Green credentials of Newport parks recognised with national award
Posted on Wednesday 14th October 2020
Two Newport parks have been recognised for their environmental credentials with a national award.
Beechwood Park and Belle Vue Park have both been awarded Green Flag status for 2020/21 by Keep Wales Tidy.
A third council managed site, Gwent Crematorium, has also received Green Flag recognition.
The Green Flag Awards recognise publicly accessible parks and open spaces for their excellent visitor facilities, high environmental standards, and commitment to delivering great quality green space.
This will be the fourteenth consecutive year that Belle Vue has been awarded Green Flag status, whilst it is the fourth consecutive year for Gwent Crematorium and the third year in a row for Beechwood.
Belle Vue park has also retained its Green Heritage status for a third consecutive year.
Cllr Deb Harvey, cabinet member for culture and leisure, said “It is fantastic news that both Beechwood and Belle Vue, parks right in the heart of our city, have retained their Green Flag status.
“These awards recognise the hard work our officers put in to looking after our natural assets, which is a key tenet of our promise to protect our natural environment.”
Cllr Roger Jeavons, deputy leader of the council, added “I’m delighted to see Gwent Crematorium recognised with a Green Flag Award.
“This award, along with those for Beechwood and Belle Vue, underline the commitment we have as a council to making our public access spaces as green-friendly as possible.”
224 parks and green spaces across the country have received the prestigious Green Flag Award and Green Flag Community Award – from country parks and formal gardens, to allotments, woodlands and churchyards.
The Green Flag Award programme is delivered in Wales by environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy, with support from Welsh Government. Independent green space experts volunteered their time in early autumn to judge applicant sites against eight strict criteria, including biodiversity, cleanliness, environmental management, and community involvement.