Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
Greenspace Scotland
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Contact us Donate to Parks4Life
Menu
  • Parks4Life
  • Why greenspace matters
    • What is greenspace?
    • Greenspace delivers for...
    • Statistics
  • Who we are
    • Our story
    • Mission and strategy
    • Board
    • Team
    • Company Information
  • What we do
    • How we work
    • Greenspaces and...
      • Better Outside
      • Climate resilience
      • Communities
      • Covid-19
      • Energy
      • Food Growing
      • Health
      • Young People
    • Services
    • Resource library
    • Greenspace map
  • Get involved
    • Find and enjoy greenspace
    • Your greenspace Q&As
    • Start a project
    • Fund your project
    • Support parks
    • Become a member
    • Donate
  • News and events
    • News
    • Ebulletin
    • Project of the Month
    • greenspace scotland events
    • Other events
    • Jobs
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • Our story

Our story

Since 2002, greenspace scotland has provided a national lead on greenspace, working towards our goal that everyone living and working in urban Scotland has easy access to quality greenspace which meets local needs and improves their quality of life.

As Scotland’s parks and greenspace charity, we have been influential in shaping a supportive policy context for greenspace and promoting good practice on greenspace delivery.

We are proud of our reputation of ‘punching above our weight’ and our small staff team works with many partners to make big things happen!

Key achievements include:

Putting greenspace on the map

  • Producing the world’s first national greenspace map in 2011 – and working with Ordnance Survey to extend greenspace mapping across Britain
  • Demonstrating through research and case studies how greenspace delivers for Scotland’s people, places and communities
  • Developing a supportive national policy framework for greenspace in Scotland – embedding greenspace in policy on health, early years, planning, regeneration, biodiversity, etc and securing a National Indicator on Access to Greenspace

Supporting communities and resourcing greenspace

  • Developing Scotland’s only crowdfunding platform specifically for parks and greenspace
  • Collaborating with Resourcing Scotland’s Heritage to provide fundraising training and capacity building for grassroots heritage groups
  • Working with Tesco and Groundwork UK to deliver the Bags of Help grant programme, supporting over 3000 Scottish community projects with over £9million

 Pioneering new approaches to manage greenspaces

  • Working with grassroots growing groups to produce the ‘Our Growing Community’ resource pack
  • Collaborating with park managers to produce guidance on developing climate resilient parks and greenspaces
  • Drawing on best practice from around the world, for example, our partnership with Project for Public Spaces on Community Placemaking and developing Nature-Based Solutions through the Connecting Nature project

 Providing a greenspace knowledge and network hub

  • Producing the State of Scotland’s Greenspace reports and Greenspace Use and Attitude surveys
  • Collating research and commissioning critical literature reviews on greenspace, health and quality of life
  • Connecting park managers and officers from all 32 Scottish Councils through the Scottish Park Managers Forum

 In the beginning…

greenspace scotland was originally established by Scottish Natural Heritage and partners to lead the Greenspace for Communities Initiative. For the first 3 years we were funded by SNH and the New Opportunities Fund. Until 2009, grant funding for core operating costs was provided by the Scottish Government.

We are now a thriving social enterprise…

Since 2010, greenspace scotland has successfully evolved into a thriving social enterprise, with a diversified funding base. Our projects, programmes and services are resourced by a mixture of grants, contracts and other income.

We will keep working until everyone has easy access to quality greenspaces, which meet their needs, and improve quality of life.

Across Scotland too many communities are still blighted by poor quality, purposeless green deserts or neglected and wasted spaces. Scotland’s urban environment is still not consistently or equitably beneficial for communities. Local action on greenspace and green networks is not realising the ambition of national policy or meeting the aspirations of communities. With continued pressure on public sector spending, and as a non-statutory service, parks and greenspaces are coming under increasing pressure.

Published: 12th February, 2018

Updated: 28th April, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Latest

  • Paths for All launch new fund

    Paths for All launch new fund

    Paths for All announce the Ian Findlay Path Fund to support the improvement of local paths within and between communities, making it easier for people to travel by walking, wheeling, or cycling for daily journeys.

  • Levelling Up Parks Fund

    Levelling Up Parks Fund

    The UK government has announced a £9m parks scheme with the aim of creating new or significantly refurbished green spaces in English urban areas that need them most.

  • Investment Ready Nature Scotland

    Investment Ready Nature Scotland

    New funding collaboration to help organisations explore innovative funding models across Scotland’s nature sector.

  • Callout for freelance researcher for Remembering Together

    Callout for freelance researcher for Remembering Together

    greenspace scotland seeks to commission a freelance research individual or organisation to support the design, analysis and reporting on a small-scale survey as part of the Covid Community Memorial programme Remembering Together.

Most read

  • Tesco Community Grants

    Tesco Community Grants

    Funding for local projects in Scotland, England and Wales that benefit their community, focus on food or helping children and families. Apply now for funding up to £1500.

  • What is greenspace?

    What is greenspace?

    Greenspaces are the 'green lungs' of our towns and cities which contribute to improving people's physical and mental health by providing places for informal recreation and 'breathing spaces' to take time out from the stresses of modern life.

  • Other funding sources

    Other funding sources

    There are lots of grant and funding programmes that can support greenspace and park projects, activities and events. Thinking about the impact or benefits of your project might help you identify other funding opportunities too.

  • Greenspace map

    Greenspace map

    The greenspace map developed with Ordnance Survey provides information about the location and type of all of Scotland's greenspaces.

  • Silverburn Flax Mill

    Silverburn Flax Mill

    Crowdfunding appeal to support a major community-led initiative for wellbeing, enterprise and employment, benefiting the people of Levenmouth and beyond. The B-listed former Flax Mill building will be brought back to life, creating a sustainable and iconic centre piece for Silverburn Park.

  • Ebulletin

    Ebulletin

    Our free, monthly e-bulletin includes local, national and international greenspace-related news, as well as the latest information from greenspace scotland and our members.

  • Green Heat in Greenspaces (GHiGs)

    Green Heat in Greenspaces (GHiGs)

    Background and outputs from the Green Heat In Greenspaces (GHiGs) project for Scotland

  • Our story

    Our story

    Since 2002, greenspace scotland has provided a national lead on greenspace, working towards our goal that everyone living and working in urban Scotland has easy access to quality greenspace which meets local needs and improves their quality of life.

  • Statistics

    Statistics about the size and importance of greenspace across Scotland.

  • How we work

    How we work

    We provide a national lead for action on parks and greenspaces. Working in partnership we pioneer new approaches to managing and resourcing greenspace.

Tag cloud

Better Outside biodiversity climate change community-placemaking Covid 19 food growing green infrastructure health myparklove2018 nature park ParkPower people Tesco Bags of Help young people young placechangers

Sign up for our newsletter

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please enter your email address Please enter a valid email address (e.g. [email protected])

Jubilee House, Forthside Way, Stirling FK8 1QZ

Phone: 07825 678277

Email: [email protected]

greenspace scotland is a registered Scottish Charity (No SC034078) and a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in Scotland (No 236105)

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Resources
  • Sitemap
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Accessibility
  • Login
  • My details
  • Log out

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram