17 August 2023
Image 1: Mikkelipuisto, Mikkeli. Photo: Pihla Liukkonen
A record 19 Finnish parks and green spaces have achieved the Green Flag Award for 2023.
The results were announced at the annual Lepaa Landscape Exhibition on the 17th August.
An amazing seven new winners were announced, alongside 12 existing sites that have been successfully re-accredited - many of which have held the international Award for several years.
This marks the largest number of Green Flag Award winners in any European country outside of the British Isles.
The Green Flag Award® is a non-profit international accreditation programme that recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces. Today the Green Flag Award proudly flies above more than 2,400 places in 17 countries around the world. The programme is managed in Finland by the Finnish Association of Landscape Industries (Viherympäristöliitto ry) and internationally by UK environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.
Image 2: Harju Campus Park, Ravijoki. Photo: Harju learning center
The winners in Finland for the 2023-24 season are:
|
Site Name |
Managing Organisation |
|
Pikku-Vesijärvi Park |
City of Lahti |
|
Keskuspuisto |
City of Paraine |
|
Finby Liikuntakeskus |
City of Paraine |
|
Kellonumme Cemetery |
Espoo Parish Association |
|
Mikkelipuisto |
Etelä-Savo Koulutus Oy |
|
Marketanpuisto and Axxell Överby Campus |
Friends of Marketanpuisto and Axxell Överby |
|
Lepaa Campus Park |
Häme University of Applied Sciences |
|
Harju Campus Park |
Harju Learning Center |
|
Sapokan Vesipuisto |
Kotka City |
|
Katariinan Meripuisto |
Kotka City |
|
Jokipuisto |
Kotka City |
|
Sibelius Park |
Kotka City |
|
Fuksinpuisto |
Kotka City |
|
Snellmaninpuisto |
Kuopio city |
|
Jokilaakso Tourist Garden |
Lapua City |
|
Naisvuori |
Mikkeli city |
|
Hupisaarti City Park |
Oulu City |
|
Perhospuisto |
Riihimäki city |
|
Hatanpää Manor Park and Arboretum |
Tampere City |
Carl McClean, International Development Manager for the Green Flag Award said:
"Congratulations to all the winners in Finland. It's great to see the fantastic parks sector here being recognised with so many Green Flag Awards."
"Our partnership with VYL goes from strength to strength. We really appreciate their efforts to showcase the many quality parks of Finland through the Green flag Award programme"
Image 3: Finby Liikuntakeskus, Parainen. Photo: Frank Lauren
History in Finland
The Green Flag Award has been recognised in Finland since 2016, when the first Green Flag Award was awarded to the park on the Lepaa campus of Häme University of Applied Sciences.
First time winners in 2023 include: Harju Campus Park in Ravijoki, Jokilaakso Tourist Garden in Lapua, Hupisaarte City Park in Oulu, Riihimäki Perhospuisto, Snellmaninpuisto in Kuopio, Mikkelipuisto in Mikkeli and Finby Liikuntakeskus in Paraini.
For more information on the Green Flag Award in Finland, contact: Heidi Ovaska at Viherympäristöliitto ry:
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 0405925810
To find out more in general, or apply for an Award, whichever country you are based in - explore the Green Flag Award website and click here for a contact form.
