Official Statistics

The People and Nature Survey for England: Monthly interim indicators for September 2020 (Experimental Statistics)

Updated 23 March 2021

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-people-and-nature-survey-for-england-monthly-interim-indicators-for-september-2020-experimental-statistics/the-people-and-nature-survey-for-england-monthly-interim-indicators-for-september-2020-experimental-statistics

1. Main findings

  • In September, almost half the adult population (47%) say that they are spending more time outside than before COVID-19.
  • A fifth (20%) of adults had not spent any time in green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days. Ten per cent of adults in England had not visited any green and natural space in the previous month.
  • Staying at home to stop coronavirus spreading / Government restrictions was the top reason reported for not spending time in nature.
  • The full results for the monthly interim indicators for April to September 2020 have been published alongside this report.

2. Other pages in this release

The People and Nature Survey for England, led by Natural England, is one of the main sources of data and statistics on how people experience and think about the environment. It began collecting data via an online panel (adults aged 16 years and older) in April 2020, and runs continuously, in line with Government Statistical Service guidance on data collection during the COVID-19 crisis.

The experimental statistics in this publication are based on a survey of 2,082 adult respondents conducted online continuously between 1st–30th September 2020 (inclusive). Throughout this bulletin, “this month” and “September” refers to this period.

A spreadsheet containing the results for the monthly interim indicators for April to September 2020 has been published alongside this report, and previous reports for April to August 2020 can also be viewed.

Further information about the People and Nature Survey for England (including information on methods, strengths and limitations, and Experimental Statistics status) is available. To receive updates on the survey, including data releases and publications, sign-up via the People and Nature User Hub.

Results from this survey cover a period where restrictions on movement had been eased but some restrictions remained. This page summarises the latest advice on accessing green spaces safely.

3. Experimental statistics

All initial releases from the People and Nature survey will be released as Experimental Statistics. This status highlights to users that these Official Statistics are in the National Statistics testing phase and that Natural England is still working on further developing the methodologies used in their production whilst ensuring adherence to the Code of Practice for Statistics (the Code).

4. Time spent in green and natural spaces

Figure 1 shows the proportion of adults in England who had taken a visit to a green and natural space during the previous fortnight.

Seventy per cent of adults in England said that they had spent time outside in green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days. This has increased over time since April (49%). A fifth (20%) of adults had not spent any time in green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days.

Figure 1: An increasing proportion of adults in England (weighted percentage) are visiting green and natural spaces since coronavirus restrictions began in April 2020. In September, seven out of ten adults have made a visit to a green and natural space in the previous 14 days. Twenty percent of adults had not visited a green and natural space in the previous 14 days.

Visits and no visits in the last 14 days

Figure notes Source: Q6 / 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 1st and September 30th (inclusive).
(2) The samples for this question were 1,868 (April), 1,898 (May), 1,872 (June), 1,889 (July), 1,856 (August) and 1,866 (September) respondents.
(3) Error bars represent the 95% confidence interval of the mean (see Glossary).

Almost half the population (47%) say that they are spending more time outside than before COVID-19 (Figure 2). A third of adults (33%) reported that they have spent more time noticing nature / wildlife.

Figure 2: Proportion of adults in England (weighted percentage) increasing their time spent outside as well as exercising outdoors since coronavirus restrictions began. In September, almost half the population (47%) say that they are spending more time outside than before COVID-19 and a third (33%) said they are noticing more nature / wildlife more. Almost a quarter (24%) of adults were connecting more with family and friends outdoors while three out of ten adults were exercising more in the outdoors.

Spending time outside, noticing nature/wildlife, exercising outdoors and connecting with family or friends outdoors

Figure notes Source: QCV2a / CV_Q2A: Since the coronavirus restrictions began, have you increased the amount of time spent on any of the following?
(1) Data collected between May 1st and September 30th (inclusive).
(2) The samples for this question were 2,083 (May), 2,083 (June), 2,087 (July), 2,079 (August) and 2,082 (September) respondents.
(3) Error bars represent the 95% confidence interval of the mean (see Glossary).
(4) Respondents can select more than one option and so percentages will not add up to 100%.

A total of 10% of adults reported that they had not spent any time in green and natural space in the previous month (Figure 3).

