Adelaide bids to become world’s second National Park City, to gain global recognition of its environment

Adelaide will officially bid to become the world’s second National Park City – boosting its global recognition, funding, migration and action against climate change.

Adelaide has launched an audacious bid to become the world’s second National Park City, as polling shows South Australians overwhelmingly want urgent action on climate change.

Green Adelaide is spearheading a campaign to have Greater Adelaide awarded National Park City status.

It comes as a YouGov survey, commissioned by The Advertiser, shows 74 per cent of respondents thought it was either “important” or “extremely important” for SA to take action to reduce the impacts of climate change.

Green Adelaide chair Professor Chris Daniels said being named a National Park City – a title which would be shared only with London – would be important recognition for the state. It would:

PROVIDE global recognition for Greater Adelaide’s natural resources.

ATTRACT interstate and international migration.

ALLOW for more investment and interest in nature-based tourism.

ATTRACT more funding for environmental projects.

ALLOW clear branding for the state based on our exceptional natural environment.

RECOGNISE the uniqueness of Adelaide’s green space and the proximity of national parks to key urban areas.

Prof. Daniels said it also would mean bringing nature into our CBD, backyards and public spaces, “embracing biodiversity as part of our culture and heritage, to build communities and support a more climate-resilient city”. The vision is for Adelaide to become “cooler, greener and wilder”.

The Advertiser is highlighting the bid as part of a wider series, “Green Zone”, which launches on Friday.

The Advertiser's Green Zone campaign.

The series – a collaboration with the Australian Science Media Centre, the University of Adelaide‘s Environment Institute and the Judith Nielsen Institute – aims to raise awareness and engagement in environmental and climate issues in the lead up to the decision on a National Parks City and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, in November.

The ACT government this week announced a bid to be recognised as a National Park City in a sign that will heighten competition from within Australia for the mantle.

The National Park City Foundation has said it wants to have 25 National Park Cities around the world by 2025.

In Adelaide’s favour are its 23 parks within the city’s boundaries protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, as well as its internationally recognised Adelaide Parklands.

From this point, Green Adelaide aims to lodge its application to become a National Park City by the end of the year.

There are five criteria to be met.

The National Park City Foundation, which is based in London and determines if Adelaide reaches all criteria, is expected to take weeks to make a decision once it is lodged.

Recruitment for a project-co-ordinator is underway and an announcement is expected within weeks.

Tourism Industry Council SA chief executive Shaun de Bruyn said his organisation was “extremely positive” about the state’s bid to become a National Park City.

“It’s a great opportunity to position Adelaide and South Australia as an amazing place for a nature-based visitor experience,” he said.

“Being potentially the second country in the world to have this status would be a great accolade and something that would be highly appealing to some of our visitors.”

Mr de Bruyn said it would attract more migrants to settle in Greater Adelaide.

Edward, Hudson and Chloe explore the Mount Osmond lookout. Picture: Tom Huntley

SA Nature Alliance chairwoman and Trees for Life chief executive Natasha Davis said the title brought opportunities to improve the quality and quantity of nature in the city – but it must be backed up with funding and strong policy and planning measures.

“There’s no point just slapping a label on it and having business as usual,” Ms Davis said. “We need to look at areas that are lacking green spaces but it’s the quality as well. I’d like to see more native plants because they’re more suited to our local conditions, they attract native wildlife and can really improve biodiversity and we know biodiversity is good for our health as well as for native flora and fauna.”

Business SA chief executive Martin Haese said it would help boost the state’s green economy – including areas such as recycling, renewable energy and eco-tourism.

He said it needed to be coupled with an overarching strategy to grow the green economy.

Mount Lofty Summit Cafe owner Tony O’Donnell hoped it would attract more people to the city and its parks, and lead to better marketing of Adelaide’s parklands.

“From here, you get a perfect spot to see the parklands all around the city – you can actually see right around past the airport and on a great day, you can see Kangaroo Island,” he said. “Quite often I’ll have a coffee and I’ll sit outside and go, ‘you know what, we live in a beautiful city – there’s no place in the world I’d rather be than here right now’.”

Mount Lofty Summit Cafe head chef Tom Samuel-White, owner Tony O'Donnell and front of house staff Andrew Norris. Picture: Tom Huntley

Environment Minister David Speirs said the first National Park City was London and while cities all over the world are vying to become the second, Adelaide is unique.

“Greater London has nearly 50 per cent green cover, making it one of the world’s most vegetated cities,” he said.

“In SA, we have a significant agenda to green, cool and open up our capital city for more biodiversity, recreation and interaction with nature.

“We have a strong history of parks and open spaces with our Botanic Gardens, Cleland Wildlife Park, Belair National Park and the recent creation of Glenthorne National Park in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.”