Accredited official statistics

Adults' Year 4 Annual Report (April 2023 - March 2024)

Updated 2 October 2024

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 about how people in England experience and think about the environment. It has been collecting data monthly since April 2020. So far, data has been published that was collected between April 2020 and March 2024. Data is collected via an online panel of adults aged 16 years and older.

Data from the Adults’ People and Nature Survey for England enables 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.

This data contributes to Natural England’s delivery of statutory duties, informs Defra policy and natural capital accounting, and contributes 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

• 2 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 (Year 1),
• 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022 (Year 2),
• 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 (Year 3), and
• 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 (Year 4).

There were 24,994 surveys conducted in Year 1, 24,987 in Year 2, 24,987 in Year 3 and 24,961 in Year 4.

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 simplified 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 2024 (inclusive).
2. Module 1 and Module 6 are asked of 100% of respondents.
3. Module 2A is only asked of 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 of around 60% of respondents.
4. Module 2B is only asked of 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 of 40% of respondents.
5. Module 3 is asked of 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 of around 10% of respondents and includes questions relating to environmental attitudes and behaviours.
7. Module 5 is asked of around 30% of respondents and includes questions on gardens and gardening behaviours.

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

Please note that when Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 or Year 4 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 (in grey) versus seasons (boxes at the bottom) while outlining the relationship of both to the calendar years (in colour in the middle).

Chart 1-2 Explanation of timeline in charts.

Chart notes

1. * stands for Spring ‘20*
2. ** stands for Spring ‘24**.

The exact years and months referenced by the seasons can be found in the glossary, but with the exceptions of Spring ‘20* and Spring ‘24**, the months averaged for the seasons are:

Spr = Spring	March, April and May
Sum = Summer	June, July, and August
Aut = Autumn	September, October, and November
Win = Winter	December, January, and February

The two exceptions of Spring ‘20* and Spring ‘24** are because the survey year does not correspond exactly to 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 ‘24, refers only to data collected in March 2024, as data from April and May 2024 have not been released at the time this report is published.

2. Visits to green and natural spaces

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

• More than two in three (67%) adults had visited a green and natural space in the previous 14 days in Year 4. This was slightly more than in Year 3 (65%)^[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.], and 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 4. This was the same as Year 3 (22%) and 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 2024.

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 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 3,766 (Spring ’20), 5,617 (Summer ’20), 5,589 (Autumn ’20), 5,591 (Winter ‘20/21), 5,655 (Spring ’21), 5,566 (Summer ’21), 5,672 (Autumn ’21), 5,605 (Winter ‘21/22), 5,623 (Spring ’22), 5,587 (Summer ’22), 5,623 (Autumn ’22), 5,560 (Winter ‘22/23), 5,628 (Spring ’23), 5,601 (Summer ’23), 5,598 (Autumn ’23), 5,348 (Winter ‘23/24), 2,108 (Spring ’24).
3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

When asking people to report on visit frequency over the last 12 months, rather than asking if a visit had taken place in the last 14 days, seven in ten (70%) spent free time outdoors in green and natural spaces at least weekly in the last 12 months in Year 4. This was similar to Year 3 and 2 (both 69%) and a little less compared to Year 1 (71%).

While slightly more people visited green and natural spaces over the years of data collection, the daily visit frequency has decreased, while the monthly visit frequency has increased:

• Daily visit frequency has reduced to 16% in Years 4 and 3; compared to 18% in Years 2 and 1.
• Monthly visit frequency has increased to 13% in Years 4 and 3, compared to 11% in Years 2 and 1.

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), April 2022 and March 2023 (Year 3) and April 2023 and March 2024 (Year 4).

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 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 24,994 (Year 1), 24,987 (Year 2), 24,987 (Year 3), 24961 (Year 4).
3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

There is a difference in the estimates for Year 4 between the two questions: 67% had visited in the last 14 days versus 70% of people state that on a yearly average they visited at least weekly. This 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 a substantial minority of people choosing the ‘Don’t know’ response (10% in Year 4) when asked how many visits they took in the last 14 days.

2.1. Gross visits estimates

Another useful way of understanding how often people visit green and natural spaces is the estimated number of gross visits. This is calculated by extrapolating survey respondents’ visits in the previous 14 days for all adults living in England.

Slightly more people are visiting green and natural spaces, slightly less frequently, but the number of visits taken has increased compared to the last financial year:

• In Year 4, the number of estimated visits for the whole of England is 4.1 billion. This is higher than in Year 3 (3.8 billion) and slightly higher than Year 2 (4 billion). It is lower than the gross visits figure for Year 1of the survey (4.5 billion).

