Land Trust survey results show green spaces 'vital' for people's health during COVID-19 pandemic

One year on since the UK went into national lockdown, national land management charity, the Land Trust, has published the results of a recent survey which shows how important green spaces have been for people throughout the pandemic.

Over 90% of participants said they think that spending time in green spaces has had a positive effect on their mental and physical health throughout the pandemic. With people using green spaces for exercise, nature watching or spending time with their family, this has had a particular impact on people’s mental health.

95% of respondents said spending time in green space had a positive effect on their mental health, with one respondent stating:

“Local green spaces have allowed me to explore a free space to escape the testing reality of the world today.

“As an ICU nurse, it has been vital for my mental health. Thank you for keeping it well maintained and available for everyone, all year round, no matter what.”

Green spaces were an escape from home-schooling for many families

Rainbow tributes to the NHS appeared all over the country during the first lockdown.

The Land Trust kept as many of its 80 parks and green spaces open as possible throughout 2020 so that local communities could benefit from spending time in well-managed green space.

This saw an increase in park users, with a 20% rise in people visiting green spaces every day since the first lockdown began.

With limited budgets and restrictions prohibiting volunteering activity during most of the last year, maintaining 80+ sites as a charity has been a challenge.

Alan Carter, Director of Portfolio Management at the Land Trust, said:

“I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to achieve and provide for so many people throughout the pandemic.

“I know how important it’s been to have a clean, safe space to use for that daily escape from the house, and it’s through the hard work of our dedicated managing partners and estates team that we’ve been able to provide this.

“As a charity we rely on limited budgets and amazing teams of volunteers to help keep our sites maintained and improving.

“It’s been a testing time but to know people have been using our spaces and reaping the benefits of using green spaces through the pandemic means our hard work has paid off.”

Those who have benefitted from using the Land Trust’s spaces and would like to ensure the continued upkeep of these spaces for community and environmental benefit can help by donating via the charity’s Just Giving page.

Every donation helps ensure green spaces in the UK are protected and cared for in perpetuity.
To find out more about the Land Trust, please go to thelandtrust.org.uk or search for the Land Trust on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Some lockdown memories which were entered into the Land Trust’s 2020 photography competition.