Simple Ideas to Improve England’s Public Parks
St Albans, Hertfordshire, Pastel Pine
England’s public parks are many. But to be honest, most are pretty uninspiring. Some are more dedicated to skateboard parks than native trees, and some even ban dogs (that need open green space to run and have fun in, if guardians have no gardens).
A walk in the park is good for everyone’s physical and mental health. And lack of vision on this, is one reason why we have so many incidences of heart disease, diabetes, mental health issues, obesity etc.
If every town and village had a beautiful and inspiring public park for morning and evening walks, with uplifting flowers and trees, and a peaceful oasis, a huge percentage of these illnesses, likely would not exist.
If people have walkable communities in nature, they naturally start to get fit by walking, eating well and spending quiet time. But many councils don’t see investing in public parks as one of town planning’s major preventive medicine necessities.
Making Parks Safe for Everyone
One gentle reminder for pet guardians: watch out for conkers scattered under horse chestnut trees. These shiny brown seeds, tempting for curious dogs, are toxic and can cause serious illness. Steer clear, when exploring local parks.
Read our posts on creating pet-friendly gardens and wildlife-friendly gardens. And learn of trees to avoid near horses (including yew, oak and sycamore).
Councils can work with designing out crime officers with their local police force, to ensure there are no ‘hidden places’ for unsavoury people to lurk.
Installing solar lighting (that is amber-hued and points downward, to reduce light pollution for birds and wildlife) is good, as it also keeps parks safe, when lighting is needed (but goes off, when not in use).
Organic lawns are a must, as children and dogs will be playing on them. Also be aware that many plants, flowers and trees are unsafe near animal friends (for instance, all bulbs and many mulches are pet-toxic). Many flowers are also toxic to wild rabbits and other wildlife.
Read our post on pet-friendly gardens (which also includes information on trees that are not safe near horses and barnyard friends).
Ensure ponds or lakes have sloping sides (for wildlife). Don’t plant flowers in railings. Wild deer eat flowers, and could get stuck (then you’ll have to call your wildlife rescue).
Public Park Benches (made from waste)
Ecotribo make lovely park benches, made from recycled ghost fishing waste. These are sold in 2 designs in a range of colours, and very durable in wet weather (just wipe clean now and then, and they’ll last for years).
Marmax Products makes park and picnic benches, litter bins, dog poop bins and path posts, all made from recycled milk bottles (just assemble with a spanner). They are colourful and resistant to rain and rot, and come with 25-year guarantees (wheelchair-friendly options are also sold). From public benching to picnic tables to platforms for wildlife ponds.
We like the Goal Wall that is better than football nets (which can tangle foxes and other wildlife, when not stored away).
We don’t recommend their recycled plastic birdhouses (these could overheat, choose ones made from untreated wood instead – learn more on how to buy and site bird houses).
How to Prevent Public Park Litter
Parks attract people, and people unfortunately usually attract litter. So go big and go large, in providing enough litter bins, so they don’t end up overflowing, before emptying. You can buy solar bins that have a panel in the top to compact waste down, if you can’t afford regular emptying.
And of course include plenty of dog poop bins. It’s false economy not to provide a few free biodegradable poop bags (it’s human nature to forget). Because it costs far more, for council workers to come out and clean up dog poop, than it does handing out a few bags for dog walekrs.
Why Do Other Countries Have More Parks?
Who knows? Perhaps they value nature more? The Oregon city of Portland has a similar population to Sheffield (and is around the same size, with similar rainy weather). Yet it has way more parks by comparison.
Most cities in Europe have a huge amount of public parks, compared to England. We have quite a few London Parks, but nowhere near the same amount by ratio as in other countries.
Why Public Space Matters is a book that asks councils not to sell off land to business, but instead use it to create public parks to play, meet, talk, debate and work. Includes examples from New York to Costa Rica.
Why Public Parks Help Nature
A lot of England’s native birds and wildlife are in danger, due to lack of habitat. When you plant organic public parks, the birds, bees and butterflies return.
There are then natural nesting spaces for hedgehogs to dormice, trees provide food and shelter for all creatures (and they also help to prevent floods and reduce heat island effect in urban areas).
Lessons from New York’s Central Park
Central Park, New York, Sarah Frances
Whereas years ago, New York’s Central Park was known for being violent and somewhere not very pleasant, today it’s a thriving example of how to run a public park (it’s even recently banned carriage horses, after animal welfare campaigns, as horses were being injured in road accidents).
The park contains not just 60 miles of walking routes, over 18,000 trees (and 10,000 benches), but it now houses a third of the city’s birds and wildlife. And yet is three times smaller, than London’s Richmond Park.
Richmond Park, London, Pastel Pine
In England, people have been told off for ignoring warnings to stay away from autumn rutting deer. And litter clean-ups have found plastic bags wrapped around a stag’s mouth, hedgehogs entangled in balloons, and cormorant birds with plastic beer rings, around their necks.
Richmond Park has called out people for littering disposable face masks. And cyclists dropping blue hydration gel (some deer have died, on eating it).
Yet despite Central Park having over 40 million annual visitors, there is hardly any litter. Rat-proof bins are emptied by quiet electric vehicles, and this park even performs Shakespeare in the Park. Why don’t parks in England do this – we are the home of the Bard?
