CITIES
NATIONAL PARK CITIES
So far there are two National Park Cities – London and Adelaide. This is just the beginning, with over 30 cities around the world undertaking their own journey as set out in our Journey book.
LONDON, ENGLAND
After five years of campaigning London became the world’s first National Park City in July 2019 with a launch summit at City Hall and a Festival across London.
The London National Park City has been supported by thousands of Londoners, the majority of the city’s 2,000 local politicians and the Mayor of London.
You can read more about the London National Park City on nationalparkcity.london
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA
The international National Park City Foundation awarded Adelaide National Park City status in 2021. This made Adelaide the first city in Australia and second in the world to receive the honour.
Adelaide becoming a National Park City is the beginning of a journey to improve city life through everyday actions to enjoy connecting with nature and each other.
Find out all about their journey at adelaidenationalparkcity.org
NOMINATED NATIONAL PARK CITIES
The National Park City Foundation, in conjunction with Salzburg Global Seminar and World Urban Parks have recognised five cities as Nominated National Park Cities Day, aiming to join London and Adelaide as established National Park Cities.
BREDA, NETHERLANDS
Breda Stad in een Park is a grassroots movement of all the people in the city working on transforming Breda into a city within a natural park. Nature enthusiasts, gardeners, artists, entrepreneurs, vegetable growers, tree planters – in short, everyone who wishes to enhance urban biodiversity can participate.
Breda Stad in een Park aims to nurture and expand this community by: inspiring each other with exemplary initiatives and beautiful projects; connecting initiatives to build a strong network and fostering and assisting starting initiatives on their journey.
Breda’s ambition is to become one of the most nature-rich cities in Europe by 2030, closely collaborating with the municipality of Breda, which shares the same goal within its urban planning policies. The first step towards this goal is to attain National Park City status in 2024.
Visit bredastadineenpark.nl
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
Glasgow began its journey as a National Park City in November 2014.
From a small group of Glasgow residents inspired by the question “What if Glasgow was a National Park City” a grassroots campaign has gradually co-created a charter and built support to now include over fifty organisations from across the city ranging from small Friends of Parks Groups through to gaining the support of the Council and major NGOs and other organisations.
Now with nominated National Park City status, Glasgow is a city with great green credentials, a shared vision for a greener, healthier wilder Glasgow for everyone, and a fantastic network of organisations who together can deliver that vision.
CHATTANOOGA, USA
Imagine Chattanooga, Tennessee as America’s most livable city, where residents proudly call it a “City in a Park.” Inspired by the National Park System, their diverse landscape isn’t just about amenities; it’s the heart of their social, economic, environmental, and mental well-being.
In 2022, they posed this question to local leaders, nonprofits, and communities: What if we harnessed our natural resources and encouraged everyone to see our city as a national park, not just visit one?
In 2023, with the support of Mayor Tim Kelly and collaboration from the TN Aquarium, Nature Center, University of Chattanooga, National Park Partners, Chattanooga Zoo, Trust For Public Land, local farms, and a vibrant art community, they united to redefine Chattanooga on a global scale.
Today, they’re excited to be nominated as America’s first National Park City. With the goal to transform how we perceive our parks, programs, recreational opportunities, and even our own backyards. Together, they aim to inspire not just this generation but the next. Chattanooga – A National Park City, a national treasure in the making.
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND
Southampton National Park City is a grassroots campaign working to implement a vision for a city where people from all walks of life truly feel connected with nature.
From transforming disused spaces to growing food in buckets we are working with multiple partners across the city to bring to life the vision of people wanting to live their best lives in an urban environment and support the non-human life around us.
They are working with colleagues in the neighbouring New Forest National Park to share ideas and secure resources so that our wider area and its communities can be supported to be greener, healthier and wilder.
Rotterdam, netherlands
In Rotterdam the campaign to become a National Park City was launched in March 2023.
The initiative has been led by a network organisation of green initiatives called Groen010 while looking for ways to collaborate and support each other. At the same time the Natural History Museum developed an exhibition with the title ‘Nationaal Park Rotterdam’ and an amazing collaboration was born.
The campaign team is currently setting up its Ranger program and organising many different events and stake-holder sessions.
EMERGING NATIONAL PARK CITIES
All around the world dozens of cities are aspiring to become National Park Cities; these cities are actively working to become National Park Cities in the next few years.
GALWAY, IRELAND
Campaigners in Galway are seeking recognition as a National Park City, by achieving a more Greener, Bluer, Healthier, Safer, Beautiful, Sustainable, Equitable, Harmonious and Wilder environment where people value, benefit from, and are strongly connected to the rest of Nature.
CARDIFF, WALES
Aiming to make Cardiff fairer, wilder, greener and healthier – a people-powered movement for a greener, fairer, wilder and healthier Cardiff with a membership of nearly 100 people.
Visit cardiffnpc.cymru
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Follow along on the journey as dozens of cities become National Park Cities.