Poole Park and Upton Country Park have been recognised as two of the finest parks in the country after each received a sought after Green Flag award.
The Green Flag is the national standards for parks and green spaces in England and Wales and is run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy in partnership with GreenSpace and BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers). 
Television presenter Michaela Strachan will present winners with their awards at the official Green Flag awards ceremony being held in Bournemouth today.
Both parks were assessed on a number of criteria, including management, maintenance, health and safety, conservation and heritage, community involvement and how welcoming the parks are to visitors.
Judges were impressed with the excellent facilities at each park including well-managed green space, signage, and amenities.
Poole Park was judged to be a vibrant place offering a great deal to residents and visitors, and the community involvement at both sites was highly praised. 
Cllr Peter Adams, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure, Borough of Poole, said: “We would like to thank staff and the Friends of each park for their continuous support and efforts in making these parks two of the best in the country. We are very fortunate to live in an area where we are surrounded by beautiful and award-winning open spaces and beaches available for us to visit and enjoy.”
Upton Country Park has been awarded a Green Flag four times and this is the second time Poole Park has been awarded the status.
Each park boast more than 100 acres of parkland including woodlands at Upton and freshwater lakes at Poole, which are open and free to the public all year round.
Hayley Pope
