Recently I was privileged to attend an online APSE Parks and Greenspaces Seminar that brought together over 100 parks professionals to listen to an array of guest speakers.
The event was all about identifying best practice and innovation from a number of local authorities across the UK along with some specific case studies of work being done to promote the work of parks professionals.
The day started with Paul O’Brien, CEO of APSE outlining the latest State of the Market research data on how local authorities are managing their service as well as highlighting the impacts of COVID-19. Its conclusions, that highlighted the value of parks, included:
- Coronavirus had been a ‘game changer’
- There's a wider recognition of benefits of parks and green space
- Huge Increase in visitor numbers has occured
- Increasing connection with nature
- Climate change and biodiversity recognition
- Income generation will remain important.
- Local government finances and parks are important to local tax base
- Need to continue fight to protect parks and greenspace
- Covid recovery is vital
Next up was Erica Popplewell from the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) who highlighted the findings of their recent research showing the types of improvements people would like to see to enhance their greenspaces which they have become more acutely aware of and the values it brings.
Over two thirds (67%) of adults think that protecting and enhancing green space should be a high priority after lockdown, while more than (46%) reported visiting greenspaces more since the start of lockdown. While over 59% of people reported they are more aware of the importance of these local greenspaces for mental health and wellbeing since the lockdown.
71% of adults in England think their green space or nearby countryside could be enhanced, while a majority of these people would like to see an increase in wildlife and diversity of plantings.
She also spoke about the importance of protecting greenbelt land and the need for more urban parks and green spaces to be built, especially in London where it been touted for the need for ten more major parks / green spaces to be created.
Next up was Paul Rabbits, chairman of the newly formed Parks Management Forum who outlined the origins of the forum together with its aims, objectives and work to date in giving a greater voice to parks professionals.
Paul spoke passionately about the current plight of parks professionals and the need to have a representing body in the formation of the PMF, soon to be renamed Parks Management Association.
To date the organisation has quickly raised over £10,000 to help develop the organisation and will be seeking support from industry parties in the coming months.
We then heard a short presentation about the Greater Manchester Ignition project by Jo Regan where a number of partners across the city-region have signed a multi-million pound European contract for a project which looks to develop innovative ways of financing natural solutions to deliver resilience to increasingly extreme climate hazards.
Ignition will run for up to the next three years backed by £4 million from the EU’s Urban Innovation Actions initiative, in a significant announcement made a week after the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s second annual Green Summit.
The project, the first of its kind, will see Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), supported by 11 other key partners, including the Environment Agency, come together to develop the new innovative financing and delivery mechanisms that cities and urban areas need to respond to the risks posed by increasingly rapidly changing climate. This organisation also ran a survey to gain information on the residents’ concerns and needs, with over 87% stating that parks have been very important for them during Covid-19. When asked if they would be happy to pay a charge for visiting a park, 90% said they would be prepared to pay something.
A talk followed on the new Green Flag Award Resources Hub by Dr Nicola Dempsey who works for Sheffield University as part of the partnership which has developed the Resources Hub and ‘Research and Collaboration Portal’ that will create a link between universities/research organisations and parks management, to share research findings and possibly also funding opportunities for parks and green spaces.
To be able to share and promote valuable research resources will be of great value to all those involved in promoting, managing, and maintaining our valuable public parks and open spaces.
The day’s final three presentations were by:
- Peter Hollis of Kogitas the sponsor of the seminar, who explained how important a modern asset management system is to the parks and greenspace manager, helping not only with day to day issues, but also with building new revenue streams.
- Wakefield Council who described the journey they are embarking upon to develop an holistic parks strategy which ensures funding available is spent in those parks which meet the widest needs of users and stakeholders.
- And finally, Eddie Curry, Head of Public Realm of Nottingham City Council, who gave a fascinating and in-depth account of how they coped with the ongoing impacts of COVID and how this may change future service delivery.