MERSEYSIDE’S parks and green spaces are at the heart of the new Natural Environment White Paper, according to Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman.
“We are all nature lovers,” she said. “Liverpool’s parks and green spaces amount to 2,500 acres, including wildlife habitats, lakes, ponds and botanical gardens. These green spaces are good for tourism and for recreation.
“They create employment and they raise property prices. They have positive impacts on both mental and physical health. A study commissioned by Liverpool City Council shows that Liverpool’s “green infrastructure” is worth around £8bn per year.”
The paper details how nature provides the raw materials business, but Mrs Spelman added: “Nature is not a business woman.
“She doesn’t bill us for what she provides. If she went on The Apprentice she wouldn’t just be fired, she’d be laughed out of the door. Our natural environment white paper describes the actions Government will take to reconnect people with nature.
“We want children to get out into the natural world. It’s good for their health and it helps them to learn. So we’ll be removing the barriers to schools taking children on school trips and teaching outdoors.
“In urban areas, people are far less likely to have access to green space. We want this to change, and we want to help local authorities and developers work to give everyone equal access to green spaces and all their benefits.”
The Lancashire Wildlife Trust has welcomed the white paper, although they have asked for clarity on how its ambitions will be achieved.
Anne Selby, Chief Executive of The Lancashire Wildlife Trust, said: “How this white paper is implemented and adopted by all Government departments will be critical.
“There is a vital need to ensure it influences the current policy reforms around planning, development and growth. Although we hugely welcome this vision within this White Paper, it is disappointing that a commitment to enshrining the aspirations in statute has not been made.
“The Wildlife Trusts will keep up pressure on the Government to deliver against their vision and will continue to challenge for new policy and legislation, to secure nature’s recovery.”