Support us from £3/month
We deal with almost 1000 cases a year assisting communities, groups and individuals in protecting their local spaces and paths in all parts of England and Wales. Can you help us by joining as a member?
We have won a prestigious international award for our work on common land. Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, received the first-ever Elinor Ostrom Award at a global conference in Japan last week.
The award was established by 15 institutions in memory of the renowned academic expert on commons, Elinor Ostrom of Indiana University, who died last year. It promotes the work of practitioners and scholars who are involved in the field of commons, and celebrates Ostrom’s writing on the value of common resources and international collective action. The Open Spaces Society is one of eight award-winners for its ‘long stewardship of the commons and its impact on commons policy and management both in the UK and Japan.’
The society was nominated for the award by the Countryside and Community Research Unit of the University of Gloucestershire. Other winners included organisations in India and Mexico and individuals from India, South Africa, the USA and the Philippines.
The video of Kate’s speech after receiving the award can be seen here.
Says Kate Ashbrook: ‘Elinor Ostrom was a great advocate of the collective management and protection of commons and it is an honour to receive one of the first awards in her memory.
‘The Open Spaces Society has been campaigning for common land for nearly 150 years, longer possibly than any other organisation. We have lobbied on behalf of common rightholders and the public to ensure that the many interests in commons are protected and can flourish. It is wonderful that we have received this international recognition for our work.
‘We are particularly pleased that the range and effectiveness of the society’s work is recognised and commended not only by the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI), University of Gloucestershire, England but also by our referees.’
- Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Coordinator, CGIAR Program on Collective Action and Property Rights (CAPRi)
- Aiichiro Mogi, Member of the International Association for the Study of the Commons and Overall Program Committee of IASC 2013
- Professor Christopher Rodgers, Head of School, Newcastle Law School, Newcastle University, England
- Minoti Chakravarty-Kaul, Formerly department of Economics Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, India
- Paul Johnson, Principal Specialist, Access and Engagement, Natural England