Year 1	(April 2020 – March 2021)	4,505,400,000
Year 2	(April 2021 – March 2022)	4,016,438,000
Year 3	(April 2022 – March 2023)	3,841,948,000
Year 4	(April 2023 – March 2024)	4,119,820,000

Chart 2-3 Estimated gross visits for all adults living in England between June 2020 and February 2024.

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 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 5,617 (Summer ‘20), 5,589 (Autumn ‘20), 5,591 (Winter ‘20/21), 5,655 (Spring ‘21), 5,566 (Summer ‘21), 5,672 (Autumn ‘21), 5,605 (Winter ‘21/22), 5,623 (Spring ‘22), 5,587 (Summer ‘22), 5,623 (Autumn ‘22), 5,560 (Winter ‘22/23), 5,628 (Spring ‘23), 5,601 (Summer ‘23), 5,598 (Autumn ‘23), 5,348 (Winter ‘23/24).
3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.

3. Places that people visit

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

• In Year 4, 75% of adults with access to a garden said they spent time in it at least once per week. This was a slight decrease from Year 3 (77%), Year 2 (76%) and Year 1 (79%).
• In Year 4, 8% of adults reported that they did not have access to a garden or allotment. This has stayed relatively stable (7% in Year 3, and 8% in Year 1 & Year 2).
• 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 2024.

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 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 4,032 (Spring ‘20), 6,034 (Summer ‘20), 6,064 (Autumn ‘20), 5,923 (Winter ‘20/21), 5,905 (Spring ‘21), 5,883 (Summer ‘21), 5,965 (Autumn ‘21), 5,950 (Winter ‘21/22), 5,947 (Spring ‘22), 5,995 (Summer ‘22), 6,070 (Autumn ‘22), 6,028 (Winter ‘22/23), 6,093 (Spring ‘23), 6,065 (Summer ‘23), 6,053 (Autumn ‘23), 5,800 (Winter ‘23/24), 2,282 (Spring ‘24).
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 4, urban green spaces (such as a park, field, or playground) were the most frequently visited green and natural spaces (by 51% of adults). This was a small increase from a total of 50% in Year 3.

Fields / farmland /countryside and woodland or forest were the second most frequently visited green or natural spaces in Year 4 (both visited by 32% of people). Rivers, lakes, or canals were visited by 31% of people in Year 4. The fifth most frequently visited green and natural space in Year 4 was the beach / other coastline / sea (visited by 29% of people).

Chart 3-1 shows that urban green spaces are the most reported destination type over the four 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.

4. Local green spaces

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

• In Year 4, 66% of people agreed that local green and natural spaces are within easy walking distance. This only has small fluctuations across the years: Year 3 (65%), Year 2 (66%) and Year 1 (65%).

Seven in ten people can walk to their nearest local green space within 15 minutes:

• 70% of adults state that they can walk to their nearest local green space within 15 minutes.
• A quarter of adults (25%) walk more than 15 minutes to their nearest local green space.
• 4% of adults never walk to their nearest local green space .
• For those who do walk to their nearest local green space, 78% said their nearest local green space is the space they visit most frequently.

More people visit green spaces when local green spaces are a short walk away:

• With very local green spaces available (5-minute walk or less), 74% of adults visited a green space within the last 14 days. Whereas 17% of people with a very local green space did not visit a green space in the last 14 days.
• With local spaces a little further away (walking 6-15 minutes), 70% of adults visited a green space within the last 14 days, and 20% did not.
• With green spaces further away than 15 minutes, the percentage of people visiting decreases, and the percentage of people not visiting increases (from 22% to 25%). People stating that they do not know (DK) if they visited or preferring not to say (PNS) if they visited also increases (from 13% to 22%).

Chart 4-1 Percentage of adults in England visiting a green and natural space in the last 14 days by the walking distance to their nearest local green space between April 2023 to March 2024 (Year 4).

Chart notes

Source: M1_Walk_a How long does it take you to walk to your nearest local green and natural space? and 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 2023 and March 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 7,098 (5 minutes or less), 8,606 (between 6 and 15 minutes), 3,830 (between 16 and 30 minutes), 1,308 (between 31 and 45 minutes), 670 (More than 45 minutes), 864 (I never walk to my nearest local green space).
3. DK stands for ‘Don’t know’.
4. PNS stands for ‘prefer not to say’.
5. Due to rounding, the percentages for ‘5 minutes or less’ add up to 101%.

