The upkeep of local parks and green areas may not have the profile or prestige of maintaining a championship Links course, or a stadium hosting a major final, but to millions of people across the country they are an incredibly valuable and vital resource.

They act as the green lungs of our towns and cities. A place to play, to gain fitness, to rest and to contemplate. Imagine how much poorer your life would be without a well maintained public green space in which to enjoy some well-earned respite from the pressures of everyday life.

Which is why it's so important that turf professionals should lend their voices to the inquiry set up by the Communities and Local Government Select Committee on the future of public parks. Who is better placed to explain their importance than the specialists who see the positive effects of well-maintained green spaces every day?

The inquiry will be examining the impact of reduced local authority budgets on these open spaces and consider concerns that their existence is under threat. It will be looking at how parks should be supported now and in the future. This includes studying alternative management and funding models, such as a mutual or a trust.

To do this they are asking for written submissions via their website. They are looking for contributions along the lines of:

The Committee requires these submissions by 30 September 2016.

The Parks Alliance, the national voice of UK parks, has welcomed the Inquiry with their Chair Mark Camley saying that it has come at a crucial moment.

He said, "Parks, like other local government services, are widely valued but are under severe budget restrictions and we are now at a tipping point. If no action is taken, we will revert to the no go areas of parks such as in the 1980s.

"Lack of funding and investment, has meant that there is a significant maintenance backlog, a skills deficit developing and a general decline in quality of Parks and green spaces. We have made that case already to the Minister with responsibility for Parks, Marcus Jones MP."

He went on to encourage those who care and have knowledge of our public spaces to make their opinions heard. "We all recognise the value of parks and the current funding crisis," he continued, "but we need hard evidence and solutions to convince MPs, Ministers and wider decision makers. The Alliance will be gathering evidence and submitting it to the Inquiry and it is crucial all those that love parks get involved and offer solutions. All of us have a duty to seek answers to how parks might be financed in the future, what they might look like and how they will be managed."

BALI has also welcomed the inquiry. Phil Jones, Chairman of BALI-NCF, believes that, when looking at the issues on which the Committee is seeking feedback, BALI-NCF will be able to represent its members on all levels. "Whether it is the impact of reductions in Local Authority budgets or the viability of alternative management models, our members are well placed to provide input."

He added, "Many of the effects of reduced budgets have been felt by our member companies and this has directly affected their ability to provide the service that is expected by the local communities and visitors.

"The goalposts have moved over the last twenty years and a realisation of the current issues and a re-setting of expectations, coupled with alternative methodology for managing parks, is to be welcomed. I will be encouraging BALI-NCF members to further engage with their Local Authority customers and local communities where they operate and encourage everyone to take this chance in a generation to have their say. I believe that public parks are the lifeblood of our communities and play a crucial role in the health of the nation. It is now for everyone to provide evidence that this is the case."

So if you have a spare few minutes want to make your voice heard you can send a written submission via the public parks inquiry page.

Also set up is an online survey, web forums and a Twitter hashtag, #myparkmatters, where people can let the Committee know why they value their local parks.

Hopefully they will listen to professionals and public alike and realise just how vital parks truly are to the British way of life.