A national benchmark for parks and green spaces
The Green Flag Award® scheme is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the UK.
It was first launched in 1996 to recognise and reward the best green spaces in the country.
The first awards were given in 1997 and, many years later, it continues to provide the high level of quality against which our parks and green spaces are measured. It is also seen as a way of encouraging others to achieve high environmental standards, setting a benchmark of excellence in recreational green areas.
What’s more, winning a Green Flag Award® can generate excellent publicity for a site. Both the media and the public are becoming increasingly aware that a site flying a Green Flag is a high quality green space, which can only be a boost to its popularity.
Welcoming diversity
Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag status. We realise that all green spaces are different and this diversity is welcomed, with each site being judged on its own merits and suitability to the community it serves.
Since its launch, the Green Flag Award® scheme has gone from strength to strength, with the number of applicants increasing every year.
Our vision is that by 2020, 50% of green spaces in England and Wales will be of Green Flag Award® standard, amounting to around 15,000 sites.
The scheme is also being piloted in The Netherlands and Germany.
Awards you can apply for
The Green Flag Award® welcomes parks/green spaces to apply for three awards (please click on the links below to find out more):