Adelaide has been invited to be the world's second National Park City after an assessment by the international National Park City Foundation. The only other city to enjoy this status is London.
The submission, made by Green Adelaide, successfully outlined the city's new re-wilding projects such as scoping the reintroduction of platypus to the Torrens and making it more butterfly friendly; raising awareness about Adelaide's raptor species and committing to street plantings, and the existing connection between people and nature.
Already the world's third most liveable city, the National Park City accolade will further inspire the creation of new nature spaces in Adelaide to complement existing green spaces across the city and its suburbs.
South Australian Tourism Commission chief executive Rodney Harrex said: "We look forward to welcoming inter- and intra-state visitors to the National Park City of Adelaide and extend the invitation to oversees tourists when borders reopen. A commitment to sustainable practices and responsible travel is in South Australia's DNA, and we have long worked with stakeholders to protect and promote our pristine natural environments, rich cultural heritage and vibrant local communities for the common good.
"Visitors can actively participate in this movement in Adelaide and in regional South Australia by touring with eco-certified guides, getting involved in citizen science initiatives, discovering our rich Aboriginal heritage, visiting one of our rewilding sites and spending time with one of our many biodynamic winemakers. There is even a raft of fabulous off grid tiny houses visitors can stay in now. All of this can be discovered in a dedicated sustainable travel content hub we have created online."
Green Adelaide Board Presiding Member Professor Chris Daniels agrees that the National Park City status will shine a spotlight on the city and attract visitors:
"The status will bring global recognition for Adelaide's environment, attract visitors and enable more investment and interest in nature-based tourism, as well as attract more funding for innovative environmental projects. Most importantly, it will help bring people and nature closer together and lead to great benefits for the environmental health of our city."
