22 August 2024
The iconic national park site has once again met the coveted international standard, in recognition of community engagement, biodiversity enhancement, management of the landscape and environmental sustainability.
Jean Fraser - CEO at the Presidio Trust said:
“We’re honored to have the outstanding work of our staff and partners recognized with the Green Flag Award. We love being in the joy business, delighting people every day with a clean, safe, and beautiful park that makes everyone say “ahhhh.”
In recent years, the Presidio has seen major improvements completed such as the Presidio Tunnel Tops, Quartermaster Reach Marsh, and Battery Bluff, inclusive outreach to underrepresented communities, and operational projects which ensure the Presidio’s preservation as a national park site in perpetuity.
A commitment to standards
Achieving the Green Flag Award for a sixth time in a row is no mean feat. Only a small number of parks outside the UK can claim at least as many, including The Phoenix Park in Dublin, Parque da Cidade in Porto, Abu Dhabi's Corniche Beach Gardens, South Bank and Roma Street Parklands in Brisbane and Parque la Mexicana in Mexico City.
The Presidio was also joined earlier this year by a second US Green Flag Award winner - Seward Park in Seattle, which became the first municipally managed public park in the country to win the award.
Travis Beck - Chief Park Officer at the Presidio Trust said:
“We are thrilled that the Green Flag Award and the values it represents are being recognized by other parks in the United States. We were proud to be Green Flag Award early adopters and warmly welcome Seward Park in Seattle to the network.”
The international standard for parks and green spaces
Founded in 1996 in the United Kingdom, the aim of the Green Flag Award is to ensure that everyone has access to a quality green space to enable healthy lifestyles and stronger communities. Since then it has expanded into 18 countries around the globe and celebrates over 2,500 winners every year.
To achieve the award once again, The Presidio had to meet the robust standards: 27 criteria under 8 separate categories, such as "Healthy, Safe and Secure" "Community Involvement" and "Environmental Management". These criteria were assessed at The Presidio twofold this year - first through a critique of the organisation's management documentation, and secondly during a in-person site inspection conducted by trained judges from the parks and green space sector.
To see a full list of Green Flag Award winning parks, visit: http://www.greenflagaward.org/award-winners/
Carl McClean - International Development Manager for the Green Flag Award said:
"Congratulations to everybody who works so hard to make the Presidio such a great place to live, work and visit. This park shines as a unique landscape for experiencing the best of San Francisco: combining healthy living with heritage, ecology with culture and education with play. I'm sure everyone in the Bay Area will be celebrating this historic sixth Green Flag Award win for the Presidio!"
About the Presidio and the Presidio Trust
The Presidio is one of America’s most visited national park sites, located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is the ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone. Spanning 1,500 acres next to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio is among the most biologically diverse parks in America. It became a military post under three flags, and subsequently a national park site in 1994. Today, its facilities have been reinvented as museums, restaurants, hotels, homes, and offices. The Presidio Trust is the federal agency that stewards the Presidio, in partnership with the National Park Service and with support from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The Trust sustains the Presidio by leasing homes and workplaces and offering visitor amenities. Learn more at presidio.gov and @presidiosf.
About the Green Flag Award
The Green Flag Award is a non-profit international accreditation program that recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces. The Green Flag Award is managed by the UK environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under license from the UK Government and delivered in partnership through a network of national operators around the world.
To find out more, or apply for an Award, in whichever country you are based, explore the Green Flag Award website: www.greenflagaward.org or alternatively click here for a contact form.
