Fields in Trust Launch a new Park Xtinction campaign

Green space charity Fields in Trust is urging everyone to get behind its ParkXtinction campaign raising awareness of the 94% of British parks and green spaces which could be endangered.

With the COP26 conference considering local government and the built environment on 11th November now is the time to think about the nature on our doorstep and how we can lock in the benefits of these spaces forever. The Climate Change Committee has identified that urban green space is in decline and recommended a new urban green space target to reverse the trend – but first we must protect the green spaces we’ve already got.

We want to work with local leaders to secure the legal protection of these green spaces to secure their important contribution to local climate action. Our parks and green spaces capture an estimated 402,000 tonnes of carbon annually, the equivalent of taking 320,565 cars off the road every single year. Visit www.parkxtinction.org to:

– discover the status of parks in your area

– find out the contribution they make to climate change mitigation

– join the Parkxtinction campaign

Suggested Social Posts

Did you know 94% of Britain’s parks could be endangered? @FieldsInTrust are calling for protection of local green spaces before their benefits are lost forever. Find out if your parks need saving at parkxtinction.org #COP26 #parkXtinction #GreenSpacesForGood 94% of Britain’s parks may be endangered. Find out about the environmental benefits of your local parks and join the @FieldsinTrust campaign parkxtinction.org #COP26 #parkXtinction #GreenSpacesForGood I/We believe local parks should be protected for good with @FieldsInTrust. But 94% of British parks could be endangered. Check if your parks need saving at parkxtinction.org #COP26 #parkXtinction #GreenSpacesForGood

Key Messages Fields in Trust is urging everyone to get behind a new campaign to protect our urban parks. We must act now, before it’s too late.

–  Local leaders have the power to protect parks and green spaces for good.

–  Visit www.fieldsintrust.org to discover the status of parks in your local area and discover their contribution to carbon capture in your location.

–  The Fields in Trust campaign launches to coincide with the COP26 conference focus day on Cities, Regions and Built Environment, and the role of local government.

–  Councils across the UK are leading the charge – Liverpool City Council are protecting every park in the city, Wrexham County Borough are protecting ten country parks to support their carbon neutral goal and the City of Edinburgh Council is protecting a further 25 urban spaces.

Please do tag us @FieldsinTrust if you able to share and thanks for your support!

The Parks Management Association contacted Fields in Trust about this campaign. We asked as an advocate for parks we are always willing to support campaigns to try to secure a better future. Before we back this though we are curious as to what is driving the headline data – having looked on line it appears to be that you are saying that if a green space is not registered with yourselves then it is endangered? This indeed was a concern and has been brought to our attention. Richard McKeever at FiT replied:-

Thanks for your message – ParkXtinction is a marketing campaign raising awareness of Fields in Trust legal protection. As you say the 94% figure is based on what green space is currently protected by Fields in Trust – and  the remaining unprotected space which may be endangered to a greater or lesser degree. We are using the campaign to highlight the lack of a statutory duty for any local authority to provide parks and green spaces and their vulnerability to loss for development.

There are, of course, several other forms of protection for recreational land, including covenants, town and village green registration and the planning process etc. However, even if a space already has one of these on it, a Deed of Dedication (Minute of Agreement in Scotland) will strengthen the protection. The Deed of Dedication is robust yet flexible mechanism. Crucially a legal process may overturn a covenant and the protection is lost. The planning process is time-limited and subject to change with a new political administration. But a Deed ensures that in the very rare cases where a change to the protected space may be made by the landowner, a new green space of equal or better quality and serving the same community, will be protected – locking in the community benefits forever.  

 This is designed as a challenging, public-facing campaign highlighting the health, wellbeing, community and environmental benefits that parks provide and identifying their vulnerability to loss.

Perhaps a better strapline may have been more appropriate, but the commitment to protect our public parks and green spaces is to be welcomed.

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