MULTIPLE parks across Scotland have been given a Green Flag award for their upkeep and maintenance of recreational outdoor spaces.

Environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful, has announced that 77 Scottish parks have been presented the award which celebrates greenspaces, but in the list is a worldwide first.

A first time award for Whitelee Windfarm means that it is the first time a wind farm has featured in the list of awarded parks anywhere in the world. The park is managed by Scottish Power Renewables and Glasgow Science Centre.

Other parks included on the list were Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens and Mount Vernon Park Community Garden run by Friends of Mount Vernon Park in Glasgow.

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Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, Barry Fisher congratulated all those that maintain the 77 parks across the country saying it was an ‘invaluable service’.

He said: “The Green Flag Award recognises the valuable, and tangible contribution that these parks make towards the nation’s well-being.

“Receiving this prestigious international benchmark recognises all the hard work that has gone into maintaining and managing these precious green open spaces.

“Every single one of these parks provides an invaluable service to the local communities that it serves - from creating a safe space to play, to think, to work out – and they helped to address many of the health and wellbeing challenges we faced as a country during lockdown.”

Almost 2,000 parks across the world have achieved the environmental aaward this year. Picking up the most green flags was Edinburgh who has 35 of its parks on this list. Aberdeen and Dundee both had 7 parks, with the other parks on the list being spread across the country.

One of Edinburgh’s award winners was Royal Edinburgh Hospital run by NHS Lothian.

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Tracey McKagen, Services Director for the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Associated Services in NHS Lothian said: “I’m really delighted that our hospital has received this award as it shows how much work goes into looking after our beautiful greenspaces.

“These areas are very important to us in NHS Lothian as they enable both our staff and patients to connect with nature, which helps with mental and general wellbeing.

“This award was only possible with the support and contributions from the whole hospital community, so I would like to thank everyone involved for their ongoing hard work to support our natural areas. As the site evolves to meet future healthcare needs our greenspace management plan will ensue nature continues to be at the heart of the site.”

The full list release by Keep Scotland Beautiful can be seen below.

Is your local park on it?

Aberdeenshire 

Hazlehead Park
Duthie Park
Seaton Park
Johnston Gardens
Victoria Park
Slopefield Allotments
Garthdee Field Allotments
Aden Country Park

Argyll & Bute

Hermitage Park  

Dumfries & Galloway

Dock Park

Dundee City

Trottick Mill Ponds Local Nature Reserve
Barnhill Rock Garden
Baxter Park
Templeton Woods
Dundee Law
Slessor Gardens
Riverside Nature Park

East Renfrewshire

Rouken Glen Park

City of Edinburgh

Bloomiehall Park
Braidburn Valley Park
Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park
Corstorphine Hill
Craigmillar Castle Park
Easter Craiglockhart Hill Local Nature Reserve
Fairmilehead Park
Ferniehill Community Park
Ferry Glen & Back Braes
Figgate Park
Hailes Quarry Park
Harrison Park
Hermitage and Blackford Hill Local Nature Reserve
Hopetoun Crescent Garden
Inverleith Park
King George V & Scotland Yard Park
Lauriston Castle
Lochend Park
London Road Gardens
Morningside Park
Muir Wood Park
Pentland Hills Regional Park
Portobello Community Garden
Prestonfield Park
Princes Street Gardens
Ravelston Woods Local Nature Reserve and Park
Rosefield Park
Saughton Park
Seven Acres Park
Spylaw Park
St Katharine's Park
St Margaret’s Park 
Starbank Park
Station Road Park 
Victoria Park

Falkirk Community Trust

Helix Park

Glasgow City

Glasgow Botanic Gardens

Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh

The Lawn and Central Woodlands

Midlothian

Penicuik to Dalkeith Walkway

NHS Lothian – Edinburgh

Royal Edinburgh Hospital

Scottish Borders

Wilton Lodge Park

Scottish Power Renewables & Glasgow Science Centre – Glasgow and East Renfrewshire

Whitelee Windfarm

South Ayrshire

Belleisle Park
Rozelle Park
Fullarton Estate
Newton Park

Lanarkshire
Strathaven Park
Cambuslang Park
Castlebank Park
Levengrove Park

Green Flag Community Award

Corstorphine Hill LNR Community - Walled Garden Friends of Corstorphine Hill (Edinburgh)

Ormiston Park - Friends of Ormiston Park (East Lothian)

Eoropie Park - GAIN (Guth Airson Iarrtasan Nis) (Isle of Lewis)

Linn Park Wildlife Trail Friends of Linn Park (Glasgow)

Castlemilk Park Daffodil Walk - Friends of Castlemilk Park (Glasgow)

Maryhill Park Growing Space - Friends of Maryhill Park (Glasgow)

Southern Necropolis - Friends of Southern Necropolis (Glasgow)

Overnewton Park - Yorkhill Green Spaces (Glasgow)

Mount Vernon - Park Friends of Mount Vernon Park (Glasgow)