How The Parks Trust’s funding model helps to protect and enhance green spaces in Milton Keynes

02/28/25 • 28 min

Set up as an independent charity in 1992, The Parks Trust was granted 999-year leases for 4,500 acres of green space land in Milton Keynes, and an endowment in the form of freehold ownership of income-generating commercial properties valued at £22 million. Deputy chief executive of The Parks Trust, Hannah Bodley explains the benefits of this model.

Head of operations and forestry at The Parks Trust, Frank Gill, talks about how climate change is affecting Milton Keynes, with issues such as flooding and the rise in pests and diseases, and how they are managing these.

Gill also reveals that litter is one of the biggest challenges, with the team removing over 100 tonnes from the parks every year. Bodley adds that caring for green spaces with multiple users – including livestock – can come with its difficulties.

And with Milton Keynes set to grow, Bodley explains how The Parks Trust plans to grow with it.

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And with Milton Keynes set to grow, Bodley explains how The Parks Trust plans to grow with it.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Peat-free standards with Evergreen Garden Care, Durston's, Westland, Melcourt, Southern Trident

HortWeek's podcast about peat-free standards was recorded at the Garden Press Event with Evergreen Garden Care, Durston's, Westland, Melcourt, Southern Trident, Responsible Sourcing Scheme, Growing Media Association and Treasure.

Speakers in order are:

1: 20 - Simon Blackhurst with Durston's, Treasure Gardening and the Growing Media Association

5: 03 - Colin Stephens of Evergreen Garden Care

10: 15 - Stuart Staples of Westland

13: 35 - Catherine Dawson of Melcourt Industries

14: 10 - Steve Harper of Southern Trident and the Responsible Sourcing Scheme

The industry leaders told HortWeek editor Matthew Appleby a standard could be introduced by as early as 2026 to show consistency, sourcing and quality of peat-free consumer growing media.

But speakers acknowledged the hard work required over decades it has taken to get here and that there is work to do in the future to educate gardeners towards success.

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Next Episode

A vocation for garden design with Andrew Wilson MBE

Having recently been awarded an MBE for his contributions to landscape architecture, garden design, and heritage, Andrew Wilson speaks to HortWeek editor Matthew Appleby about what this means to him personally, but also what it means for the industry.

He talks about his teaching career and how, as director of garden design studies at London College of Garden Design, he is seeing more students come in from other professions and is curious about what’s causing them to deflect from their initial interest in horticulture. He also touches upon the mergers and closures of horticulture colleges and whether it is a trend likely to continue.

As a former RHS judge, Wilson says he often gets asked for his advice on whether show gardens are good things. With his garden designer hat on, he says they are, especially for nurturing students. He says:

"Andy Sturgeon probably wouldn't be where he is today, or Tom Stuart-Smith, without the Chelsea gardens that they have produced. So from my student-nurturing point of view, they’re undeniably a good thing.”

Wilson also talks about his concern around sustainable gardens all looking similar: “I am totally supportive of gardens with sustainability running through everything. But it can potentially produce similar results in terms of where materials come from, how materials are used, and how our planting works.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.