positively affecting.

 

“We are an organisation with big ambitions and we recognise that we now have an opportunity to help tackle some of the biggest issues currently being faced by our country.

 

“It’s great to see the government taking the lead in creating a long term plan for protecting and enhancing the UK’s precious environment. It makes good economic sense and it’s also vital for public health and well-being, both physically and mentally.

 

“All government departments need to play their part in creating good quality, healthy places for living and leisure, particularly in urban areas. We urge them to provide clear investment frameworks for the creation, enhancement and long term maintenance of green spaces and green infrastructure fit for the 21st century.”

 

The Land Trust owns 64 parks and green spaces throughout the UK, which they say are managed in a way that benefits the surrounding environment and wildlife.

 

The value of green spaces to the environment cannot be overestimated. Not only do the Land Trust’s parks, nature reserves and urban spaces create places for nature to flourish, but equally provide vital mitigation against flooding and pollution, protecting communities as well as wildlife.

 

The charity’s work allows them to conserve and protect these areas while building resilience and creating places for communities and nature to enjoy for the long term.

 

During 2017-18 the Land Trust has run 129 BioBlitz events across their sites to enable them to monitor and protect species and work with communities to unlock their understanding of the natural environment and the species they live alongside.

KARL MCDERMOTT BEGINS LORD'S ROLE
New head groundsman
 
Karl McDermott pictured on the Lord's website after starting his role at the Home Of Cricket this month

Karl has started at the Home Of Cricket this month and is working alongside Mick Hunt until the end of the month when he officially retires from the role after 49 seasons.

 


Lord's has announced that Karl McDermott who has joined Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) from Hampshire County Cricket Club has started his new role this month, replacing Mick Hunt, who is retiring from the role after 49 seasons.

 

Karl McDermott pictured on the Lord's website

 

The pair will work alongside each other for a month before Hunt officially retires from the role at the end of the year, as Lord’s prepares for a busy summer of international and domestic cricket.

 

There will be five ICC Cricket World Cup matches, including the Final, and Ireland’s inaugural Test Match at the Home of Cricket before England take on Australia as part of the Ashes Series.

 

Karl is quoted on Lord's website saying, “I am very excited about my new role and I am already looking forward to a busy and challenging season in 2019.

 

“Being Mick’s successor is a huge honour, and I aim to keep the extremely high standards that he has set at Lord’s during his long and distinguished career.”

 

Karl spent seventeen years at Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin before taking up the role of deputy head groundsman at the Ageas Bowl in 2009, ahead of the ground’s inaugural Test Match in 2011.

 

He became head groundsman at Hampshire in 2016 and twelve months later, presided over England’s victory over India, the third Test Match to be held at the Ageas Bowl.

BALMERS GM BECOME BIGGA EDUCATION SUPPORTER
Helping greenkeepers across the north
 
Balmers GM

Dealership will support the members of the association and the wider greenkeeping industry and provide a number of educational opportunities across the north of England.

 


The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has announced that Balmers GM has become an Education Supporter of the association.

 

 

Balmers GM has been established in the turf machinery industry since 1979. Nearly 40 years later and the company has depots in Burnley, Lancashire and a second depot in Wakefield, serving the West and South Yorkshire areas.

 

In becoming a BIGGA Education Supporter, Balmers GM will support the members of the association and the wider greenkeeping industry and provide a number of educational opportunities across the north of England through the BIGGA framework.

 

In addition to John Deere’s full line of professional and domestic turf equipment, Balmers GM supplies and services machinery from other manufacturers, including Etesia, GreenMech, Scag, Stihl, Weidenmann and GKB.

 

The dealership employs approximately 50 people across all departments, providing new and used equipment sales, service, parts and commercial hire to a wide range of customers including golf and sports clubs, local authorities, contractors, the leisure industry, equestrian centres and smallholders.

 

 

In addition, Balmers GM maintains one of the country’s largest stocks of used commercial machinery, delivering to both national and international customers.

 

Lauren Frazer, BIGGA business development manager, said, “Balmers GM has a fantastic reputation across the north of England and we’re delighted that the company has come on board as an education supporter for the association.

 

“The growing number of companies signing up to support BIGGA shows how respected our members are in the wider industry. BIGGA members are leading the way when it comes to innovation, technology and embracing new ideas out on the golf course and it is brilliant that Balmers GM and our other Education Supporters are keen to be a part of that success.

