THREE South Somerset parks have won the Green Flag Award for another consecutive year.
In a record-breaking year for the number of parks receiving accreditation, Yeovil Country Park, Ham Hill Country Park, and Chard Reservoir Local Nature Reserve are raising their prestigious Green Flag Award once more, officially recognising them as some of the best parks in the country.
The award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces which aims to give everyone access to open spaces, as well as ensuring they are managed to a high standard, meet the needs of the community, promote good practice and recognise the hard work of staff and volunteers.
The parks and green spaces are judged on the following criteria: welcoming place; healthy, safe, and secure; well maintained and clean; environmental management; biodiversity, landscape, and heritage; marketing and communication: community involvement and management.
After two years that have seen our parks and green spaces play a vital role for people through lockdowns as a place to relax, exercise, and meet friends and family safely, the news that these three parks have achieved Green Flag Award status is testament to the hard work and dedication of the South Somerset District Council Countryside team and volunteers that make the green space areas that everyone can enjoy.
Volunteers turn up every week throughout the year to support the rangers in a variety of tasks including litter picking, path clearance, dry stone walling, tree planting, invasive species control, delivering events and so much more.
The Friends groups for each site also help to raise vital funds to enable the rangers to deliver projects and events to further improve the country parks and nature reserves.
Ham Hill Country Park has also achieved the Green Heritage Site Accreditation, supported by Historic England, for the management of its historic features.
Recognised for its heritage and history, Ham Hill is 170 million years in the making, offering fantastic views across the South Somerset Levels to the Mendips, Exmoor, and beyond.
A nationally important Historic Monument, it is one of the largest Iron Age hillforts in the UK. Ham Hill also offers beautiful wildflower meadows, spectacular wildlife, fascinating geology, and striking Iron Age rampart archaeology.
Ham Hill has been home to many, starting with the Stone Age man 5,000 years ago and followed by the Iron Age man, the Romans (built an army garrison, a 19-room villa and continued with construction of the Fosse Way that runs from Lincoln to Exeter) and medieval villages.
Evidence of these settlements has been found such as flint tools, currency bars, brooches, pottery, and plenty of skeletons.
SSDC Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder, Councillor Mike Best, said: “We are really proud to be recognised for our extraordinary countryside sites. Our dedicated and hardworking Countryside teams and volunteers are to credit for our success.
“The sites are carefully managed to ensure that both communities and wildlife are welcome, whilst careful considerations are made for environmental and conservation factors. We hope this award continues to attract and welcome generations of visitors.”
SSDC Environment Portfolio Holder, Councillor Sarah Dyke, added: “We know that being environmentally friendly is important, so our parks are managed with this as our number one priority. It’s great to see the parks are getting the recognition they deserve.”
Find out more about our country parks and nature reserves at www.visitsouthsomerset.com/explore.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here