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When you visit a park, it’s a real bummer go to one that is not well maintained, the facilities don’t work, it’s sloppy and looks run down.
On the other hand, when you visit one that is well maintained, it puts you in a great frame of mind and helps you really enjoy and appreciate that park.
The latter is the experience you get at the Presidio of San Francisco, a park at the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge in the City by the Bay. As proof, it has earned the prestigious Green Flag Award for the fourth time.
The Green Flag Award recognizes the highest standards for visitor experience and management of parks and green spaces around the world. The only park in the U.S. to have this status, the Presidio joins more than 2,400 parks and green spaces in 17 countries that fly the Green Flag Award, including sites in Australia, Mexico, Europe, and the United Arab Emirates. 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.
The Presidio first earned the Green Flag Award in 2019. This November, an extensive re-evaluation was conducted by professional peer judges from the park sector who inspected the Presidio’s facilities, reviewed management and marketing material, and met with park managers.
The Presidio ranked within the highest scoring bracket for the award, with an increase in overall score. Improvements were driven by key landscape project completions at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, Quartermaster Reach and Battery Bluff, as well as the new strategy and branding charter of “Forever Park” which aspires to preserve the Presidio as a national park site in perpetuity.
“We’re excited to celebrate another Green Flag Award win for the Presidio of San Francisco,” said Carl McClean, International Development Manager for the Green Flag Award. “We are impressed with the progress made in landscape development and management strategy. Most inspiring is the exemplary effort to engage the diverse and often underrepresented communities of the Bay Area. So many people that didn’t previously visit now call this place their own. Well done to everyone involved at The Presidio Trust and their agency partners, the NPS and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.”
The Presidio Trust has advocated for this award in North America, this year sharing best practices on site with the National Recreation and Parks Association of America (NRPA) and its sister organization in Mexico. Vitoria Martin, Director of Content and Education at National Association of Parks and Recreation of Mexico (ANPR México) led the team in evaluating the Presidio, and seven parks in Mexico achieved or maintained accreditation in 2022-23.
“We are so proud to win the international Green Flag Award again,” said Jean Fraser, CEO of Presidio Trust. “They pushed us to get better at parks management. I encourage other parks in the United States to join the Green Flag consortium so we can learn from each other, and all get even better at providing wonderful parks and open spaces.”
You can virtually visit it on its website, presidio.gov,
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