Official Statistics

Adults' Year 3 Annual Report (April 2022 - March 2023) (Official Statistics)

Published 20 September 2023

Applies to England

1. What is the Adults’ People and Nature Survey?

The Adults’ People and Nature Survey for England is one of the main sources of data and statistics on how people experience and think about the environment in England. It began collecting data in April 2020 and has been collecting data since. So far, data have been published that were collected between April 2020 and March 2023. Data are collected via an online panel of adults aged 16 years and older, in line with Government Statistical Service guidance on data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data from the People and Nature Survey for England enable users to:

• Understand how people use, enjoy and are motivated to protect the natural environment.

• Monitor changes in use of the natural environment over time, at a range of different spatial scales and for key groups within the population.

• Understand how being in the natural environment can have an effect on wellbeing.

• Understand environmental attitudes and the actions people take at home, in the garden and in the wider community to protect the environment.

These data contribute to Natural England’s delivery of statutory duties, inform Defra policy and natural capital accounting, and contribute to the outcome indicator framework for the 25 Year Environment Plan, now the Environmental Improvement Plan (specifically the G indicators).

The Official Statistics in this publication are based on continuous online data collection between the 2nd of April 2020 and the 31st of March 2021 (Year 1), the 1st of April 2021 and the 31st of March 2022 (Year 2) and the 1st of April 2022 and the 31st of March 2023 (Year 3). There were 24,994 surveys conducted in Year 1, 24,987 in Year 2 and 24,987 in Year 3.

The survey replaces the Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) survey which ran from 2009 to 2019.

A modular questionnaire has been designed to maximise the number of questions asked in the survey while maintaining a survey length that is not overly burdensome for respondents. Chart 1-1 provides a summary of the questionnaire modules. Only Module 1 and Module 6 are asked of all respondents. Other modules are asked of different subsets of respondents. Each chart presented in this report includes notes about the sample size where applicable. A more detailed breakdown of the full questionnaire and sample sizes for each module can be found in the questionnaire details for the adult survey.

Chart 1-1 Structure of the People and Nature Survey questionnaire. People and Nature is an online panel survey, sampling around 2,000 adults monthly in England on a continuous basis.

Chart notes

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023 (inclusive).

2. Module 1 and Module 6 are asked to 100% of respondents.

3. Module 2A is only asked to respondents who report they have visited a green and natural space in the last 14 days. These respondents are asked more specific questions relating to their visit, including the location, duration, activities and benefits of their visit. This is estimated to be asked to around 60% of respondents.

4. Module 2B is only asked to respondents who report they have not visited a green and natural space in the last 14 days. These respondents are asked about their reasons for not visiting and their access via transport. This is estimated to be asked to 40% of respondents.

5. Module 3 is estimated to be asked to around 50% of respondents. These respondents are asked about children’s experiences of green and natural spaces, their barriers to visiting and reasons for not spending more time outside.

6. Module 4 is asked to around 10% of respondents and includes questions relating to environmental attitudes and behaviours.

7. Module 5 is estimated to be asked to 30% of respondents and includes questions on gardens and gardening behaviours.

2. The timeline of the Adults’ People and Nature Survey

Please note that when Year 1, Year 2, or Year 3 is referenced in the text below, this refers to the financial years (spanning from April to March) in which the survey ran.

To aid the visual display of charts with a long timeline, seasons have been used rather than a month-by-month display. Chart 1-2 provides an overview of financial years versus seasons while outlining the relationship of both to the calendar years.

Chart 1-2 Explanation of timeline in charts.

Chart notes

1. ** stands for Spring ‘23**.

The exact years and months referenced by the seasons can be found in the glossary, but with the exceptions of Spring ‘20* and Spring ‘23**, the months averaged for the seasons are:

Spring	March, April and May
Summer	June, July, and August
Autumn	September, October, and November
Winter	December, January, and February

The two exceptions of Spring ‘20* and Spring ‘23** are due to the translational difficulties between the financial year and its quarters, and more intuitive seasons. The first spring of the time series, Spring ‘20, refers only to data collected in April and May 2020, as no data was collected in March. The final spring of the time series, Spring ‘23, refers only to data collected in March 2023, as data from April and May 2023 have not been released yet.

