Scotland has outstanding natural heritage, but many people living in our towns and cities do not have access to good quality, safe green spaces. This results in a poor quality of life in many places, and local environments which most of us would find unacceptable. 

Greenspaces in and around our settlements provide a wide range of benefits. They offer opportunities for exercise in the fresh air, children’s play and other informal recreation; they make places distinctive and contribute to biodiversity; they provide opportunities to appreciate the natural heritage on our doorstep and create a setting for successful businesses. Greenspace is not just about environmental improvement, it’s about people, communities and their quality of life. Improving local greenspace makes a real contribution to environmental and social justice, to neighbourhood renewal and to creating sustainable, healthy communities. This must be recognised at all levels.

SNH’s corporate strategy makes it clear that the Greenspace for Communities Initiative (GfCI) is key to delivering the theme of ‘Enriching Peoples Lives’. The GfCI aims to achieve a step change in the quantity and quality of Scotland’s greenspace, working with local authorities, the voluntary sector, local communities and businesses to ensure that improvements meet local needs. Through the GfCI, SNH will coordinate its work on the natural heritage and related priorities in and around towns and cities, including promoting access to, and enjoyment of, greenspace; enhancing biodiversity; and supporting local community action.

SNH and our partners have a long and successful record of working together to improve and create greenspaces. The GfCI will build on this experience by bringing together a range of organisations to create Greenspace Scotland, an new national federation of local greenspace partnerships. Greenspace Scotland will be the national champion for greenspace in Scotland, giving the GfCI a high profile, public face.

The production of our GfCI Action Plan is an important step in the development of the GfCI. It sets out SNH’s role, including a programme of action for SNH, and in doing so compliments Greenspace Scotland’s Strategy and programme for action 2002 – 2005. The plan also establishes a framework for SNH to monitor and evaluate progress in partnership with Greenspace Scotland, and demonstrates SNH’s commitment to the GfCI, and to Greenspace Scotland and its members.

We recognise that sustained action and significant additional resources will be needed to address the issues. The GfCI is planned to run for at least ten years, improving existing greenspaces, creating new ones, developing skills and fostering community involvement that will provide a sound platform for continuing improvement.

We are committed to working with our partners to deliver the vision of Greenspace for Communities. We are realistic about the challenge but believe that our vision can be achieved, bringing lasting benefits to communities and to the natural heritage of Scotland.

John Markland