Porto parks highlight the highest quality standards flag

This year, the Palácio de Cristal and Passeio Alegre gardens, as well as the Parque da Cidade park and the Botanical Garden, have retained their flags as best green spaces in the world. The British 'Green Flag Award' is managed by the non-governmental organisation Keep Britain Tidy, rewarding compliance with the highest standards of integral park and garden management.

In the words of the person responsible for the award, this 'is a testament to the hard work done by volunteers and staff who work all year round to look after these valuable parks and green spaces'. 'Parks are still very important at the heart of our communities', Carl McClean says.

The criteria for the Green Flag Award include quality indicators ranging from cleanliness, safety and maintenance to biodiversity management and conservation, community involvement, landscape and cultural elements, as well as issues such as the existence of an active management plan, which demonstrates the intention to invest heavily in permanent improvement.

Of the eight sites awarded in Portugal, four are in the city of Porto, three of which are managed by the Municipality, including Jardim do Passeio Alegre, which has once again been recognised as a Green Heritage Site, an accreditation awarded to green spaces whose historical characteristics, combined with high maintenance and preservation standards, make them unique.

Porto's parks were first honoured by this initiative in 2019.

Today, the Green Flag is already flying in more than 2,400 parks and gardens in 18 countries around the world.