3. Visits to green and natural spaces

With some seasonal variations, more than six in ten people surveyed had visited green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days:

• Almost two in three (65%) adults had visited a green and natural space in the previous 14 days in Year 3. This was higher than in Year 2 (63%) and in Year 1 (62%).

• 22% of adults had not visited a green and natural space in the previous 14 days in Year 3. This was lower than in Year 2 (25%) and in Year 1 (29%).

Chart 2-1 Percentage of adults in England (weighted percentage) visiting a green and natural space in the last 14 days between April 2020 and March 2023.

Chart notes

Source: No_Of_Visits: How many times, if at all, did you make this type of visit to green and natural spaces in the last 14 days?

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 3766 (Spring ‘20), 5617 (Summer ‘20), 5589 (Autumn ‘20), 5591 (Winter ‘20/21), 5655 (Spring ‘21), 5566 (Summer ‘21), 5672 (Autumn ‘21), 5605 (Winter ‘21/22), 5623 (Spring ‘22), 5587 (Summer ‘22), 5623 (Autumn ‘22), 5560 (Winter ‘22/23), 1884 (Spring ‘23)

3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

When asking people to report on visiting frequency in the last 12 months, rather than asking if a visit had taken place in the last 14 days, almost seven in ten (69%) spent free time outdoors in green and natural spaces at least weekly in the last 12 months in Year 3. This was similar to Year 2 (69%) and a little less compared to Year 1 (71%).

Chart 2-2 Frequency of free time spent outdoors in green and natural spaces in last 12 months between April 2020 and March 2021 (Year 1), April 2021 and March 2022 (Year 2) and April 2022 and March 2023 (Year 3).

Chart notes

Source: M1_Q1: In the last 12 months, how often, on average have you spent free time outside in green and natural spaces?

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 24,994 (Year 1), 24,987 (Year 2), 24,987 (Year 3)

3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

The difference in the estimates for Year 3 between the two questions (65% had visited in the last 14 days versus 69% of people state that on a yearly average they visited at least weekly) is potentially due to people overestimating their frequency of visits across the year. Also, the question of visits in the last 14 days may lead to a slight underestimation due to situational factors (for example weather, or illness/injury, or holidays outside of the UK), as well as quite a few people choosing the ‘Don’t know’ response (11% in Year 3) when asked how many visits they took in the last 14 days. There is ongoing work to improve the estimate for how often people have visited in the last 14 days^{[footnote 1]}.

4. Places that people visit

Gardens and urban/local green spaces were particularly important for spending time outdoors:

• In Year 3, 77% of adults with access to a garden said they spent time in it at least once per week. This was similar to Year 2 (76%) and a slight decrease compared with Year 1 (79%).

• In Year 3, 7% of adults reported that they did not have access to a garden. This is in line with Year 1 and Year 2 of the survey, where 8% of people reported that they did not have access to a garden.

• Visit destinations outside of gardens are shown in Chart 3-1.

Chart 3-1 The types of green and natural spaces people have spent time in during the last month between April 2020 to March 2023.

Chart notes

Source: M1_Q2 Which of the following type(s) of green and natural spaces have you visited during the last month? [Select all that apply]. Answer options subset: Urban green space (such as a park, field, or playground), Fields / farms / countryside, Woodland or forest, River, lake or canal, Beach / other coastline / sea

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 4032 (Spring ‘20), 6034 (Summer ‘20), 6064 (Autumn ‘20), 5923 (Winter ‘20/21), 5905 (Spring ‘21), 5883 (Summer ‘21), 5965 (Autumn ‘21), 5950 (Winter ‘21/22), 5947 (Spring ‘22), 5995 (Summer ‘22), 6070 (Autumn ‘22), 6028 (Winter ‘22/23), 2035 (Spring ‘23).

3. Only a subset of types of green and natural spaces have been presented. More information on the questionnaire is available here.

4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

In Year 3, urban green spaces (such as a park, field, or playground) were the most commonly visited green and natural spaces (by 50% of adults). This was a small decrease from a total of 51% in Year 2. Chart 3-1 shows that urban green spaces are the most reported destination type over the three years of data collection. It also shows that going to the beach/other coastline/sea has the largest seasonal spikes out of the five types of green and natural spaces shown.

