Joe FitzPatrick MSP is our Nature Champion

We are delighted to announce that we will be working alongside Joe FitzPatrick MSP through the Nature Champions initiative with Scottish Environment LINK to protect our community green spaces.  

Green spaces across Scotland give communities and individuals the opportunity to enjoy the environment, nature and outdoors, often without having to travel far from home.

The spaces are all used differently, some simply for recreation or as a means of walking/wheeling to local amenities, with others designed to bring local people together such as an allotment or community garden. They cover a range of both urban and rural locations, all of which are essential to combatting the climate and nature emergencies. 

There are a number of threats to our community green spaces including poor local environment cleanliness and quality, new housing developments, the impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss and society’s disconnect from both nature and our land. 

We work with communities, local authorities, schools and businesses across Scotland to support, inspire and recognise achievements made to improve our green (and blue) spaces and look forward to working alongside Joe FitzPatrick to champion these.  

Scotland has incredible spaces that can be so beneficial for the local community and biodiversity. These can play a crucial role in mitigating the climate and nature emergencies, which is why we welcome the support of the Nature Champions initiative. 

Katie O’Donnell, our Communities Manager, said: “Every day across Scotland we get to work with people who protect and enhance the places they care about.  Through our training, education programmes, community activities and award schemes we are frequently inspired by those who take positive action and we are privileged to be able to share and celebrate their successes.

“We’re really pleased that Joe FitzPatrick MSP has agreed to become our Nature Champion of Community Greenspaces and with his support look forward to further advocating the importance of community spaces and the nature that is found in them.”

Find out more about our work with you to improve places and support community action through our Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network.