The key aims of the Forum are:

• Sharing experience and promoting best practice
• Providing an informal network for "parks" professionals within the region.
• Influencing national policy
• Raising the profile of parks management and development at both regional and national levels.

Previous meetings have covered a wide range of topics including skate park design, play strategies, tree maintenance, Green Flag, Section 106 agreements and performance indicators to name but a few. Both members and guest speakers make presentations at meetings. The Forum also responds on behalf of its members to government consultations such as those about; the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce Interim report; the HSE’s Tree maintenance survey; and the Audit Commission’s Local Performance Indicators.

The Forum meets bi-monthly at venues around the region and in addition holds one-day seminars every 2 years. The Forum has a good reputation within the region and the profession and meetings and seminars are well attended.

The Forum welcomes members who are involved with landscape design, parks maintenance, countryside services or parks development. Whilst the majority of members are from Local Authorities there are a growing number from private organisations.