Found in towns and villages all across Greater Lincolnshire parks and open spaces are a key feature of our living space. Sometimes these are practical spaces – flood/water storage areas next to rivers and roads, sometimes they are for amenity such as flower filled town parks and occasionally the green space is secondary to the main purpose as in churchyards.

Parks and open spaces can be important to wildlife in two ways, firstly because there are now so few places for wildlife to thrive so any natural area is a potential home for plants and animals. Secondly because these green spaces, along with gardens and road verges help to create a network of sufficient habitat across our urban areas enabling wildlife to thrive in what would otherwise be a hostile environment.

There are so many types of park and open space and so many ways in which they could be managed that would help wildlife that there is no generic park or open space or one picture that can represent one. As parks and open spaces can also vary greatly in size and function it may be worthwhile looking at specific features or techniques that could be used or adapted, on other sites rather than considering each park or open space in its entirety.