Page 15 - The Land Trust Annual Review 2016-17

Hidden Values GREEN SPACES

In the last few years, we have been looking REDUCE & PREVENT FLOODING
at how to demonstrate the value of our green
spaces to society and the economy. PONDS AND WETLANDS RISE
TO STORE EXCESS WATER
We started by looking at the social value of our managed AND REDUCE FLOODING.
green spaces based predominantly on the perceptions of local
residents and park users. Last year, we took another angle – to BEAM PARKLANDS PROVIDES
understand the value of our spaces in terms NEARLY £600,000 AND
of what the land is doing, and how our SILVERDALE £400,000 OF
management of the land is adding value. FLOOD RISK REDUCTION
BENEFITS PER YEAR.
We used natural capital accounting as
the method to do this and working with
Interserve and eftec, we produced a new
report: The Hidden Value of our Green
Spaces, to explore the financial value of two
of our sites: Beam Parklands, Essex and
Silverdale Country Park in Staffordshire.
The full report is GREEN SPACES
The report shows that our green spaces are available online at
more than just places for recreation or to help thelandtrust.org.uk STORE & REMOVE CARBON
wildlife thrive – they also provide important functions, such as
woodlands absorbing pollution, locking up carbon, and in turn, SILVERDALE COUNTRY PARK
improving air quality, and wetlands storing water, slowing the flow ABSORBS 5,000 TONNES
and helping reduce the risk of flooding. These functions help
reduce costs to local and wider communities, such as to the NHS, OF CARBON PER YEAR,
other public sector services and local businesses and residents. EQUIVALENT TO 5% OF
STAFFORDSHIRE COUNCIL’S
CARBON FOOTPRINT.
BEAM PARKLANDS’ NATURAL THE ANNUAL VALUE OF
CAPITAL VALUE IS £42 MILLION ABSORBED AND STORED

AN INCREASE OF £21 MILLION CARBON IS £840,000
FROM 2009 THROUGH IMPROVED MANAGEMENT

This report translates these benefits into monetary terms,
taking into account the physical land, the habitats, the GREEN SPACES
quality of the land and how it is used and managed. HELP US BREATHE CLEAN AIR
Results have been positive, demonstrating that long term
investment and sustainable management of green spaces
adds significant value to local economies, communities and 113% INCREASE IN LOCAL
wider society. In the six years since the Land Trust acquired AIR POLLUTION ABSORPTION
Silverdale Country Park, the natural capital value of the site AT SILVERDALE COUNTRY
has increased by £2million from £600,000 to £2.6milion. PARK SINCE 2011 THROUGH
INCREASED HABITATS AND
THE NATURAL CAPITAL VALUE OF IMPROVED PARK MANAGEMENT.
SILVERDALE COUNTRY PARK
HAS INCREASED BY £2 MILLION
TO £2.6 MILLION

IN THE SIX YEARS THE LAND TRUST AND ITS PARTNER
GROUNDWORK WEST MIDLANDS HAVE MANAGED THE SITE. GREEN SPACES

This is specifically as a result of improvements to habitats, KEEP US HEALTHY AND HAPPY
resulting in improved carbon storage and sequestration; water
retention; storage and purification; and flood alleviation. Engaging BEAM PARKLANDS PROVIDES
with communities and creating opportunities for local people NEARLY £800,000 OF
has also delivered health and education benefits, contributing EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTH
to reduced pressures on public health and social services. BENEFITS TO THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY PER YEAR.
EVERY £1 INVESTED OVER £1 MILLION PER ANNUM
AT SILVERDALE COUNTRY PARK THE PARK’S EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL,

RETURNS £35 TO THE WIDER HEALTH AND WELLBEING VALUE.
ECONOMY & SOCIETY

the Land Trust Annual Review 2016/17 15