Land Trust Annual Review 2021: A word from our Chief Exec

As the Land Trust publishes its 2021 Annual Review, Land Trust Chief Executive Euan Hall, discusses the progress the Land Trust has made and the important role green spaces have played in people's lives throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the Land Trust’s 2018 Annual Review I wrote that we need a government that recognises the importance of green infrastructure to create thriving, healthy communities. I said that we need to decide what society we want our children, and their children to grow up in. I finished by saying that we had a huge opportunity to change the future of our country and that it was vital that we didn’t miss it.

These words are as true now as they were when I wrote them three years ago and the value of parks and green spaces has become even more evident over the last two years.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a terrible time for so many people. Thousands of people have tragically lost their lives in the UK while millions have died across the world. It has been an incredibly sobering experience for us all as we have sacrificed so much to try and get through the pandemic and get back to normal.

While there have been so many negatives there have also been positives and people’s new found appreciation for the natural environment and parks and green spaces has been one of them.

Although we were unable to deliver our usual programme of activity, just being able to keep our green spaces open made a huge difference. Working closely with our dedicated managing partners, and in some cases our volunteer workforce, we were able to ensure that our sites were maintained to the best possible standards during this time.

This enabled the communities that live and work around our parks and green spaces to use them throughout the pandemic which we know was hugely important for their physical and mental wellbeing.

It is hugely encouraging, and I’m incredibly proud, that the Trust has managed to navigate the most challenging year in the organisation’s history and come out of it in a better position. We have brought some beautiful new parks and green spaces into our ownership and management and have increased our charitable delivery and the economic and social value created across our portfolio.

With nearly 2.5 million people visiting our sites in 2020-21 we have a fantastic platform to go on and deliver so much more in the future and continue to play our part in delivering healthier, happier communities.