National Park Cities
National Park Cities around the world
Established cities have submitted their portfolio of evidence, have successfully been through the full application and peer review process, and are now recognised as actively making each city a place where people and nature are better connected.
There are now four established National Park Cities – London, Adelaide, Chattanooga, and Breda. This is just the beginning, with many other cities around the world undertaking their own journey as set out in our Journey book.
London National Park City
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.
Adelaide National Park City
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.
Breda National Park City
Breda National Park City 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’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.
Chattanooga National Park City
Chattanooga, Tennessee became America’s first National Park City in 2025. The goal is to transform how we perceive our parks, programs, recreational opportunities, and even our own backyards and inspire not just this generation but the next. Chattanooga National Park City, a national treasure in the making.
America’s most liveable city, 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.
Nominated National Park Cities
Nominated cities have demonstrated that they have an active campaign, are confidently working towards submitting a full application, and have made significant progress towards completing the steps in the Journey Book.
Southampton National Park City
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.
Glasgow National Park City
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.
Rotterdam National Park City
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.
Cardiff National Park City
Cardiff is aiming to become the first National Park City in Wales.
Aiming to make Cardiff fairer, wilder, greener and healthier – a people-powered movement for a greener, fairer, wilder and healthier Cardiff.
The campaign recently submitted its required 200 signatures to be formally recognised as a Nominated National Park City.
Galway National Park City
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.
Belfast National Park City
The campaign for Belfast to become a National Park City was begun in 2025 by volunteers from Wild Belfast and Queens University Belfast, who have wholeheartedly and rapidly embraced the National Park City story for Belfast, recognising the inspiring potential to help people from all communities in the city establish a deeper connection with the urban nature right on their doorsteps.
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