Research by English Heritage and CABE has identified skills shortages in the green space sector, with the recession hitting green space organisations in public, community and private sectors hard.

A quarter of the green space public employers expect recruitment to fall and a fifth say their budgets are hit harder than other local authority departments.

“This research illustrates the worrying skills gap and skills shortage, as well as the vulnerability of our public green spaces which rely on consistent skilled maintenance if they are not to decline,” said EH head of gardens and landscapes John Watkins.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.17683