Page 1720 - Week 06 - Thursday, 3 June 2021
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congestion sets us apart. Our changing seasons, our natural and man-made environments, our suburban shopping centres, our heritage as a planned city, and our treed landscape and nature reserves all help provide our unique character and sense of identity and place. Over 60 per cent of the ACT is managed as a national park, nature reserve, urban open space, forestry or other green space.
Canberra was founded on principles of the garden city movement, a concept and design which is still very much alive and well today. Our green spaces, urban forest canopy and tree cover are going to become increasingly critical as the ACT continues to work towards reducing the urban heat island effect and providing climate change solutions.
We are all reasonably familiar with the concept of national parks—protected areas that are home to flora and fauna, unique geology and cultural heritage; inspiring places which capture people’s hearts and minds—and we are all familiar with urban areas. More than half the world’s population live in towns and cities.
National park cities recognise the important relationship between urban and natural areas, including the role of nature in our everyday lives for mental health and wellbeing. Globally, recognition of a national park city status is being awarded to cities where people and nature are well connected. To date, London is the only city in the world that has achieved this status. In Australia, Adelaide has commenced its journey towards this recognition; but I believe Canberra has what it takes.
National park cities provides a framework, a vision, a narrative for those cities where government, businesses, not-for-profits and the community come together to achieve shared goals towards clean air, green spaces, outdoor recreation, health and wellbeing, wildlife and habitat protection, and sustainable initiatives, activities and projects. Crucial to the success of an application to become a national park city is collaboration and community support, together with the backing and leadership of local politicians.
On reviewing what it takes and what it means to be a national park city, it is almost as though the founders of the National Park City Foundation had Canberra in mind. They described a national park city as:
A large, city-wide landscape; a place, a vision and a community that aims to be healthier; a city that includes a wide range of places, projects and initiatives that its residents would be proud to show other residents and both national and international visitors; a city that has an active civic society and an appetite, energy and mood to deliver key aspects of the National Park City; a city that has a robust, collaborative and healthy network of cross-sector organisations to implement actions to make the National Park City a success; and a city that implements meaningful policies to protect, increase and enhance nature, culture, heritage, the environment and public space.
National Park Cities have been described as those where:
… people and nature are better connected; Cities are rich with wildlife; Where every child and young person benefits from exploring, playing and learning outdoors; Cities where we all enjoy high-quality green spaces, where the air is
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