Gnoll Country Park has won its first ever Green Heritage award — placing the Neath park among just 14 sites in the whole of Wales to hold the accolade.
The accreditation from Keep Wales Tidy recognises the estate’s strong conservation standards and well-maintained historic features.
It joins Margam Country Park, which first won the heritage title in 2018 and retains it again this year — meaning Neath Port Talbot is home to two of the country’s 14 Green Heritage sites.
“Having two in Neath Port Talbot is a real accolade for the area,” said Owen Derbyshire, chief executive of Keep Wales Tidy. “Both parks have done excellent work protecting their unique historic features and helping visitors connect with the past.”
There was a first too for Fairyland Community Garden in Neath, which gained its first Community Award — recognition for the Forward 4 Fairyland volunteer group and the Fairyland Allotment Society, who have transformed the estate with local growing spaces.
In all, 15 parks and green spaces across Neath Port Talbot hold Green Flag status this year.
The full Green Flag winners are Gnoll and Margam country parks, Talbot Memorial Park in Port Talbot, Victoria Gardens in Neath, and Swansea University’s Bay Campus — celebrated for conservation work including its bug hotels.
They are joined by a string of community award winners: Craig Gwladus Country Park, with its 9km of footpaths tracing coalmining heritage, the Amman Valley Trotting Club, and Cilybebyll Community Growers near Pontardawe.
Cwmafan Community Orchard — where a small local trust grows heritage fruit trees — is recognised alongside Sandfields Community Garden, the Friends and Neighbours Centre, Vivian Park Nature Garden, Gardd y Pobl at YMCA Neath, and Glantawe Riverside Park in Pontardawe.
The Green Flag scheme is marking its 30th anniversary this year, with the awards now recognised in more than 20 countries.
For the third year running, Keep Wales Tidy says Wales holds the record for more Green Flag Community Awards than any other country in the scheme.
Cllr Cen Phillips, the council’s cabinet member for nature, tourism and wellbeing, said he was “thrilled” to see the county’s parks recognised.
“They are a key asset of the community, and there’s a lot of hard work happening behind the scenes — largely by dedicated volunteers — to make awards like these possible,” he said.
“My thanks and congratulations go out to everyone who makes these green spaces so welcoming, educational, safe and enjoyable for residents and visitors alike.”
Derbyshire said green spaces “play a vital role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities” — from flagship parks to community gardens, he said, “it’s clear the county prioritises quality across all kinds of green spaces.”
The awards came on the same day nine Swansea parks and green spaces were recognised among the best in Wales — with Singleton Botanical Gardens marking its centenary year.
