London has become the world’s first national park city.

Lancaster University Management School’s Professor Edward Truch was one of the founding trustees of the National Park City Foundation, and writes for The Conversation about how a grassroots movement has inspired authorities to commit to ensuring that more than half the area of London remains green.

“Some have questioned whether a city can really resemble a national park, while others have opposed the idea altogether, suggesting that it will detract from the special status of national parks,” he says. “But as an academic interested in the governance of national and urban parks, as well as an adviser to the National Park City Foundation, I feel that the values of a national park can be translated into an urban context, benefiting local people, as well as the environment.”

Read the full article on The Conversation website here: https://theconversation.com/london-becomes-the-worlds-first-national-park-city-committed-to-giving-people-access-to-nature-120714