Younger adults living in an urban, deprived location from an ethnic minority background are more likely to report that they do not have local green spaces within easy walking distance:

• Younger people are generally less likely to report that local green spaces are within easy walking distance. 33% of 16–24-year-olds disagree that local green spaces are within easy walking distance compared to 17% of those 55+.
• Around a third of adults (32%) from any of the ethnic minority backgrounds (other than white minorities) report that they do not have local green spaces within easy walking distance. This is compared to only 21% of people who stated a white ethnic background.
• There is a slight gender difference in that slightly more men (24%) compared to women (22%) disagree that green spaces are within easy walking distance.

Chart 4-2 Percentage of adults disagreeing that local green spaces are within easy walking distance by five demographic variables (age, ethnicity, gender, deprivation, urban/rural) between April 2023 and March 2024.

Chart notes

Source: M1_Q5_a Now, thinking about green and natural spaces close to where you live, how much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

My local green and natural spaces actually are: a) Within easy walking distance.

1. Data collected between April 2023 and March 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 3,305 (16-24), 6,115 (25-39), 6,030 (40-54), 3,921 (55-64), 5,590 (65+), 20,955 (White), 506 (Mixed), 1,581 (Asian or Asian British), 1,212 (Black or Black British), 216 (Any other ethnic group or background), 11,803 (Male), 13,112 (Female), 4,294 (Deprived), 15,801 (Not Deprived), 3,098 (Rural), 16,997 (Urban).
3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.
4. Deprived in this report refers to the households in the bottom 20% of the IMD – Index of Multiple Deprivation (see glossary - deciles 1 and 2, out of 10 total).

4.1. Local green space quality

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

• Overall, across all regions in England, 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 4 and 3, 41% in Year 2 and 40% in Year 1).
• 23% thought green spaces close to them had reduced in quality in Year 4 (an increase from 22% in Year 3, and from 20% in Year 2 and Year 1).
• Chart 4-3 shows regional differences in reporting improvements or reductions to local green and natural spaces in Year 4.
• 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 (58%). People in the East of England were least likely to agree that green and natural spaces where they lived had improved (35%).

Chart 4-3 Whether the quality of green and natural spaces close to where people live had improved in the last 5 years by region between April 2023 to March 2024 (Year 4).

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 2023 and March 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 3,688 (London), 1,279 (North East), 3,234 (North West), 2,401 (Yorkshire and the Humber), 2,739 (West Midlands), 2,408 (East Midlands), 2,346 (South West), 4,083 (South East), 2,783 (East), 24,961 (England total).
3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.
4. Due to rounding, the percentages for ‘West Midlands’ add up to 101%.

5. Travel to green and natural spaces

Two in three people used an active travel mode in their most recent visit to a green and natural space:

• 66% of people used active travel in their most recent visit to a green and natural space (i.e. they went on foot, by bike, or by mobility aid).
• Conversely, over a third (34%) used passive travel (i.e. they went by car, van, motorbike or by public transport).

More than two in three journeys were below three miles in travel distance:

• The length of journey to green and natural spaces varied, with over two in three journeys (69%) being within two miles.
• 45% of journeys involved travelling less than one mile; 23% one to two miles; 21% three to ten miles and 11% more than ten miles.

Chart 5-1 Distance travelled to visit location between April 2023 to March 2024 (Year 4).

Chart notes

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

1. Data collected between April 2023 and March 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 16,735 (Year 4).
3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.
4. While 45% and 23% do not add up to 69% (but 68%), this is due to rounding. 69% is the more accurate number when adding up the non-rounded values.

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

• 45% of those who visited green and natural spaces in the last 14 days in Year 4 travelled less than one mile to a local green and natural space.
  • Of those 45% with visits of less than one mile distance, nine in ten journeys (90%) were taken by active travel, as shown in Chart 5-2.
• 23% travelled one to two miles.
  • Of those 23% with visits of one to two miles distance, more than six in ten journeys (64%) were taken by active travel and 36% by passive travel.
• 21% travelled three to ten miles.
  • Of those 21% with visits of three to ten miles distance, 36% were taken by active travel and 64% by passive travel.
• 11% travelled more than ten miles.
  • Of those 11% with visits more than ten miles, 87% were by passive travel.

Chart 5-2 Distance travelled by type of transport used between April 2023 to March 2024 (Year 4).

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 2023 and March 2024.
2. The sample for this question is 5,057.
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.