 

“Thank you to Balmers GM for your valuable support of BIGGA members. BIGGA is hugely grateful to all Partners and Education supporters - and the many individual contributors - as the funding they provide goes a long way to underpinning our Continuing Professional Development programme and all educational activity.”

RT MACHINERY HELP MONGOLIAN CRICKET
Donate gang mower
 
Richard Taylor md of RT Machinery (centre) with Andy and Steve from the dealership with the gang mower ready for shipping to Mongolia

Dealership gifts kit to Mongolian Cricket Association for use on country's only grass pitch, which is used by schools and orphanages.

 


RT Machinery the professional turfcare machinery dealers based in Aylesbury say they recently received an enquiry for a good value gang mower to cut the grass on a cricket field in a quite unusual location.

 

The Mongolian Cricket Association (MCA) were looking for a machine to cut the only real grass cricket pitch in Mongolia, a pitch that is the focal point of the sport in a brand new cricketing nation.

 

Richard Taylor md of RT Machinery (centre) with Andy and Steve from the dealership with the gang mower ready for shipping to Mongolia

 

The MCA provides year round coaching and kit to state schools and orphanages, focusing on the difficult areas of Ulaanbaatar where around half of the city’s 1.5m population live in informal 'ger districts' on the edge of town. A large proportion of these have no access to mains water, heating or sewage.

 

Great social inequality exists there and the MCA want to create a community where sport is the common denominator and where friendships can be made irrespective of wealth or social standing. Now coaching 250 kids a week from 10 different schools, 40% of which are girls and young women, they are well on the way to achieving their mission.

 

Mongolian kids cricket team

 

“I was very touched by the work they do and in particular how they raised the USD 50K to build that first pitch in 2016”, said Richard Taylor, md of RT Machinery. “It just felt like the right thing to do to ship them one of our Junior Tow 'n Mow gang mowers, together with a few spare cylinders, with our compliments, as our way of helping them further with their mission. It’s not often you can do something that has such wide-reaching benefits.”

 

Battulga Gombo, or Tulga as he is better known, is the heart of cricket in Mongolia and the association's head. He says, “It has been a long path for the association to get to where we have in terms of funding. Firstly was the fundraising for the pitch itself, then the nets and concrete, then the containers and the pavilion. The last item on the list of big expenses was for a mower.

 

Coach Davaa cutting the pitch

 

“As a small NGO, the mower is for us a large piece of capital equipment, and we expected that we would not be able to save up enough to buy one for at least another year. To receive it as a gift from so far away by people that have not come and seen the kids starting out in cricket and having fun, demonstrates an extremely kind, generous and outward looking attitude.

 

“Now all efforts, both fundraising and energy, can go towards coaching the kids and building participation, in particular introducing the sport to the secondary school system, as requested by the Minister for Education! We have a long way to go, so if you would like to get involved, please contact us on the 'Cricket Mongolia' Facebook page.“

COMPACTS COMBAT THE COLD
Tayside Contracts adds to fleet
 
One of Tayside Contracts’ new John Deere 2026R compact tractors in its corporate livery of yellow and blue

Tayside Contracts has added seven new John Deere 2026R compact tractors to its existing fleet, supplied by local dealer Double A based at Cupar in Fife.

 


After successfully dealing with last winter’s heavy snow across the Tayside area of Scotland, Tayside Contracts has added seven new John Deere 2026R compact tractors to its existing fleet, supplied by local dealer Double A based at Cupar in Fife.

 

One of Tayside Contracts’ new John Deere 2026R compact tractors in its corporate livery of yellow and blue

 

The ‘footpath gritter’ tractors, as they are known, are chiefly used for winter maintenance of public footpaths. For this task they are equipped with industrial tyres, a 54in front blade and Kuhn 360-litre rear-mounted spreaders. These feature one of three hopper types suitable for spreading salt or brine or spraying fine salt, to combat frost and ice. They are also specified with fully heated John Deere cabs, which incorporate a demister – vital for efficient and weatherproof operation on cold winter mornings.

 

Tayside Contracts is a commercially based local authority contracting organisation providing catering, cleaning, roads and winter maintenance plus vehicle maintenance to the councils of Angus, Dundee City and Perth & Kinross. It reports to a joint committee representing the three councils and has an annual turnover of around £70m.

