Parks and greenspace

Much of our publicly accessible greenspace has excellent value for biodiversity, and all of it is important in some way. Some parks have nationally or regionally important habitats or assemblages of species, whereas others have species that are relatively common yet important to the people who encounter them on their visits or perhaps are unusual within their immediate surroundings, despite being common in other areas.

Local Nature Reserves have statutory protection, and are designated either for their high degree of natural interest, or a combination of reasonable natural interest and high value for environmental education. The commitment to management for nature conservation and access by members of the public is central to their designation.

There are many habitats within the nation’s parks, including all of those listed above. Some are more ‘natural’ than others, and opportunities for improvement exist in many.