Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful has recognised three green spaces in Aberdeenshire with its prestigious Green Flag Award.
Aden Country Park has now won the Green Flag Award for 15 years in a row!
The Mintlaw-based park recently celebrated the completion of a five-year Aden Restoration & Redevelopment Project with a civic ceremony to unveil its new visitor information centre.
The visitor information centre was developed as part of the £2.13 million project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). The funding has also supported the restoration and redevelopment of Aden’s historic buildings, landscape, and facilities, including improvements to park interpretation, accessibility, signage, and a programme to enhance biodiversity.
Awarded by Keep Scotland Beautiful, with a vision for a clean, green, and sustainable Scotland, the International Green Flag Award recognises the very best of our country’s outdoor areas and acts as a benchmark for clean, safe, and well-maintained parks and green spaces.
Also in Aberdeenshire, Haddo Country Park won a Green Flag for it third consecutive year; and Ury Riverside Park—managed by Ury Riverside Park SCIO—has won a Community Award for the second year in a row.
Jamie Ormiston, Training and Accreditation Coordinator at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Congratulations to all of our winners in Aberdeenshire. Receiving this prestigious award recognises all the hard work that has gone into maintaining and managing these precious green open spaces.
“What is most pleasing is the number of consecutive winners we have once again, showcasing the parks’ longevity and desire to continually be a welcoming and environmentally friendly place for all.
“Scotland is facing a biodiversity crisis, but these green spaces provide a space for everyone to reconnect with nature and I encourage everyone to do just that this summer.
“Green spaces are so important for our physical and mental wellbeing and it’s fantastic to see such a wide range of parks and green spaces across the entire length of the country.”
The Green Flag Award supports opportunities to enable exercise, improve mental wellbeing and provide safe spaces for play.
The award is presented annually after an application and on-site assessment process to ensure a park meets the eight pillars of the award. The park or open space should be:
• A welcoming place;
• Healthy, safe and secure;
• Well maintained and clean;
• Sustainably managed;
• Managed for biodiversity, landscape and heritage;
• Involve the community;
• Marketed effectively; and
• Managed well.
Parks and open spaces make a tangible positive contribution to the nation’s well-being, with proven links between physical and mental health and easy access to safe, clean and inspiring green spaces.
A total of 80 green spaces in Scotland won a Green Flag Award for 2024. The award runs in 16 countries internationally, including New Zealand, Finland, and USA.