More than six in ten visits last over 30 minutes and up to two hours:

• Total visit duration including the time to travel shows that more than six in ten visits (62%) lasted over 30 minutes and up to two hours.
• One in five (20%) of all visits lasted up to 30 minutes in Year 4, 34% of visits lasted between 30 minutes and up to an hour, and 27% lasted between one hour and two hours. Only 18% of 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 visiting a green and natural space:

• 57% of adults visited a green and natural space to get fresh air in Year 4. This was a small increase from 56% in Year 3 and remains down from 61% in Year 2 and 64% in Year 1.
• 49% of adults visited for physical health and exercise in Year 4. This was a decrease from 51% in Year 3, 54% in Year 2 and 63% in Year 1.
• 40% of adults visited for mental health and wellbeing, an increase from 36% in Year 3 and 37% in Year 2. This figure remains lower than Year 1, where 44% of adults visited for mental health and wellbeing reasons.
• 27% of adults visited a green and natural space to walk a dog, and 26% visited to connect to nature / watch wildlife. These are slight decreases from 29% and 28% respectively in Year 3.

Chart 6-1 Main reasons for taking a visit between April 2023 to March 2024 (Year 4).

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 wellbeing, To walk a dog, To connect to nature / watch wildlife.

1. Data collected between April 2023 and March 2024.
2. The sample for this question is 5,057.
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 6-2 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 6-2 Main reasons for taking a visit between April 2020 to March 2024.

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 wellbeing, To walk a dog, To connect to nature / watch wildlife.

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 606 (Spring ‘20), 1,155 (Summer ‘20), 1,076 (Autumn ‘20), 1,015 (Winter ‘20/21), 1,077 (Spring ‘21), 1,141 (Summer ‘21), 1,094 (Autumn ‘21), 1,045 (Winter ‘21/22), 1,115 (Spring ‘22), 1,101 (Summer ‘22), 1,104 (Autumn ‘22), 1,068 (Winter ‘22/23), 1,280 (Spring ‘23), 1,315 (Summer ‘23), 1,298 (Autumn ‘23), 1,116 (Winter ‘23/24), 448 (Spring ‘24).
3. Only a subset of reasons has 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 (same as Year 3). It is a slight decrease from agreement with the statement in Year 2 (93%) and Year 1 (94%).
• 89% 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 3 (90%) and Year 2 and Year 1 (92% for both).

Being in nature makes most people happy:

• 84% of adults agreed that being in nature makes them very happy. This is an increase from 81% in Year 3 and Year 2 and 82% in Year 1.
• Just over six in ten adults agreed that they feel part of nature (61% of people). This is a slight increase from 59% in Year 3 and Year 2, and 58% in Year 1.

Chart 7-1 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), April 2022 and March 2023 (Year 3) and April 2023 and March 2024 (Year 4).

Chart notes

Source: M1_Q6_b How much do you agree with the following: Being in nature makes me very happy.

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2024.
2. Responses taken from NET Agree, neither agree nor disagree, and NET disagree 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 (Year 1), 24,987 (Year 2), 24,987 (Year 3), 4,954 (Year 4)^[From April 2023 onward this question was moved from Module 1 (asked of the whole sample) into Module 4 (asked of around 10% of the sample).].

Feeling happy in nature is a part of a puzzle piece of a bigger picture of feeling connected to nature. Nature connection describes how different people think, feel about, and experience nature. Another way to think about it is the relationship that people have with nature. Just like any relationship with a human or any other being, there are different aspect to the complex relationships that people form. Nature connection is related to certain aspects of the health and wellbeing of a person.

Fewer than half of adults feel highly connected to nature:

• In Year 4, when asked how connected they feel to nature, 46% of people described their connection as high, 29% of people described their connection as low, and 25% described their connection as moderate.

Chart 7-2 How connected people feel to nature in Year 4 (April 2023 – March 2024).

Chart notes

Source: M1_Connect How connected do you feel to nature? Please choose the picture that best describes your relationship to nature.

1. Data collected between April 2023 and March 2024.
2. Respondents are asked to select one pair of circles out of a choice of 7 to describe their relationship with nature. One circle is labelled with ‘me’, the other with ‘nature’. The pairs of circles differ in the degree of overlap, going from two separate circles (A), gradually increasing in the overlap (B-F), until the two circles completely overlap to become one circle (G).
3. Responses taken from NET Low (A,B,C), Moderate (D), and NET High (E – G).
4. The sample for this question was 24,961 (April 2023 – March 2024).