5. Travel to green and natural spaces

Almost two in three people agree that local green spaces are within easy walking distance:

• In Year 3, 65% of people agreed that local green and natural spaces are within easy walking distance. This was similar to Year 2 (66%) and Year 1 (65%).

More than six in ten people used an active travel mode in their most recent visit to a green and natural space:

• 65% of people used an active travel mode (on foot, by bike, or by mobility aid) in their most recent visit to a green and natural space.

• Conversely, over a third (35%) used a passive travel mode (by car, van, motorbike or by public transport).

Chart 4-1 Main form of transport used to reach destination between April 2022 to March 2023 (Year 3).

Chart notes

Source: M2A_SUB_Q1 What was the main form of transport you used to reach your main destination?

1. Data collected between April 2022 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 2690 (Active travel), 1753 (Passive travel)

3. Responses have been combined to create the ‘Active’ and ‘Passive’ categories of travel. Active travel is comprised of: ‘Bicycle/ mountain bike’, ‘On foot/ walking’ and ‘Mobility aid (such as wheelchair or mobility scooter)’. Passive travel is comprised of ‘Car/van/motorbike’ and ‘Public transport (e.g. train, bus or coach)’. More information on the questionnaire is available here.

4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

Almost two in three journeys were below three miles in travel distance:

• The length of journey to green and natural spaces varied, with 41% travelling less than one mile; 24% one to two miles; 22% three to ten miles and 12% more than ten miles.

Chart 4-2 Distance travelled to visit location between April 2022 to March 2023 (Year 3).

Chart notes

Source: M2A_Q6 Approximately how far in miles did you travel to reach this place?

1. Data collected between April 2022 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 14715 (Year 3).

3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

The mode of transportation switched from mostly active travel to mostly passive travel between two- and three-miles travel distance:

• 41% of those who visited green and natural spaces in the last 14 days in Year 3 travelled less than one mile to a local green and natural space.

  • Of those 41% with visits of less than one mile distance, about nine in ten journeys (92%) were taken by active travel, as shown in Chart 4-3.

• 24% travelled one to two miles.

  • Of those 24% with visits of one to two miles distance, about six in ten journeys (61%) were taken by active travel and 39% by passive travel.

• 22% travelled three to ten miles.

  • Of those 22% with visits of three to ten miles distance, 44% were taken by active travel and 56% by passive travel.

• 12% travelled more than ten miles.

  • Of those 12% with visits more than ten miles, 86% were by passive travel.

Chart 4-3 Distance travelled by type of transport used between April 2022 to March 2023 (Year 3).

Chart notes

Source: M2A_SUB_Q1 What was the main form of transport you used to reach your main destination and M2A_Q6 Approximately how far in miles did you travel to reach this place?

1. Data collected between April 2022 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 2690 (Active travel), 1753 (Passive travel)

3. Responses have been combined to create the ‘Active’ and ‘Passive’ categories of travel. Active travel is comprised of: ‘Bicycle/ mountain bike’, ‘On foot/ walking’ and ‘Mobility aid (such as wheelchair or mobility scooter)’. Passive travel is comprised of ‘Car/van/motorbike’ and ‘Public transport (e.g. train, bus or coach)’. More information on the questionnaire is available here.
4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

Total visit duration including the time to travel shows that 16% of all visits lasted up to 30 minutes in Year 3, 33% of visits lasted between 30 minutes and up to an hour, and 30% lasted between one hour and two hours. One in five (21%) visits lasted more than two hours.

6. Reasons for visiting a green and natural space

Getting fresh air and physical health and exercise were the main reasons for people taking a visit to a green and natural space:

• 56% of adults visited a green and natural space to get fresh air in Year 3. This was a decrease from 61% in Year 2 and 64% in Year 1.

• 51% of adults visited for physical health and exercise in Year 3. This was a decrease from 54% in Year 2 and 63% in Year 1.

• 29% of adults visited a green and natural space to walk a dog, and 28% visited to connect to nature / watch wildlife in Year 3. These are increases from 25% and 25% respectively in Year 2 and 27% and 23% respectively in Year 1.

Chart 5-1 Main reasons for taking a visit between April 2022 to March 2023 (Year 3).

