Twenty Green Flag Awards Given Across Belfast

Twenty parks and open spaces across Belfast have been awarded coveted Green Flag Awards again, this year.

The awards were announced by environmental charity, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, and are an internationally recognised certification for environmental quality management for parks and open spaces.

Among the parks' winners were Botanic Gardens, Barnett Demesne, Belmont Park, Cavehill Country Park, Connswater Community Greenway, Drumglass Park, Dunmurry Park, Dunville Park, Falls Park, Grove Park, Knocknagoney Park, Lagan Meadows, Musgrave Park, Ormeau Park, Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, Tullycarnet Park, Waterworks and Woodvale Parks. Half Moon Lake and Roselawn Cemetery also received Green Flag awards.

Botanic Gardens also received a special Green Flag Heritage Award once again, this year. This accolade is presented for sites which make the most of their unique heritage features and enhance the visitor experience.

Dr Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful which manages the local Green Flag Awards programme, said: "Urban parks are one of the Victorian era's great achievements and their relevance and importance continue today. Communities across the country value their local parks enormously and their potential to support biodiversity is being increasingly recognised. They're not just spaces for us, they're spaces for nature.

"When you visit a Green Flag site, you can be reassured that the location is being managed to a really high standard as they've been through a rigorous judging process that assesses sites across a range of issues including their horticultural standards, cleanliness, biodiversity and safety."