The UK’s premier greenspace management charity, the Land Trust has set out the essential,
future proofed building blocks for effective greenspace management.
Since launching its Tomorrow’s
World report in November 2024, the Trust has been working with
stakeholders, trustees and colleagues to hone the findings of the study which
looked at future trends across health, society and the environment, to produce
a series of practical steps to maximise charitable delivery across its 86
sites.
In addition, the Land Trust has calculated that if the government’s
commitment of building 1.5 million homes is met over this next parliament,
there is potential to deliver an estimated £5billion worth of social value from the green
infrastructure and open space alone.
However, delivering social value must sit at the heart of public realm
planning development and effective long-term management.
Alan Carter, Chief Executive at the
Land Trust said: “According to the Land Trust’s Tomorrow’s World report, the next 20
years is set to bring continued, rapid change, including social inequality,
climate change, and an overburdened healthcare system.
“We are openly sharing the action points of our research as it is essential
that we, as an industry, work together as a collective to address the issues of
today and of the future, now.”
The building blocks of greenspace
management for now and the future:
1. Working with communities to ensure access, both mental and
physical
The mental and physical barriers to high-quality green spaces – and their
consequences – were identified as critical issues closely linked to widening
health inequalities, diminished community cohesion, and unequal access to the
benefits of the natural environment.
2. Using technology and a data-led approach
While the value of unfiltered time in nature will remain irreplaceable,
integrating technology into greenspaces presents opportunities for people to
engage with them in new ways, enhancing educational experiences and improving
accessibility for those who might feel excluded from traditional public realm
environments.
3. Collaborating with community organisations to better understand
the challenges they face, and develop strategies to address these issues using
greenspaces
A collaborative, community-led approach ensures that the green spaces we
manage are not only physically accessible, but socially and culturally
meaningful to those who use them, reflecting the Land Trust’s commitment to
fostering community ownership where the people who live, work, and play in
these places have a genuine voice in shaping their future.
4. Aligning with the development industry’s ESG priorities
The dynamics of private finance are likely to change significantly in the
next 20 years. The Government is looking for ways to leverage private sector
capital to fund strategic interventions for nature, an onus that is likely to
widen further as public services become increasingly overburdened. This shift
could lead to more structured corporate partnerships, incentivised through ESG
5. Profiling the local area to uncover needs and wants, including
local council priorities
Enhanced local profiling will enable us to tailor management plans to
reflect the specific social, environmental, and health needs of individual
communities. It will also strengthen partnerships with local authorities, NHS
trusts and other stakeholders, supporting them to deliver against shared
priorities such as social prescribing, climate resilience, and community
cohesion.
Alan continued: “While
greenspaces can’t solve all of society’s problems, well managed greenspaces can
play a significant part in delivering ongoing social, environmental and
economic benefits for local communities.
“The Land Trust will focus on the core building blocks outlined to future
proof our approach to greenspace stewardship. By partnering with us, clients
can be confident their greenspaces will not only meet today’s regulatory and
community needs, but will also be resilient, sustainable and socially valuable
assets for decades to come.”
Jane Findlay, past president at the
Landscape Institute contributed to the Tomorrow’s World report in 2024. She
said: “The public realm is a vital yet often overlooked
element of creating healthy, thriving places to live.
“As outlined in the Tomorrow’s World report, the provision of high-quality
green spaces will prove all the more important as we look to confront the
challenges of the future – especially if the target of 1.5m new homes is to be
reached.
“This report highlights the fundamental principles which should underpin
green space design and management, and demonstrates the Land Trust’s commitment
to ensuring green spaces withstand the challenges of the future and delivering
value to communities in the face of a rapidly evolving society.”
