Prioritise parks this July

by Natalie McCulloch

Throughout lockdown many of us took comfort in the ability to enjoy the wide open spaces we are lucky enough to be surrounded by. Here in Cardiff we are fortunate to have a large amount of beautiful parks with an incredible array of appealing features. In fact, Cardiff has the most Green Flag Award-winning parks in Wales! An incredible 15 parks and green spaces hold this coveted award which is an international mark of quality. Weather permitting we could take a stroll in the stunning Bute Park and admire the colourful borders and sounds of water gushing, or explore the mesmerising marshlands of Forest Farm or (my personal favourite) relish in the rosy routes of Roath Park. What’s even better is that this is actually doing us some good which can’t be a bad thing! Research has shown that spending time in green spaces and bringing nature into daily life can be beneficial for both mental and physical wellbeing in a multitude of ways such as:

• Improving your mood – a study of 2,000 adults found that 85% of people experience a positive effect on their mental state after spending time outside in a green space. Reducing stress – Let’s face it, life isn’t always a walk in the park but that certainly doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy one! “Take short walks in the park down a happy trail.” ~ Frederick Lenz active

• Encouraging socialising (at a safe distance obviously!) • Encouraging hobbies (such as birdwatching, photography, running) As lockdown eased some activities which would have previously been held indoors, such as social groups, gym classes and meet ups, took to the great outdoors in order to resume safely in line with the current government guidelines, so really – where would we be without our parks? There may be some benefit to keeping going to these spaces even following the opening of indoor spaces - A scientific review of studies published in the journal Extreme Physiology & Medicine (2003) concluded that when we exercise in natural environments, we don’t feel as though we’re pushing ourselves as much, so we work out harder than we would do in a gym, our blood pressure returns to normal much faster, levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline drop right back to normal levels, our immune systems improve and it gives us a good mood boost, among many other benefits. (https://extremephysiolmed.biomedcentral. com/) Not bad for something that’s free as well! Now that we’ve got some signs of nicer weather, it would be a shame not to enjoy it and where better to, than a park! As the brilliant actor, Robin Williams said “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’” and after the year we’ve all had, some celebrations and feel good times are surely warranted?

Now it’s time to give ‘something back’ to parks! In order to recognise and encourage appreciation of our parks and other open spaces, Keep Wales Tidy – who run the Green Flag Awards in Wales – is calling on the public to ‘make memories not mess’ this summer. Working with councils across the country, the charity will be encouraging people to do the right thing and show some love for our treasured spaces. “So, it is disappointing to see that the easing of restrictions and good weather has led to another increase in litter. It is essential that our precious parks and green spaces are kept clean and safe for everyone to enjoy. “Every person has a part to play. It is not acceptable to expect somebody else to pick up the rubbish that you create. When you’re out, make memories, not mess – if bins are full, take your rubbish home.”

Our parks and green spaces definitely need some TLC! Rates of litter have increased as Coronavirus restrictions have eased, and the weather has improved. The actions of a small minority have had a negative impact on everyone’s enjoyment of nature. They have also put more strain on council workers who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep open spaces clean and safe while maintaining other essential services. It doesn’t have to be anything hugely taxing either, simply: • Taking litter home to stop bins overflowing (75% of litter by volume is empty plastic bottles!), • Not stubbing cigarettes out and leaving them (the most common type of litter present on the streets of Wales), • Respecting any regulations in place in the parks (i.e. designated routes, one way systems), • Clearing up dog mess, • Keeping the public toilets as you would hope to find them. – these small things all add up! Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator at Keep Wales Tidy said: “The pandemic has shown just how important high-quality parks and green spaces are to our communities. For many of us, they were a haven on our doorstep, benefitting our health and well-being. The ’make memories not mess’ campaign is part of Caru Cymru (a Welsh phrases meaning ‘Love Wales’), Keep Wales Tidy’s biggest ever initiative to eradicate litter and waste.

So why not spread the word and encourage others to act positively towards their parks. In the meantime, please share with others what your plans are on social media using the hashtags #CaruCymru and #GreenFlag Wales and remembering to @GreenFlagWales and @KeepWalesTidy.

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