Chart notes

Source: M2A_SUB_Q5 What were the main three reasons for taking this visit. Answer options subset: For physical health and exercise, To get fresh air, For mental health and well being, To walk a dog, To connect to nature / watch wildlife

1. Data collected between April 2022 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 4450.

3. Only a subset of reasons have been presented. More information on the questionnaire is available here.

4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

5. As this is a multi-select question the percentages will not add up to 100%.

Chart 5-2 shows that physical health and exercise decreased from its peak during lockdown periods and from Winter ’21/22 follows a pattern of seasonal variation.

Chart 5-2 Main reasons for taking a visit between April 2020 to March 2023.

Chart notes

Source: M2A_SUB_Q5 What were the main three reasons for taking this visit. Answer options subset: For physical health and exercise, To get fresh air, For mental health and well being, To walk a dog, To connect to nature / watch wildlife

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 606 (Spring ‘20), 1155 (Summer ‘20), 1076 (Autumn ‘20), 1015 (Winter ‘20/21), 1077 (Spring ‘21), 1141 (Summer ‘21), 1094 (Autumn ‘21), 1045 (Winter ‘21/22), 1115 (Spring ‘22), 1101 (Summer ‘22), 1104 (Autumn ‘22), 1068 (Winter ‘22/23), 400 (Spring ‘23).

3. Only a subset of reasons have been presented. More information on the questionnaire is available here.

4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

5. As this is a multi-select question the percentages will not add up to 100%.

7. Benefits of visiting green and natural spaces

Most respondents agreed that spending time outdoors is beneficial for their health:

• 92% of adults who had visited a green and natural space in the previous 14 days agreed that spending time outdoors was good for their physical health. This is a decrease from agreement with the statement in Year 2 and Year 1 (94% for both).

• 91% of adults who had visited a green and natural space in the previous 14 days agreed that spending time outdoors was good for their mental health. This is a decrease from agreement with the statement in Year 2 and Year 1 (93% for both).

• About four in ten adults said that nature/wildlife is more important than ever to their wellbeing (38%) or that visiting local green and natural spaces has been even more important to their wellbeing (39%). These are both slight decreases from Year 2 (40% and 42% respectively). There is no comparison with Year 1 data due to a change in question wording in Year 2 to reflect changes in government coronavirus guidance.

• Almost six in ten adults agreed that they are a part of nature (59% in Year 3, the same as for Year 2 and 58% in Year 1). Just over eight in ten agreed being in nature makes them very happy (81% in Year 3, 80% in Year 2 and 82% in Year 1).

Chart 6-1 Whether nature/wildlife and visiting green spaces have become more important to people’s wellbeing between April 2021 and March 2022 (Year 2) and April 2022 and March 2023 (Year 3).

Chart notes

Source: CV_Q1 Thinking about life now, have you noticed or done any of the following? Answer options subset: Nature/wildlife is more important than ever to my wellbeing, Visiting local green and natural spaces has been even more important to my wellbeing.

1. Data collected between April 2021 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 24,987 (April 2021 – March 2022) and 24,987 (April 2022 – March 2023).

3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

Chart 6-2 Percentage who agree / disagree with the statement ‘Being in nature makes me very happy’ between April 2020 and March 2021 (Year 1), April 2021 and March 2022 (Year 2) and April 2022 and March 2023 (Year 3).

Chart notes

Source: M1_Q6 How much do you agree with the following: Being in nature makes me very happy

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. Responses taken from NET reduced and NET improved values.

3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart – bars do not sum to 100%.

4. The samples for this question were 23,314 (April 2020 – March 2021), 24,987 (April 2021 – March 2022), 24,987 (April 2022 – March 2023).

8. Not spending time visiting green and natural spaces

Two in three people without a visit in the last 14 days would have liked to spend more free time outside:

• Two-thirds of adults who had not visited a green space in the last 14 days would have liked to spend more free time outside in Year 3 (67%). This is a decrease from 69% in Year 2 and 71% in Year 1.

The most common reason cited for not spending more free time outside was bad/ poor weather:

• The most common reasons cited for not spending free time in green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days in Year 3 were bad/poor weather (36%), being too busy at home (22%), poor physical health (22%), and being too busy with work/family commitments (21%).

• The proportion of adults who said they did not spend time in green and natural spaces because of bad / poor weather was highest between November 2022 and February 2023 (Winter ‘22/23) (51%) and lowest in April and May 2020 (Spring ‘20*) (6%).