 

Tayside Contracts Construction Division, within which the transport unit sits, is the largest civil engineering construction organisation in this area of Scotland, employing over 400 people and with a turnover of almost £40m.

 

Purchasing decisions are based on an established tender process using the Scotland Excel collaborative procurement framework, which is designed specifically for the local government sector. This service is funded by Scotland’s 32 local authorities and is designed to ensure the sustainable delivery of the services that the community needs, while also helping councils meet the twin challenges of reducing budgets at a time of growing demand.

 

Transport services manager Bob Ritchie is responsible for overseeing the purchase and operation of the compact tractor fleet. This currently numbers 65 in total, including 40 John Deere models that also include the 2026R’s predecessors, the 2025R and 2320. Unusually for John Deere machines, they sport Tayside Contracts’ corporate colours of golden yellow and aircraft blue, and the latest models have been supplied with a three-year warranty.

 

“We have been buying compact tractors from Sandy Armit at Double A since 2012,” says Bob Ritchie. “The evaluation process is based on a 70/30 cost/quality equation, which means the lowest cost equipment doesn’t necessarily make the best choice - our experience of John Deere machines and the Double A dealer service that supports them has proved over time that we get tractors that do the job they are required to do reliably and efficiently, and work well in the conditions that they are faced with each winter.”

 

Tayside Contracts carries out all its own maintenance in three workshops based in each council area’s larger towns, so around 20 or so tractors are normally kept at these ready to go out over the winter when required. The councils dictate when this should be, usually based on when gritters are being used on the roads and the weather forecast is for ice to form on pavements.

 

“Typically we run the tractors up to around 200 hours a year depending on the winter conditions, but we’ve known years when this figure can be as low as 50 hours per machine in a mild winter,” says Bob Ritchie. “This can also depend on the routes the tractors take and the windows available for the work to be done. As with the road gritter crews, we try to focus on schools, main routes and public areas where you can have the biggest impact.

 

“GPS is used on every tractor to give us essential information, basically where they’ve been, what they’ve done and what speeds they’ve been working at. Being able to react quickly to public concerns is also very important – we’re now developing a live website that will show exactly where the tractors have been working, which will hopefully help to address these issues.”

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PREVIOUS FEATURES
TURFPRO FEATURE ARCHIVE
Find our previous features here
 
TurfPro Feature Archive

SANDS OF TIME
Sand-based pitches are now the norm in professional sports

 

WHY DO WE DO THE RIGHT THING?
We must maintain industry standards

 

CHASING GRASS PERFECTION?
11 things you need to know . . .

 

MAINTAINING STANDARDS
Q&A with BASIS ceo, Stephen Jacobs

 

STRI RESEARCH DAY 2018
Hosted at research trial grounds in Bingley

 

THE MECHANIC
Leicester City FC invest in new role

 

LORD'S 'GRASS-GUVNOR' TO RETIRE
Mick Hunt bows out after 49 years

 

HOLLOW CORING & DEEP SCARIFICATION
Is it really necessary?


EDITOR'S BLOG ARCHIVE
Catch up with Laurence Gale's recent blogs
 
TurfPro editor, Laurence Gale

Want to catch up with one of editor Laurence Gale's blogs? Here is the place to do so.

 


RECRUITMENT & RETENTION CRISIS
The industry needs to attract the next generation

 

HEDGE FUNDING
Now is the time to start planting trees and hedges

 

FUTURE PROOFING
Recognising the value of our public green spaces

 

BLOWING IN THE WIND
The value of leaf blowers

 

DUTY OF CARE
Keeping up to date with training

 

AN OPTIMISTIC SALTEX
Innovation was the buzzword

 

SHOW TIME
A celebration of our industry

 

ARTIFICIAL WORRIES
Injuries and infections in the news

 

CHANGE, CHALLENGE & OPPORTUNITY
At the Amenity Forum Conference

 

PARKS IN DEEP MIRE
Problem highlighted by national newspaper

 

RYDER CUP GLORY
Dedicated greenkeepers shine in Paris

 

DREAMS COME TRUE!
Dedication pays off

 

REASONS TO BE GLEEFUL
Trade show illustrates diversity of our industry

 

INTEGRATED USE OF PESTICIDE PRODUCTS
Following good practice

 

UNDERSTANDING YOUR SOIL
Challenging conditions this year

 

THE SHOWS MUST GO ON
Our main industry events are a must visit

 

CRICKET RENOVATIONS
Plan and prepare early

 

CRISIS FOR GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL PITCHES
And the selling of Wembley Stadium

 

GREEN NOSE DAY
Highlighting the work of turf professionals

 

SUMMER CHALLENGES
Difficult time for our whole industry

 

WORLD CUP MANIA
Every pitch stood up to the demands

 

RAISING THE FLAG
In praise of the The Green Flag Award® scheme

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FEATURES
VALUATION IN PRACTICE
Of parks and green spaces
by Alison McCann, Fields In Trust, policy manager
 
Valuation in practice

Fields In Trust are attempting to present a compelling business case that argues for parks and green spaces to be revalued.

