Stover Country Park, near Newton Abbot, awarded seventh Green Flag Award

By newtonnews | Monday, July 26, 2010, 15:31

Rangers at Stover Country Park are celebrating receiving a prestigious Green Flag Award for the seventh consecutive year.

Award winning again.

The Park is among a record 1200 green spaces in England and Wales to receive the honour - judged against eight criteria: a welcoming place; healthy, safe and secure; clean and well maintained; sustainability; conservation and heritage; community involvement; marketing; and management.

Stover Country Park, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and listed on the register of Historic Parks and Gardens, stood out after impressing the judges with its excellent use of green space, well maintained facilities and high standard of safety and security.

The Green Flag Award, which is managed by a partnership of environmental charities including Keep Britain Tidy, BTCV and Greenspace, is a national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales. Only green spaces that are free to enter and open to the public are eligible to win an award through the scheme.

The award scheme began in 1996 as a means of recognising and rewarding the best green spaces in the country and was also seen as a way of encouraging other to achieve the same high environmental standards, creating a benchmark of excellence in recreational green areas.

Devon County Councillor Roger Croad, said:

"I am delighted that Stover Country Park has once again gained this award.

"It is a great achievement to be able to fly the Green Flag for a seventh consecutive year, and it speaks volumes for the efforts of the staff and volunteers in managing the site to such a high standard.

"Their dedication and commitment is reflected in this outstanding success."