• Staying at home to stop coronavirus spreading/Government restrictions reduced from 48% in Year 1, to 17% in Year 2 and 6% in Year 3.

• As can be seen in Chart 7-1, the selection of bad/poor weather is more common in winter. Compared to bad/poor weather and coronavirus, any of the other included reasons show smaller variation over the three years.

Chart 7-1 Reasons for not spending time in green and natural spaces by adults who had not visited a green or natural space in the last 14 days between April 2020 to March 2023.

Chart notes

Source: Q27A / M2B_Q2: What was the main reason or reasons for not spending free time outdoors in the last 14 days? Answer options subset: Bad / poor weather, Poor physical health, Busy at home, Busy at work, Stayed at home to stop coronavirus spreading / Government restrictions

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 1712 (Spring ‘20), 1821 (Summer ‘20), 1930 (Autumn ‘20), 2140 (Winter ‘20/21), 1958 (Spring ‘21), 1881 (Summer ‘21), 1985 (Autumn ‘21), 2215 (Winter ‘21/22), 1997 (Spring ‘22), 1820 (Summer ‘22), 1906 (Autumn ‘22), 2048 (Winter ‘22/23), 630 (Spring ‘23).

3. Only a subset of reasons have been presented. More information on the questionnaire is available here.

4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

5. As this is a multi-select question the percentages will not add up to 100%.

Coronavirus decreased substantially both as a specific reason why people did not visit in the last 14 days, but also as a more general concern or worry about visiting green and natural spaces:

• When asked for general concerns or worries about visiting green and natural spaces (rather than specific reasons for not visiting) the decline in worrying about Coronavirus can also be observed (see Chart 7-2), similar to the decrease seen in Coronavirus as a specific reason for not visiting (displayed in Chart 7-1).

• Fewer than one in ten (8%) were concerned or worried about contracting or spreading coronavirus in Year 3. This has fallen from 19% in Year 2 and 41% in Year 1.

• Chart 7-2 also shows that the large decrease in worrying about Coronavirus in general did not lead to a large increase in people not having any concerns or worries.

• In Year 3, around a third (32%) of people who had not visited green and natural spaces reported having no general concerns or worries about visiting green and natural spaces. This was in line with Year 2 (31%) and an increase from 25% in Year 1.

Chart 7-2 Concerns or worries about visiting green and natural spaces for people that had not visited green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days between April 2020 to March 2023.

Chart notes

Source: Q29 / M2B_Q4A Thinking about visiting green and natural spaces, are you concerned or worried by any of the following? Answer options subset: Contracting or spreading coronavirus, No concerns or worries

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 1712 (Spring ’20), 1821 (Summer ’20), 1930 (Autumn ’20), 2140 (Winter ‘20/21), 1958 (Spring ’21), 1881 (Summer ’21), 1985 (Autumn ’21), 2215 (Winter ‘21/22), 1997 (Spring ’22), 1820 (Summer ’22), 1906 (Autumn ’22), 2048 (Winter ‘22/23), 630 (Spring ’23).

3. Only a subset of concerns or worries have been presented. More information on the questionnaire is available here.

4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

5. As this is a multi-select question the percentages will not add up to 100%.

For those people who did have concerns, the five most common concerns in Year 3 among people who had not visited green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days were visiting after dark, a lack of facilities (such as toilets, benches, and baby changing), and anti-social behaviour (all 24%). Chart 7-3 shows their variation over time, with a clear seasonal variation of visiting after dark being more prominent during the darker months in autumn and winter, after the lockdown periods (from Autumn ’21 onwards).

Chart 7-3 Concerns or worries about visiting green and natural spaces for people that had not visited green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days between April 2020 to March 2023.

Chart notes

Source: Q29 / M2B_Q4A Thinking about visiting green and natural spaces, are you concerned or worried by any of the following? Answer options subset: Lack of facilities, Visiting after dark, Anti-social behaviour, Fear of crime, Being on my own/isolated

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 1712 (Spring ‘20), 1821 (Summer ‘20), 1930 (Autumn ’20), 2140 (Winter ‘20/21), 1958 (Spring ‘21), 1881 (Summer ‘21), 1985 (Autumn ‘21), 2215 (Winter ‘21/22), 1997 (Spring ‘22), 1820 (Summer ‘22), 1906 (Autumn ‘22), 2048 (Winter ‘22/23), 630 (Spring ‘23).