Urban green spaces was the most visited of all green and natural spaces, with 54% of respondents visiting during the last month. Around a third of adults in England reported visiting the countryside (35%), woods (34%), rivers, lakes and canals (32%) and beaches (31%) in the previous month.

Figure 3: Proportion of adults in England (weighted percentage) visiting different types of green and natural spaces within the last month (April – September 2020). Urban green spaces have been the most frequently visited across all months. The proportion of people not making a visit in the last month has dropped from 26% to 10% between April and September. Note that only a subset of types of green and natural spaces have been presented - see the supporting data for all types of green and natural spaces visited during the last month.

Urban green space (park, field or playground), fields/farmland/countryside, woodland or forest, beach/other coastline/sea, nature/wildlife reserve and no visits in the last month

Figure notes Source: Q2 / M1_Q2: Which of the following type(s) of green and natural spaces have you visited during the last month?
(1) Data collected between April 1st and September 30th (inclusive).
(2) The samples for this question were 2,017 (April), 2,015 (May), 2,001 (June), 2,024 (July), 2,009 (August) and 2,021 (September) respondents.
(3) Error bars represent the 95% confidence interval of the mean (see Glossary).
(4) Respondents can select more than one option and so percentages will not add up to 100%.
(5) Only a subset of reasons have been presented - see the supporting data for all reasons.

Adults who had not spent time in green and natural places during the previous 14 days were asked about their reasons. In September, the main reasons reported were ‘staying at home to stop coronavirus spreading and/or related to Government restrictions’ (reported by 30% of those not visiting). There has been a month-on-month decrease in the proportion of people reporting this reason (from 70% in April), see Figure 4. Other main reasons for not getting out were: bad weather (24%); being too busy at work or family commitments (17%) or at home (16%), or; poor physical health or illness (15%).

Figure 4: The main reason for not spending free time outdoors in the last 14 days (September 2020) by proportion of adults in England was ‘Stayed at home to stop coronavirus spreading / Government restrictions’ , which was cited by 30% of respondents (down from 70% in April). The second most common reason was Bad/poor weather, which was cited by almost a quarter (24%) of respondents (up from 6% in April). Note that only a subset of types of green and natural spaces have been presented - see the supporting data for all types of green and natural spaces visited during the last month.

To stop coronavirus spreading and bad/poor weather

Figure notes Source: Q27a / M2B_Q2: What was the main reason or reasons for not spending free time outdoors in the last 14 days?
(1) Data collected between April 1st and September 30th (inclusive).
(2) The sample for this question were 958 (April), 754 (May), 647 (June), 605 (July), 569 (August) and 567 (September) respondents who reported not spending time outdoors in the last 14 days.
(3) Error bars represent the 95% confidence interval of the mean (see Glossary).
(4) Respondents can select more than one option and so percentages will not add up to 100%.
(5) Only a subset of reasons have been presented - see the supporting data for all reasons.

5. Other results

The accompanying spreadsheet includes monthly results for a number of areas including:

  • Activities undertaken during a visit to green and natural spaces;
  • Reasons for not spending time outside;
  • Worries or concerns related to visiting green and natural spaces;
  • The role of green and natural spaces for health and wellbeing;
  • Feelings of nature connection;
  • Importance of gardens;
  • Behaviour changes during the Coronavirus pandemic;
  • Children’s time in nature.

6. Methodological note

See ‘Methods and limitations’ page.

7. Strengths and Limitations

See ‘Methods and limitations’ page.

8. Glossary

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.

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 2, 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).

9. Contact

Natural England welcomes feedback on these monthly indicators, questions and suggestions for analysis for future releases. Please contact the team by email: people_and_nature@naturalengland.org.uk

If you would like to receive further information on the survey, including data releases, publications and survey changes, then visit our User Hub and sign-up to the mailing list at the bottom of the page (best viewed in Google Chrome). After signing up, if you do not receive a confirmation email please check your ‘Junk’ or ‘Spam’ folder.

The Senior Responsible Officer for this publication is Dr Rose O’Neill.

10. Pre-release access

Pre-release access was not sought for this release

Coronavirus – guidance on accessing green spaces safely: Latest government guidance on using green spaces and protecting yourself and others.

Natural England operational update: Coronovirus information on how Natural England is facing the challenges posed by Coronavirus.

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.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer public places - urban centres and green spaces: Guidance for the owners and operators of urban centres and green spaces to help social distancing.

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

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