One in four people living in urban areas suffer from ‘green place poverty’, according to new research for the National Trust.
The Trust says that the survey shows that whilst regular contact with the natural world is hugely important to everyone’s quality of life, many people are missing it in their daily lives.
Across England, Wales and Northern Ireland one in eight have suffer from green place poverty, meaning they have access to two or fewer green spaces.
The top reasons given for visiting open spaces were to experience fresh air and space, for relaxation and to see wildlife.
The importance of green places to people’s quality of life is further demonstrated by three in four people saying they are willing to help protect their local green spaces, particularly local woodland and wildlife areas.
We commissioned the research following debate launched at our 2007 AGM on whether we should be doing more to protect green places from development.
The findings shows that 94 per cent of people think it is a good idea for the National Trust to get more involved in local green places.
Sir William Proby, the National Trust’s Chairman who launched the green spaces debate in November last year, said:
'We have asked National Trust supporters and the public whether we should be doing more to protect local green places. The answer has been a resounding ‘yes’ but we are not going to start buying land from in front of the bulldozers. That isn’t what our supporters want.'
'The public has told us that the National Trust should work more in partnership with communities to protect and look after their green spaces, and stand up for the importance of green places to people’s quality of life. They also want us to share our experience of managing local green spaces with local councils and other partners to improve the quality of local green places on people’s doorsteps. This will be the approach we take.'
'Our campaign for green places draws on the Trust’s roots. We were established over 100 years ago to protect public spaces for the benefit of everyone. Our founder, Octavia Hill, spoke of the need for ‘open air living rooms’ – and they are needed now and in the future more than ever.'
'The National Trust is well known for our grand country houses and gardens, but we also look after 250,000 hectares of countryside – an area equivalent to the size of Oxfordshire or Luxemburg – which includes 1,100 km of coastline and 25,000 hectares of woodland Our green space properties include Morden Hall Park in South London, and Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire –large open parklands in and around urban areas, and free for the public to access and enjoy.'
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