3. Only a subset of concerns or worries have been presented. More information on the questionnaire is available here.

4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

5. As this is a multi-select question the percentages will not add up to 100%.

9. Perceived quality of local green spaces

More people thought the quality of local green and natural spaces had improved rather than reduced:

• Overall, across all regions, four in ten thought that the quality of green and natural spaces close to where they live had improved in the last five years (42% in Year 3, 41% in Year 2 and 40% in Year 1).

• 22% thought green spaces close to them had reduced in quality in Year 3 (an increase from 20% in Year 2 and Year 1).

• Chart 8-1 shows regional differences in reporting improvements or reductions to local green and natural spaces in Year 3.

• People in London were more likely to agree that the quality of green and natural spaces where they live had improved over the last five years (54%). People in the East of England were least likely to agree that green and natural spaces where they lived had improved (35%).

Chart 8-1 Whether the quality of green and natural spaces close to where they live had improved in the last 5 years by region between April 2022 to March 2023 (Year 3).

Chart notes

Source: Q3 / M1_Q3 Thinking of the green and natural spaces close to where you live, have they improved or reduced in the last 5 years, or have they not changed?

1. Data collected between April 2022 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 3605 (London), 1289 (North East), 3224 (North West), 2463 (East Midlands), 2766 (West Midlands), 2377 (Yorkshire and the Humber), 3899 (South East), 2487 (South West).

3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

10. Protecting the environment

Recycling was the most common action taken by people to protect the environment:

• Adults undertook a range of household, gardening, and broader lifestyle behaviours that are positive for the environment. In Year 3 84% said they were going to make changes to their lifestyle to protect the environment.

• Respondents were asked what they had done to protect the environment over the last month. Chart 9-1 shows the mostly small variations in selected responses between April 2020 and March 2023.

• Over eight in ten (81% in Year 3, a decrease from 83% in Year 2 and 85% in Year 1) reported that they had recycled items whilst a similar proportion reported they had brought their own bags when shopping (79% in Year 3, 80% in Year 2 and 81% in Year 1). Switching off lights and appliances (75% in Year 3, 74% in Year 2 and 73% in Year 1) was the next most commonly reported action followed by composting food waste (46% in Year 3, 45% in Years 1 and 2).

Chart 9-1 Actions taken to protect the environment in the last month between April 2020 to March 2023.

Chart notes

Source: M4_Q11 Thinking about the last month, which of the following have you done? Answer options subset: Recycled items, Brought your own bags when shopping, Switched off lights and appliances to save energy / to protect the environment, Composted food waste, or put food waste out for collection, Bought produce that is grown locally or in season, Taken shorter showers to save water or energy

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 767 (Spring ‘20), 1221 (Summer ‘20), 1257 (Autumn ‘20), 1288 (Winter ‘20/21), 1216 (Spring ‘21), 1281 (Summer ‘21), 1211 (Autumn ‘21), 1276 (Winter ‘21/22), 1256 (Spring ‘22), 1264 (Summer ‘22), 1267 (Autumn ‘22), 1279 (Winter ‘22/23), 399 (Spring ‘23).

3. Only a subset of actions have been presented. More information on the questionnaire is available here.

4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

5. As this is a multi-select question the percentages will not add up to 100%.

As Chart 9-1 shows, there is a stratification of two groups of behaviours (recycling items, bringing own bags when shopping, and switching off lights and appliances are grouped relatively closely, as are composting food waste, buying local produce and taking shorter showers). However, the proportion of adults that reported recycling in the last month decreased from 85% in Year 2 to 81% in Year 3. Over this period there was the biggest increase in the proportion that reported taking shorter showers (43% in Year 3, an increase from 35% in Year 2) and a smaller increase in buying second-hand items (34% in Year 3, an increase from 31% in Year 2).

Most people said that protecting the environment was important to them:

• Over eight in ten people (86%) said that protecting the environment was important to them in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3.

• The answer to the question above can be put into greater context when considering another question that asked people to select up to three issues facing the UK: In Year 3, ‘The environment/climate change’ was the fourth most commonly selected issue facing the UK (chosen by 26% of people in Year 3, a decrease from 29% in Year 2 but an increase from 22% in Year 1), after ‘the rising cost of living’ (58%), ‘Health/ the NHS/ Coronavirus’ (42%) and ‘the economy’ (29%).

Chart 9-2 What people think are the most important issues facing the UK between April 2020 to March 2023.

Chart notes

Source: M4_Q1 What do you think are the most important issues facing the United Kingdom at the moment? Answer options subset: The environment / climate change, Health / NHS / Coronavirus, Economy, Rising prices / inflation / cost of living, Immigration

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 767 (Spring ‘20), 1221 (Summer ‘20), 1257 (Autumn ‘20), 1288 (Winter ‘20/21), 1216 (Spring ‘21), 1281 (Summer ‘21), 1211 (Autumn ‘21), 1276 (Winter ‘21/22), 1256 (Spring ‘22), 1264 (Summer ‘22), 1267 (Autumn ‘22), 1279 (Winter ‘22/23), 399 (Spring ‘23).

3. Only a subset of issues have been presented. More information on the questionnaire is available here.

4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

5. As this is a multi-select question the percentages will not add up to 100%.

As can be seen in Chart 9-3, when selecting the environmental issues that they were most concerned about, half (49%) selected climate change. This remains the environmental issue that people are most concerned about. Next most common was plastic pollution (41% in Year 3, a decrease from 45% in Year 2 and 52% in Year 1) and the decline or extinction of animal and plant life (40%). About one in three selected pollution of rivers, lakes and ground water (33% in Year 3, an increase from 28% in Year 2 and 25% in Year 1) and pollution of the sea (32%, a decrease from 35% in Year 2 and 36% in Year 1).

Chart 9-3 Environmental issues people are most concerned about between April 2020 and March 2021 (Year 1), April 2021 and March 2022 (Year 2) and April 2022 and March 2023 (Year 3).

Chart notes

Source: M4_Q7: Below is a list of environmental issues. Please pick the four issues that you are most concerned about: Answer options subset: Climate change, Plastic pollution, Decline or extinction of animal and plant life, Pollution of rivers, lakes and ground water, Pollution of the sea, Building on green and natural spaces, Growing amount of waste

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2023.

2. The samples for this question were 4930 (Year 1), 5024 (Year 2) and 5028 (Year 3)

3. Only a subset of issues have been presented. More information on the questionnaire is available here.

4. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

5. As this is a multi-select question the percentages will not add up to 100%.

6. Chart ordered by magnitude of endorsement in Year 3.

11. Further information about using PANS data

Further information on the People and Nature Survey is available on Gov.uk. New data are published on a quarterly basis.

In addition to the published reports and data releases, Natural England has developed a data viewer that weights the data and provides breakdowns for many of the questions in the survey.

If you have a specific research question that cannot be explored on the data viewer, a copy of the dataset can be downloaded from UK Data Service. If you wish to analyse the data yourself, please ensure you weight the data appropriately following the People and Nature Survey weighting guide. Natural England has published a technical report providing full methodological background to the research, including how the data were collected and how the questions, sample and weights were developed.

If you utilise the dataset for your own analysis or use figures or charts from the report or the data viewer, please use the following citation: Natural England, 2023, People and Nature Survey Dataset from April 2020 – March 2023.

If you have any questions that are not answered by the published materials, please contact the People and Nature Survey project team.

Here are further details on what kinds of questions/topics are being asked in the modules that have not been focused upon in this report:

General experiences of green and natural spaces:

• General/local greenspace standards

• Nature connection

Visits taken to green and natural spaces in last 14 days:

• Total number of visits

• Main visit in past 14 days: destination/s, start place, distance, duration, activities, benefits of visit, transport, who with, physical exertion, money spent, reason for visit, quality of place/s visited

Children (asking parent/guardian):

• Frequency of time spent outside in past 12 months

• Places visited

• Visit partners

• Benefits of time outdoors

• Reasons for not spending more time outdoors

• Time spent in private garden

Environmental attitudes:

• Importance of protecting the environment

• Reasons to look after the environment

• Concern about damaging natural environment

• Perceived variety of animal / plant life

• Concern about loss of variety

• Environmental social action

• Environmental lifestyle choices

• Eating meat

• Driving

• Aeroplane use

• Energy use

• Water waste

• The amount of things bought

• Responsibility for environmental damage

Gardens:

• Frequency of time spent in gardens

• Importance of gardens

• Reasons for spending time in garden

• Benefits of time in garden

• Description of garden

• Wildlife friendly gardening behaviours

12. Glossary

95% confidence interval is a range of values around a calculated statistic (e.g. the mean) that you are 95% certain contains the true value of that statistic. For example, where there is a mean value of 49 with a 95% confidence interval of two, we would be 95% certain that the true mean of the population was in the range of 47-51 (i.e. 49 -2 and 49 + 2). Please note that the People and Nature Survey uses quota sampling and confidence intervals here were calculated as if the data were generated from a random probability sample.

Green and natural spaces are defined in this survey as green and blue spaces in towns and cities (e.g. parks, canals); the countryside (e.g. farmland, woodland, hills and rivers); the coast (e.g. beaches, cliffs) and activities in the open sea; visits of any duration (including short trips to the park, dog walking etc.). They do not include: gardens; outside spaces visited as part of someone’s employment; spaces outside the UK. Additional questions are asked about private gardens.

Seasons. When referring to seasons in text, these are the exact months and years that are referenced:

Spring ’20*	*This is only an average of two months, not three like the other season averages. April and May 2020
Spring ‘21	Average of months: March, April, and May 2021
Spring ‘22	Average of months: March, April, and May 2022
Spring ‘23**	**No average, data from March 2023 only
Summer ‘20	Average of months: June, July, and August 2020
Summer ‘21	Average of months: June, July, and August 2021
Summer ‘22	Average of months: June, July, and August 2022
Autumn ‘20	Average of months: September, October, and November 2020
Autumn ‘21	Average of months: September, October, and November 2021
Autumn ‘22	Average of months: September, October, and November 2022
Winter ‘20/21	Average of months: December 2020, January, and February 2021
Winter ‘21/22	Average of months: December 2021, January, and February 2022
Winter ‘22/23	Average of months: December 2022, January, and February 2023

Travel, active and passive. In order to sensibly group transport options, the choice was made to group human-powered ways of transport together as active travel (walking, including using a mobility aid such as a wheelchair or a mobility scooter, or cycling), and group machine powered transport together as passive travel (car, van, motorbike, and public transport such as train, bus, coach). This is not a clear-cut grouping as electric bikes or wheelchairs with a motor may still be reported within the active travel category.

Visits to green and natural spaces are defined in this survey as visits to green spaces in towns and cities (e.g. parks, canals); the countryside (e.g. farmland, woodland, hills and rivers); the coast (e.g. beaches, cliffs) and activities in the open sea. This includes: visits of any duration (including short trips to the park, dog walking etc.). They do not include: time in gardens; outside spaces visited as part of someone’s job; or time spent outside the UK. Additional questions are asked about private gardens.

Years. When referring to years and numbers in text, these are based on the financial years with the first year of data collection starting in April 2020. These are the exact months and years that are referenced:

Year 1	April 2020 – March 2021
Year 2	April 2021 – March 2022
Year 3	April 2022 – March 2023

13. Related Links

People and Nature questionnaire: Includes link to People and Nature Survey questions.

People and Nature Survey information: Further information on the People and Nature Survey for England.

The Countryside Code: Statutory guidance on respecting, protecting and enjoying the outdoors.

The G indicators: Data from the Adults’ People and Nature Survey contribute to the outcome indicator framework for the 25 Year Environment Plan, now the Environmental Improvement Plan - specifically the G indicators ‘Natural Beauty and Engagement’ (specifically, G3 ‘Enhancement of green and blue infrastructure’; G4 ‘Engagement with the natural environment’; G5 ‘People engaged in social action for the environment’; G6 ‘Environmental attitudes and behaviours’; and G7 ‘Health and wellbeing benefits’).

1. From April 2023 a question was introduced to all adults that selected “Don’t Know” when asked about number of visits in the last 14 days. This new question asked, “Have you had one or more visits to green and natural spaces in the last 14 days?”. This is in line with recommendations from the Office for Statistics Regulation to increase the proportion of adults reporting whether they had any visits in the last 14 days. See here. ↩