The Green Flag Award is the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales. The scheme is run by The Civic Trust and recognises the best green spaces in the country, while rewarding excellent standards of park management. It is also seen as a way of encouraging others to achieve the same high environmental standards, creating a benchmark of excellence. There are eight criteria which Green Flag Award judges assess parks and open spaces:

	a welcoming place
	healthy safe & secure
	well maintained and clean
	sustainability
	conservation and heritage
	community involvement
	marketing
	management