11 July 2017
We are delighted to announce that two Finnish parks will collect their International Green Flag Award today.
Since achieving their first Green Flag Award last year, Finland is celebrating as they double their awards to raise two flags this year – at Pikku-Vesijärvenpuisto and Lepaa campus park.
The Green Flag Award is the international quality standard for parks and green spaces. It is the sign of a clean, safe and well-managed park, which research shows matters to residents, students and visitors.
Green Flags have been flying over the best of the UK’s parks and green spaces for 21 years, and in recent years they have been joined by sites in Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Spain, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.
This year’s new winner is Pikku-Vesijärvenpuisto, near the Lahti city centre. The park, on the banks of a lake, was designed with active use by the city’s residents in mind, and about half the park is water. The park joins the Lepaa campus park, at the Häme University of Applied Sciences, which first achieved the award last year. This park holds a garden exhibition each year and uses mobile technology to enhance visitor’s experiences.
Seija Nurkkala, from Pikku-Vesijärvenpuisto said: “This Green Flag is a great award in our way of developing this particular park and the green areas in Lahti region generally. It is also a way to improve the conversation between the park’s visitors and those who work hard to manage it.”
Paul Todd, International Green Flag Award Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “We are delighted that the Green Flag Award is flying in two of Finland’s best green spaces, joining others across the world. Everyone involved should be proud of their achievements. We look forward to many more of Finland’s green spaces achieving the Green Flag Award in future years.”
