World’s First National Greenspace Map Reveals Extent Of Scotland’s Greenspace

A map published today, which shows all of the greenspace in urban Scotland, is a world first. No other country has mapped its greenspace in this way. Scotland’s Greenspace Map brings together greenspace data from all 32 Scottish local authorities to show the location and type of all of our urban greenspaces – our parks, playing fields, allotments, play areas and gardens. For the first time, information about all of the open spaces in Scotland is available in one place.

This means we can now provide a definitive answer to the question of how much greenspace do we have in urban Scotland? 1,112 square kilometres - that’s equivalent to nearly 160,000 football pitches. Or to put it in a more Scottish context, if we combined all of our urban parks, play areas, allotments and gardens, they would cover an area twenty times the size of Loch Ness!

This Map also provides a baseline. Future updates mean we will be able to track changes in the amount and type of greenspace.

Scotland’s Greenspace Map is available as a public view interactive map. Using place names or postcodes, users can search the map and use simple navigation and zoom tools to find out about the extent and type of greenspace in their area. For professional users, who need to interrogate and analyse the data, the Map is available as Geographic Information System (GIS) data.

The development of Scotland’s Greenspace Map was led by greenspace scotland with funding support from Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Forestry Commission Scotland. The Map was made possible through the support of all 32 Scottish local authorities.

Julie Procter, Chief Executive of greenspace scotland said:

“Scotland’s Greenspace Map is a first for the UK and, we believe, a world first. The Map is a significant achievement for Scotland and a powerful demonstration of how effectively national and local Scottish organisations can work together on projects of national importance. Nowhere else in the world can people check out their local greenspace at the click of a button. Behind that simple action lies several years of work with local authorities to develop consistent data and collaboration with partners to collate the information and develop ways of making the data widely accessible. greenspace scotland has been the driving force to make it happen.”

The Map was launched today by Stewart Stevenson MSP, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change. Speaking at the event at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, the Minister said:

“It is vital that Scotland remains at the forefront of innovation on environmental planning and policy if we are to remain an attractive and environmentally progressive place to live and work.

“Scotland’s Greenspace Map provides a powerful resource that can now be used at a regional and national level to support the strategic management, planning and investment for greenspace. It aids spatial planning for improved health and regeneration, and is already being used to support development of the Central Scotland Green Network. At a time when finances are tight, this map will provide significant savings through data sharing and the wide access to it.”

Susan Davies, SNH Director of Policy and Advice, commented:

"We have an amazing variety of parks and public gardens in Scotland - and with Scotland's Greenspace Map, anyone can now easily find every single one of them. Getting out and enjoying nature, even if it is just popping across to a small park across the road, is so important to our health and wellbeing. Greenspaces also contribute to a healthy environment and to our economic development. Gathering all the information necessary for this map was a huge undertaking, which we were delighted to help fund, as the map will be useful to the public, as well as to help councils develop planning and environmental policy."