Survey reveals nature concern

Survey reveals nature concern - Scottish Natural Heritage

Public concern about biodiversity may be on the rise, a new survey suggests. The 2019 Scottish Nature Omnibus survey found that 65% of people agree there will be less variety of life in Scotland over the next 50 years, compared to 63% in 2017. Over the same period, the proportion of adults concerned about Scotland’s biodiversity has increased from 68% to 71%.

In 2019 just over half of respondents (54%) said they felt nature was personally relevant to them, compared to 52% two years ago. The online survey of 1,101 people reveals a rise in the proportion of people gardening for wildlife (from 42% to 46%) and volunteering (from 21% to 23%). However there was a slight drop in the percentage saying they were taking action to be a green consumer (72% to 70%) and a green traveller (66% compared to 65%).

The survey found that while a majority of people have heard of SNH, awareness of the organisation’s remit remains relatively low with respondents most likely to associate it with protecting or looking after Scotland’s heritage, culture or history. From May 1 SNH will rebrand to NatureScot to be more recognisable to the general public as Scotland’s nature agency and the organisation responsible for restoring and enriching our biodiversity.