8. Not spending time visiting green and natural spaces

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

• Almost 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 4 (65%). This is a decrease from 67% in Year 3, 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 4 were bad/poor weather (43%), poor physical health (25%), being too busy at home (24%), and being too busy with work/family commitments (21%).
• Staying at home to stop coronavirus spreading/Government restrictions reduced from 48% in Year 1, to 17% in Year 2, to 6% in Year 3, to 3% in Year 4.
• As can be seen in Chart 8-1, the selection of bad/poor weather is more common in the autumn and winter months and lower in the spring and summer months. Compared to bad/poor weather and coronavirus, any of the other included reasons show smaller variation over the four years.

Chart 8-1 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 2024.

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 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 1,712 (Spring ‘20), 1,821 (Summer ‘20), 1,930 (Autumn ‘20), 2,140 (Winter ‘20/21), 1,958 (Spring ‘21), 1,881 (Summer ‘21), 1,985 (Autumn ‘21), 2,215 (Winter ‘21/22), 1,997 (Spring ‘22), 1,820 (Summer ‘22), 1,906 (Autumn ‘22), 2,048 (Winter ‘22/23), 1,512 (Spring ‘23), 1,204 (Summer ‘23), 1,428 (Autumn ‘23), 1,604 (Winter ‘23/24), 546 (Spring ‘24).
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%.

A third of people do not have a concern about visiting green spaces:

• In year 4, a third of people (33%) who had not visited green and natural spaces reported having no general concerns or worries about visiting green and natural spaces. This was an increase from 32% in Year 3, 31% in Year 2, and 25% in Year 1.

For those people who did have concerns, the five most common concerns in Year 4 among people who had not visited green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days were:

1. A lack of facilities (such as toilets, benches, and baby changing) (25%),
2. Anti-social behaviour and
3. Visiting after dark (both 24%),
4. Fear of crime (including physical and/or verbal abuse, theft, damage to car etc) (18%)
5. Being on my own / isolated (15%)

Chart 8-2 shows their variation over time, with a clear seasonal variation of visiting after dark being more prominent during autumn and winter.

Chart 8-2 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 2024.

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: Anti-social behaviour, fear of crime, lack of facilities, visiting after dark, being on my own / isolated.

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 1,712 (Spring ’20), 1,821 (Summer ’20), 1,930 (Autumn ’20), 2,140 (Winter ‘20/21), 1,958 (Spring ’21), 1,881 (Summer ’21), 1,985 (Autumn ’21), 2,215 (Winter ‘21/22), 1,997 (Spring ’22), 1,820 (Summer ’22), 1,906 (Autumn ’22), 2,048 (Winter ‘22/23), 1,512 (Spring ’23), 1,204 (Summer ‘23), 1,428 (Autumn ‘23), 1,604 (Winter ‘23), 546 (Spring ‘24).
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%.

Bad health, being over 65 years old, and living in a deprived area are the biggest barriers to visiting green spaces when focusing on visit frequency:

• Almost one in ten adults who reported having bad health answered that they never visited a green space in the last year (9%).
• 5% of adults who are over 65 years old answered that they never visited a green space in the last year.
• 5% of adults living in deprived areas answered that they never visited a green space in the last year.

All of the percentages above need to be considered with the overall small percentage of 3% of people in Year 4 who stated that they never visited a green space in the last year (see Chart 2-2). When looking at a breakdown of the people who responded that they never visited a green space in the last year, only percentages that round to 5% or over are labelled in the chart below (Chart 8-3).

Chart 8-3 Visit frequency by six demographic variables (age, ethnicity, gender, health, deprivation, urban/rural) in Year 4 (April 2023 and March 2024).

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 2023 and March 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 3,305 (16-24), 6,115 (25-39), 6,030 (40-54), 3,921 (55-64), 5,590 (65+); 20,955 (White), 506 (Mixed), 1,581 (Asian or Asian British), 1,212 (Black or Black British), 216 (Any other ethnic group or background); 11,803 (Male), 13,112 (Female); 16,200 (Good health), 7,081 (Fair health), 1,678 (Bad health); 4,294 (Deprived), 15,801 (Not Deprived); 3,098 (Rural), 16,997 (Urban).
3. ‘Don’t know’ / ‘prefer not to say’ responses are not included in this chart.
4. Deprived in this report refers to the households in the bottom 20% of the IMD – Index of Multiple Deprivation (see glossary - deciles 1 and 2, out of 10 total).
5. Self-reported health (Q57) was aggregated to three categories: very good/good, fair, and bad/very bad.

