New Position Paper – Periurban Parks: Their place in European Policies

EUROPARC’s Periurban Parks Working Group has developed a position paper highlighting the role of Periurban Parks in European policies and providing recommendations for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework.

The heart, soul and lungs of urban life

Periurban Parks are wilder, more biodiverse, and significantly larger than typical urban parks. As a result, they provide a wide range of benefits, including cleaner air, temperature regulation, fresh water, healthy food and vital habitats for biodiversity.

As Europe looks back on another exceptionally hot summer, the importance of these green spaces becomes increasingly apparent. 

Periurban Parks are essential to urban resilience and sustainability. They play key roles in safeguarding natural processes and providing safe, frontline spaces during climate emergencies and environmental urban crisis.

Given the many roles these spaces fulfil, dedicated financial resources are needed to deliver the best outcomes for the health of both nature and people. The new Position Paper ‘Periurban Parks: Their place in European Policies’, developed by the EUROPARC Periurban Parks Working Group, outlines the many European policies to which Periurban Parks contribute.

Supporting these spaces, means supporting the health of European citizens and the planet.

To ensure Periurban Parks can continue to fulfil their vital roles, the EUROPARC Federation welcomes the European Commission to:

• Consider the development of a focused strategy for safeguarding and enhancing ecologically significant green spaces near urban areas.
• Set up dedicated funding mechanisms for nature conservation and restoration to support the effective, long-term management of Periurban Parks as part of the Trans-European Nature Network and green and blue infrastructure.

A full list of recommendations for the next EU Multianual Financial Framework can be found in the position paper here: