Adelaide becomes first Australian city to be named a National Park City

The UK-based global National Park City Foundation has named Adelaide as the world’s second National Park City, and the first Australian city to receive the honour.

The National Park City Foundation led the assessment supported by World Urban Parks and the Salzburg Global Seminar.

National Park City is a movement to create cities worldwide where people and nature are better connected. The movement is managed by the National Park City Foundation, a registered charity established to bring the idea of National Park Cities to life internationally.

Chair of the National Park City Foundation Paul de Zylva said that the Foundation is absolutely delighted Adelaide is joining the growing family of National Park Cities and notes "at a time of great health, climate and ecological anxiety, becoming a National Park City is an incredibly positive, hopeful and pragmatic step for a city to take.”

South Australian Minister for Environment and Water, David Speirs gave an acceptance speech noting "Adelaide National Park City status isn't just another title for our city, it is a trigger to promote and connect people with on-ground action to look after our environment for everyone's health and wellbeing as well as boost our economy through increased tourism".

Green Adelaide Board Presiding Member Professor Chris Daniels advised that Green Adelaide has driven Adelaide’s National Park City application on behalf of all of Adelaide’s people and nature. Green Adelaide is a statutory board established in July 2020 by the Government of South Australia, with a vision to create a cooler, greener, wilder and climate-resilient Adelaide that celebrates the State’s culture. The board was established as part of the 2019 South Australian natural resources management reform, and the introduction of the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.

Neil McCarthy, Chief Executive of World Urban Parks added "World Urban Parks proudly supports the concept of National Park Cities as a way to rethink our approach to sustainable urban living, and to see parks and nature set in the context of whole city landscapes.

Professor Daniels said that becoming a National Park City will bring tourism, environmental and wellbeing benefits and noted “Adelaide National Park City status isn’t just another title for our city, it is a trigger to promote and connect people with on-ground action to look after our environment for everyone’s health and wellbeing, as well as boost our economy through increased tourism.

“We know that 95% of Adelaide residents only need to travel around 400 metres to connect with an open, green area, and over the next few years, you’ll see some real on-ground action towards the Adelaide National Park City movement to create a cooler, greener and wilder city.

“This includes $5 million to green our CBD streets and places, $5 million to re-wild the River Torrens, and millions of dollars in grants to enable the community and councils to deliver climate resilient projects on-ground.

“Plus, the delivery of iconic rewilding projects like bringing platypus back to the Torrens, creating a more butterfly friendly city, and enhancing habitat and awareness about our city’s birds of prey.

Adelaide’s push to become a National Park City was supported by the city having 30% green space, and diverse wildlife from 1,080 native plant species and 281 native species of birds to 60 native fish species and 47 native mammal species, plus more than 58 species of reptiles.

The Adelaide National Park City status follows National Geographic recently naming Adelaide as the sixth most sustainable destination in the world, thanks to the green movement, and the years of effort by volunteers, government and organisations to look after the region’s nature, which boosted Adelaide's credentials in Green Adelaide's application.

de Zylva added "becoming a National Park City is not just about a collective vision or the status of the city, it is a statement of intent and a way of organising to radically improve life for both people and wildlife, now and into the future.

"Everyone, everywhere in Adelaide, will have the potential to both benefit from and contribute to their National Park City everyday.

"From respecting the sacred lands of indigenous communities to using plants to moderate the city centre climate, there are many great things happening, but by working, learning, sharing and acting together, so much more can be achieved and we are excited to support Adelaide National Park City’s journey.”

Green Adelaide is the first dedicated urban environmental specialist organisation focusing on guiding the people of Adelaide’s love of and connection with nature, and to create a cooler, greener and wilder capital city. Their area of responsibility spans across Adelaide’s 17 metropolitan councils, and includes about a third of Gulf St Vincent.

More information on Green Adelaide at greenadelaide.sa.gov.au/

Image courtesy of Green Adelaide