9. 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 4, 85% 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 variations in selected responses between April 2020 and March 2024.
• Over eight in ten (81% in Years 4 and 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 (81% in Year 4 and Year 1, an increase from 79% in Year 3, and 80% in Year 2). Switching off lights and appliances (76% in Year 4, an increase from 75% in Year 3, 74% in Year 2 and 73% in Year 1) was the third most commonly reported action followed by composting food waste (46% in Years 4 and 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 2024.

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, Taken shorter showers to save water or energy, Bought second-hand items.

1. Data collected between April 2020 and March 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 767 (Spring ‘20), 1,221 (Summer ‘20), 1,257 (Autumn ‘20), 1,288 (Winter ‘20/21), 1,216 (Spring ‘21), 1,281 (Summer ‘21), 1,211 (Autumn ‘21), 1,276 (Winter ‘21/22), 1,256 (Spring ‘22), 1,264 (Summer ‘22), 1,267 (Autumn ‘22), 1,279 (Winter ‘22/23), 1,204 (Spring ‘23), 1,250 (Summer ‘23), 1,207 (Autumn ‘23), 1,189 (Winter ‘23/24) 503 (Spring ’24).
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 grouping of two sets 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 second-hand items and taking shorter showers).

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

• Over eight in ten people (88%) said that protecting the environment was important to them. This is a small increase compared to previous years (Years 1, 2 and 3 at 86%).

The Adults’ People and Nature Survey also asks respondents how important the environment is to people in relation to other issues. Survey respondents are asked to select up to three of the most important issues facing the UK. In Year 4, ‘The environment/climate change’ was the fifth most commonly selected issue facing the UK (chosen by 24% of people in Year 4, a decrease from 26% of people in Year 3, and 29% in Year 2, but an increase from 22% in Year 1).

Chart 9-2 What people think are the most important issues facing the UK between April 2020 to March 2024.

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), 1,221 (Summer ‘20), 1,257 (Autumn ‘20), 1,288 (Winter ‘20/21), 1,216 (Spring ‘21), 1,281 (Summer ‘21), 1,211 (Autumn ‘21), 1,276 (Winter ‘21/22), 1,256 (Spring ‘22), 1,264 (Summer ‘22), 1,267 (Autumn ‘22), 1,279 (Winter ‘22/23), 1,204 (Spring ‘23), 1,250 (Summer ‘23), 1,207 (Autumn ‘23), 1,189 (Winter ‘23/24), 503 (spring ’24).
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%.

Climate change remains the environmental issue most people are concerned about:

• Nearly half of respondents (47%) identified climate change as environmental issue they are most concerned about. This is a decrease from 49% in Year 3. It has remained the most selected issue since the survey started in 2020/21.
• The next most common concern was about the pollution of rivers, lakes and ground water (40%). This has steadily increased since 2020/21 (25% in Year 1, 28% in Year 2, 33% in Year 3). It has moved up from fourth place in Year 3 to second place in Year 4.
• The third most common concern is the decline or extinction of animal and plant life (38%). Despite small fluctuations in the percentage of respondents who identified this as one of the most concerning issues, it has remained in third place since 2020/21.

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), April 2022 and March 2023 (Year 3) and April 2023 and March 2024 (Year 4).

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 2024.
2. The samples for this question were 4,930 (Year 1), 5,024 (Year 2), 5,028 (Year 3) and 4,954 (Year 4).
3. Only a subset of issues have been presented. More information on the full set of answer options available in 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 4 (April 2023 – March 2024).

10. 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. 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 wish to analyse the data yourself, please ensure you weight the data appropriately following the weighting guidance included in the technical report.

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, 2024, People and Nature Survey Dataset from April 2020 – March 2024.

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

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

11. Glossary

Deprived refers to the 20% most deprived households in England. It is based on the bottom 20% of the IMD (Index of Multiple Deprivation) deciles.

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.

IMD stands for the Index of Multiple Deprivation. It is a measure which allows the ranking of each postcode from least deprived to most deprived. For more details and an FAQ outlining the facets included in the England-specific IMD click here.

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	Average of months: March, April, and May 2023
Spring ‘24**	**No average, data from March 2024 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
Summer ‘23	Average of months: June, July, and August 2023
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
Autumn ‘23	Average of months: September, October, and November 2023
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
Winter ‘23/24	Average of months: December 2023, January, and February 2024

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
Year 4	April 2023 - March 2024

12. 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’). The Environmental Improvement Plan is currently being reviewed (Government launches rapid review to meet Environment Act targets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).