 


Always on the lookout for interesting features, having recently read Alison McCann's blog about the work being conducted by Fields In Trust and how important parks and open spaces need to be valued, I thought it would be well worth publishing in our Briefing

.
As an ex parks manager and current Greenflag Judge it always good to promote the value of these wonderful assets. - Laurence Gale, editor, TurfPro


Valuation in Practice

 


We are very proud of the original research we commissioned earlier this year - but it is always heartening to hear that other people find our work useful, so I was delighted when I got asked this week “Why did a small charity like Fields in Trust commission such an innovative and unique piece of research?” Firstly, we recognised the need to measure our impact and secondly, we wanted our new five-year strategy to be evidence-led. We also saw the need to develop a stronger counter-argument when budgets for parks are being cut because of their maintenance costs rather than the return they give.


We are attempting to present a compelling business case that argues for parks and green spaces to be revalued. This took us into a world of economic valuation and there are many environmental economists out there working passionately in this field, some of whom I met when I presented at the Valuation in Practice conference this week alongside Dr Ricky Lawton of Jump X Simetrica, to academics, policy and regulatory bodies from across the UK. This gave me some useful insight and affirmation that our research study is well-regarded.


Economic valuation of non-market goods has been used for around 20 years or so to inform decisions involving social and environmental impacts, however it’s a complex landscape even for the initiated it seems, with a plethora of valuation methods, models and tools and it is not yet completely accepted by the mainstream.


We needed a pragmatic piece of research that we could apply across all our three strands of work – to protect, champion and support parks and green spaces - and something that our stakeholders could identify with. Much like libraries and museums, parks and green spaces are free at the point of access. Our study uses a new dataset of 4,000 people and is the first study to apply welfare weighting methodology to public parks and green spaces using rigorous methodology based on HM Treasury Green Book Guidance.

 



The publication of our research comes at a time when parks and green spaces are increasingly seen as a part of the UK social policy agenda. For example the Government’s 25-year Environmental plan “A Green Future” commits to using environmental valuation stating “Good evidence is the cornerstone of effective policy making” (pg 133). Parks and green spaces are directly referenced in this plan which aims to provide “a greener country for us all”. Whilst Parks and Green Spaces are the responsibility of the Ministry for Housing and Communities and Local Government, they are also integral to getting the nation active, helping to address the childhood obesity crisis and delivering the preventative health agenda – policy areas in different government departments. This calls for a better cross-departmental approach we think, but that’s a blog for another day!
We estimate the value that frequent use of local parks and green spaces has on our health and wellbeing at £34.2 billion per year, as well as saving the NHS £111million per year through reduced GP visits - and that’s just a partial cost saving. The study also uses a Contingent Valuation method to delve into the socio-demographic differences in value.


Do decision makers respond more to valuation? Good question! It certainly helps make a compelling business case for the provision of parks and green spaces, and we are not trying to put a price on nature but rather quantify the health and wellbeing benefits that they provide to us all. Parks and green spaces lead to improvement in human welfare, they are good and we want to make sure they are there for good. As long as there is a threat to our public parks and green spaces then making the case in economic terms can help to change the conversation.

  • You can view the full report and a summary here 
  • You can view the Valuation in Practice presentation slides here 

Alison McCann is Fields in Trust's policy manager. Having worked for the organisation for the last six years, Alison's current role focuses on research about the value of green space to better inform policymaking, as well as overseeing the legal support function for sites protected with Fields in Trust. Alison led the commissioning, data analysis and report production for Fields in Trust's Revaluing Parks and Green Spaces research published in May 2018. Alison previously worked in Sports Development for two London Boroughs, managing projects with a range of stakeholders and community groups.


Alison can be contacted at. t: 020 7427 2128 e: alison.mccann@fieldsintrust.org