Being able to walk to in nature-filled green spaces close to where we live is more important to us than ever following the COVID-19 lockdown. But the pandemic has also highlighted the sharp disparity between those who have easy access to green space, and those who don’t according to a new Ramblers’ report, The grass isn’t greener for everyone: Why access to green space matters, published today.
While millions of us have found comfort in walking and nature during the pandemic, it’s not the same story for everyone. With one in eight households having no access to a private or shared garden, many people felt the lack of a park or nearby green space keenly during the restrictions of lockdown. We are calling on the government to introduce legally binding targets to guarantee everyone, everywhere can easily walk in nature-filled green spaces, wherever they live.
Green space is important to almost everyone
We did some research with YouGov, which found that green spaces are important to almost everyone, with the top reason being that they are a good place to walk (78%). In fact, lots of us intend to walk more than they did before, when lockdown restrictions have ended.
Two thirds (65%) of adults reported that being able to access green space in their local area had always been important to them, with an additional one in five adults (19%) saying that green space in their local area was more important to them now than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Access to nature isn’t equal
Only 57% of adults questioned said that they lived within five-minutes’ walk of green space, be it a local park, nearby field or canal path. That figure fell to just 39% for people from a black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) background and 46% for those with a household income of under £15,000 (compared to 63% of those with a household income over £35,000 and 70% over £70,000).
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Posted On: 16/09/2020