Presidio of San Francisco Earns Green Flag Award

Presidio Trust Chief Park Officer, Michael Boland; Executive Assistant Janeen Jackson and CEO Jean Fraser

​​San Francisco, CA (December 15, 2022) – The Presidio of San Francisco has been accredited fo​r a fourth year with the prestigious Green Flag Award, which ​recognizes the highest standards for visitor experience and management of parks and green spaces around the world. The only park in the U.S. to have this status, the Presidio joins over 2,400 parks and green spaces in 17 countries that fly the Green Flag Award, including sites in Australia, Mexico, Europe, and the United Arab Emirates. Founded in 1996 in the United Kingdom, the aim of the Green Flag Award is to ensure that everyone has access to a quality green space to enable healthy lifestyles.

The Presidio first earned the Green Flag Award in 2019. This November, an extensive re-evaluation was conducted by professional peer judges from the park sector who inspected the Presidio’s facilities, reviewed management and marketing material, and met with park managers. The Presidio ranked within the highest scoring bracket for the award, with an increase in overall score. Improvements were driven by key landscape project completions at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, Quartermaster Reach and Battery Bluff, as well as the new strategy and branding charter of “Forever Park” which aspires to preserve the Presidio as a national park site in perpetuity.

“We’re excited to celebrate another Green Flag Award win for the Presidio of San Francisco,” said Carl McClean, International Development Manager for the Green Flag Award. “We are impressed with the progress made in landscape development and management strategy. Most inspiring is the exemplary effort to engage the diverse and often underrepresented communities of the Bay Area. So many people that didn’t previously visit now call this place their own. Well done to everyone involved at The Presidio Trust and their agency partners, the NPS and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.”

The Presidio Trust has advocated for this award in North America, this year sharing best practices on site with the National Recreation and Parks Association of America (NRPA) and its sister organization in Mexico. Vitoria Martin, Director of Content and Education at National Association of Parks and Recreation of Mexico (ANPR México) led the team in evaluating the Presidio, and seven parks in Mexico achieved or maintained accreditation in 2022-23. “We are so proud to win the international Green Flag Award again,” said Jean Fraser, CEO of Presidio Trust. “They pushed us to get better at parks management. I encourage other parks in the United States to join the Green Flag consortium so we can learn from each other, and all get even better at providing wonderful parks and open spaces.”

About the Presidio and the Presidio Trust

The Presidio is one of America’s most visited national park sites, located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2022. Spanning 1,500 acres next to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio is among the most biologically diverse parks in America. Historically a home to native peoples and a military post under three flags, its facilities have been reinvented as museums, restaurants, hotels, homes, and offices. The Presidio Trust is the federal agency that stewards the Presidio, in partnership with the National Park Service and with support from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The Trust sustains the Presidio by leasing homes and workplaces and offering visitor amenities. Learn more at presidio.gov.

About the Green Flag Award

The Green Flag Award is a non-profit international accreditation program that recognizes and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces. The Green Flag Award is managed by the UK environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under license from the UK The UK Government Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and delivered in partnership with our network of national operators around the world Learn more at www.greenflagaward.org.

To see a full list of Green Flag Award parks, visit: http://www.greenflagaward.org/award-winners/

About Keep Britain Tidy

Keep Britain Tidy is a leading UK environmental charity that cares for the environment on your doorstep. They work to improve public space, eliminate littering and reduce waste. We run programs including Eco-Schools, Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, our programs and campaigns visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.