New research to understand the existing provision of public access to woodlands in England, as well as opportunities for increasing access, has been published by Forest Research. Funded through Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund, the study updates 10-year-old data on public access to trees and woodlands and provides maps showing the distribution of accessible woodlands.
Access to woodlands can provide a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits. A recent study found that the annual mental health benefits associated with visits to woodlands in Britain was estimated at £185 million. With inflation, this has been updated to £213 million of which £162 million is the value for England. Physical health benefits of visits to woodlands have also been identified, along with a wide range of other benefits highly valued by the public.
Darren Moseley, Head of Land Use and Ecosystem Services at Forest Research said, “The research was conducted to help understand the existing quantity of public access to woodlands in England, the proportion of people who have access to woodland in walking distance and how this varies geographically. As part of the project, we examined where accessible woodlands are and how this relates to different population groups. Understanding the distribution of publicly accessible woodlands can highlight opportunities for new woodland creation within walking distance of residential areas.”
Posted On: 27/05/2025
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