About the Parks Service
The Parks Service of the Velocity Interoperability Network is responsible for the parks and reserves of the Velocity Interoperability Network, for the visitors who use them, for the events held in them and for the permits that regulate organised activity within them. It manages six parks and six reserves extending to 3,094 hectares, from the fourteen hectares of Central Exchange Gardens to the 1,260 hectares of Ashcombe Forest.
The Service was established on 6 September 2026. Every site in its register is open from that date under the arrangements published on this site, and three visitor centres open on 12 and 19 September 2026. Management plans for each reserve and the byelaws that will apply across all sites are being prepared and will be announced in the Newsroom once settled.
Responsibilities. The Service's work falls into six areas.
- Parks and reserves
- Management of six parks and six reserves, 3,094 hectares in all, and maintenance of the register that records each site, its type, its area and its access arrangements.
- Visitors
- Opening hours, visitor centres, car parks, paths and other facilities, and the site rules that keep the parks safe for people and for wildlife.
- Events and permits
- The programme of public events and volunteer tasks, and permits for organised events, filming, aerial photography, guided activities, research and vehicle access.
- Conservation
- Habitat management, species monitoring and the protection of the designated habitats within the reserves, under a seasonal calendar of work.
- Volunteering
- Recruitment, induction and supervision of volunteers for practical tasks, wildlife surveys, path wardening and visitor welcome.
- Statistics and reporting
- Quarterly releases of visitor numbers, permit applications and volunteer activity, beginning with the release published at establishment.
Organisation. The Service is headed by a Director and organised into three area teams, each led by a senior ranger. Twenty-seven rangers are on duty across the teams. A small central office is responsible for the register, permits, statistics and this website. Every site has a named ranger, who assesses permit applications for that site and leads its volunteer tasks.
- Central area team
- Central Exchange Gardens, Southbank Riverside Park, Eastfield Meadows and Meridian Marsh: 242 hectares, nine rangers.
- Northern area team
- Northgate Common, Westbrook Woods, Ashcombe Forest, Highfold Ridge and Fennimore Quarry: 2,048 hectares, eleven rangers.
- Coastal area team
- Longwater Wetland Reserve, Kestrel Heath and Saltings Shore Reserve: 804 hectares, seven rangers.
For the Service's origins and the milestones since its establishment, see History; for its reporting on visits, permits and volunteers, see Statistics. General enquiries may be sent to contact@parks.gov.vin.