Latest Green Space Index launched by Fields in Trust
Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge launched the latest Green Space Index yesterday during a visit to Starbank Park.
The visit came ahead of COP26, which will be taking place in Glasgow later this year, with today’s event one of a number of projects with a positive effect on climate change that The Duke and Duchess have visited across Scotland.
Urban parks and green spaces boost air quality, support habitats and mitigate the effects of climate change.
The Green Space Index is Fields in Trust’s annual barometer of publicly accessible local park and green space provision. First launched in 2019, this third release once again highlights the inequities in provision across Britain.
Despite their value for health, wellbeing, community and environment, some parts of Britain have access to half the green space as others – Scots enjoy 38.18 sqm of provision per person whilst for residents in London the figure falls to just 19.53 sqm.
Seven of the nine English regions do not meet a minimum standard of green space provision as measured by the GSI Score, and whilst both Scotland and Wales do meet this minimum standard their scores have both fallen over the last twelve months.
Areas with the least provision tend to be those with a higher incidence of deprivation – precisely the communities who benefit most from green space access.
Across Britain, 2.78 million people live further than a ten-minute walk from their nearest park or green space. That’s the finding of the latest Green Space Index which reveals that, despite their vital role in the nation’s wellbeing during lockdown, our much loved local parks are not equally accessible to all.
The findings of the Index were reviewed by Fields in Trust President, HRH The Duke of Cambridge who was visiting Starbank Park with HRH The Duchess of Cambridge as part of their tour of Scotland.
The Duke and Duchess met volunteers from the Friends of Starbank Park and local residents of all ages for whom the park was a sanctuary during the coronavirus lockdowns as a place to play, exercise, relax and reflect.
Yesterday’s event also saw Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Frank Ross, unveil a new commitment by The City of Edinburgh Council which will ensure almost everyone in the city lives no more than a ten-minute walk from a green space which is legally protected for good.
Starbank Park is one of 34 already protected with Fields in Trust by The City of Edinburgh Council and today’s announcement by the Lord Provost means that figure is set to grow.
The Council will protect a further 25 green spaces, serving communities who do not already have a protected space close to home, to ensure almost everyone in the city lives no more than a ten-minute walk from a park or green space which is protected for good.
Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Frank Ross, said: “Edinburgh is already a wonderfully green city, and we want to ensure it remains that way for generations to come.
“I’m extremely pleased to announce that the City of Edinburgh Council will be looking to partner with Fields in Trust in protecting in perpetuity a further 25 green spaces – adding to the 34 already protected.
“This will mean that almost everyone in Edinburgh will be within a ten-minute walk of a protected green space, ensuring that for years to come citizens are guaranteed a lifetime of opportunity for activity, play, learning, recuperation and community.
“Scores of volunteers across the city work alongside the Council to support our parks, green spaces and cemeteries. We are very grateful to Friends of Starbank Park their ongoing hard work and dedication and we will continue to work with them to make sure these important areas are preserved for the benefit of our future generations.”
The City of Edinburgh Council will protect a further 25 green spaces for good – taking their total to 59 local parks – to ensure nearly all the city’s residents live no more than a ten-minute walk from a protected green space.
In taking this commitment the city council has become the first local authority in Scotland to adopt such a bold vision for their green spaces and follows in the footsteps of Liverpool City Council.
Discover the Green Space Index findings near you using our interactive online map covering the whole of Great Britain.
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