Green Flag award for the 4th year

Green Flag Community Award®

In 2013 for the 4th consecutive year Tarvin Woodland has received a Green Flag Community Award® (formally Green Pennant Award)
This is a national award that recognises high quality green spaces in the UK that are managed by voluntary and community groups. The Award is part of the Green Flag Award® scheme, the national standard for quality parks and green spaces.

The scheme realises that all green spaces are different so each site is judged on its own merits and suitability to the community it serves. Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Community Award status.

What is a Green Flag Community Award site?

All community green spaces are eligible to enter, as long as they are freely accessible to all and unlocked as much as possible.

Green Flag Community Award® Assessment Criteria

Each Community Award® application is judged on its own merit by an independent judge scored against the detailed checklist below:-

A welcoming place

First impressions are all too important and the site should look inviting. Issues that must be considered are:
Good and safe access, Welcoming, Signage, and equal access for all. The site should be freely access to the public. However we are fully aware that sites may well have to be locked at night for security reasons or that access to the site maybe restricted to regular open days with a designated member being the key holder.

Healthy, safe and secure

It is of paramount importance that the site is safe. Issues such as: personal security, safe equipment and facilities, appropriate level of facilities and dog fouling must be considered

Clean and well maintained

There should be an appropriate standard of maintenance throughout the site and effective management skills to combat issues including: litter and waste management, overall standard of maintenance including graffiti and vandalism.

Sustainability

Judges will examine environmental issues such as peat and pesticide use, sustainable material use and waste minimisation.

Biodiversity and heritage

Each green space is unique and has its own character. The judges will be identifying the nature of conservation and historic feature value of the site, and what measures have been taken up to increase this where appropriate.

Community involvement

This is a key criterion for the Green Flag Community Award® as it looks to how well the site relates and encompasses the local and wider community.

Management/Achievements

Here, judges will be looking at what you have achieved, not only in terms of managing the green space, but also what funding and resources you have secured and how you have used them. How creative and innovative you have been with projects on your site will also be of interest here.

(Looking through the various criteria Tarvinonline think that Tarvin Community Woodland and the Woodland Trustbehind it ticks all the boxes and easily justifies this recognition!.- Ed)

Well done and thanks from a grateful community.