Hyde Park in London.

The Parks and Green Space Network

In 2020, The Parks Alliance and the Landscape Institute (LI) united to support a consortium of over 50 organisations and practitioners in the parks and green space sector and create a stronger voice for parks.

The Parks and Green Space Network (PGSN) is the new collaborative, inclusive body providing sector leadership for parks, representing and empowering the people that create, maintain, invest in, and use our green spaces.

About the Network

The PGSN’s vision is ‘…for everyone to have access to quality green spaces that improve their physical and mental health, are inclusive, that contribute to the sustainability of their community and the world, and that support the economic vitality of their neighbourhood, town, or city.’

The Network aims to provide sector leadership, create a professional home for park professionals, and promote knowledge sharing. It includes representatives from across the UK public, private, and voluntary sectors, academia, and more.

With the support of a network steering group, as well as the LI’s policy, membership, development, and communications teams, the PGSN continues to grow and evolve.

If you’d like to join the Network, please contact parks@landscapeinstitute.org.

Creating a new professional home for parks

The PGSN is working with the LI to create a professional home for parks and green space managers. This project aims to:

  • Drive improvement, building capacity in the parks and green space sector by creating a standards-based approach to professional development.
  • Deliver value for parks and green space managers with a development programme that reflects their professional needs.
  • Provide professional qualifications with pathways to Technician and Chartered membership of the Landscape Institute.

The Landscape Institute, Natural England, Green Flag Award and APSE are exploring this with colleagues from across the Network. To find out more or get involved, please contact parks@landscapeinstitute.org.

Sector leadership

In our landmark Greener Recovery October 2020 policy paper, the LI called on the UK Government to seize a ‘once in a generation chance’ to deliver a truly green economic recovery from COVID-19.

During the COVID lockdowns, parks and green spaces provided a lifeline for millions and became a vital part of the national response to the pandemic. The government should now make them a central part of the nation’s economic and social recovery – levelling up access to parks and green space, investing in a talented green workforce, and introducing clear standards for green spaces.

Sharing knowledge

The PGSN has supported the development of an international Parks and Green Spaces Resource Hub created by Green Flag Award. The free-to-use portal seeks to better equip and empower parks professionals through an ethos of learning, sharing, and mutual support. The eventual aim is to transfer the Parks Alliance resource pages to the Hub to create a single, comprehensive resource.

Latest news

Stay up to date with the latest news from the Parks and Green Space Network

Resources

BNG for landscape professionals

A honey bee on a lavender plant

A green recovery for parks

GI: An integrated approach to land use

Policy briefing, April 2022

Biodiversity net gain is a pivotal development for parks and green space professionals, who collectively have long advocated for proper planning and management to maximise the benefits that ecosystem services provide. This briefing discusses in more detail why net gain is a key concept in landscape practice; what role landscape and parks managers can play in delivering net gain; and answers questions practitioners might have about its implementation.

Policy paper, Autumn 2020

During the COVID-19 lockdown, parks and green spaces provided a lifeline for millions. But they need support. The LI’s Greener Recovery policy paper urges the UK Government to seize a ‘once-in-a generation chance’ to invest for a truly green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. PGSN prepared a supplement to the report, A Green Recovery for Parks and Green Spaces.

Position statement, 2013

The LI’s 2013 green infrastructure (GI) position statement sets out why GI is crucial to our sustainable future, and showcases a range of successful GI projects. Aimed at public and private sector bodies, but also useful for clients and practitioners, the publication shows how collaboration is key to delivering multifunctional landscapes.