Peace and quiet, a safe environment and attractive scenery were the most important factors identified by Londoners when choosing to visit a woodland. Well over half of adults (60 %) would like to see more woodland.
These are the findings of The Public Opinion of Forestry 2003: England Report, published recently by the Forestry Commission, which assesses public attitudes to forestry and forestry-related issues in England.
The top four reasons people in London gave for supporting forestry with public money were: to provide places for wildlife to live in; to help prevent the 'greenhouse effect' and global warming; to provide places to visit and walk in; and to improve the countryside landscape.
Among the key findings for London were:
- Londoners were the least likely of all the regions to have visited a wood in the last few years, with only half of them having done so
- Londoners showed the least support (50 %) of all the regions for public spending on forestry to provide places for wildlife to live in; and compared to all other regions, the Forestry Commission was recognised by only a small percentage of the respondents - only 30 % compared to the next lowest region (East Midlands) at 56 %
- Londoners showed that they were one of the least enthusiastic of the regions (35 %) about being consulted on plans for creating, managing or using woodland in their area.
- Only 22 % of respondents in London, the lowest figure of all the regions, said they could easily get to a woodland without using transport.
- 55% of adults think the UK's woodland area is decreasing, 12% correctly believe it is increasing
- People from London were the least likely (35%) of all the regions to have been shopping for wood products in the last few years. Of the adults who had, 25 % recognised the FSC certification symbol, which indicates the wood came from a sustainably managed source
- 41 % of adults have seen or read about forests, woodlands or trees on the television, radio or in the newspapers in the last 12 months
- Adults who are white and those who are in employment are more likely to support the need to promote trees and woodlands. However, females are more likely than males to support providing places to visit and walk in or to provide places to cycle or ride horses whereas males are more likely than females to support the restoration of industrial land to green space.
- Older respondents are more likely to support making woods accessible to all in the community (28 % of 16-34 year olds and 48 % of those aged over 55).
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS
1. The Public Opinion of Forestry 2003: England report, carried out on behalf of the Forestry Commission earlier this year (2003), describes the key messages from a survey of public attitudes in England. It is available from www.forestry.gov.uk/statistics. Paper copies are available on request.
2. For further information contact Simon Gillam on 0131 314 6280 or e:mail: statistics@forestry.gsi.gov.uk For regional media enquiries or for an electronic version of the news release contact Liz Seale on 01223 314546 or e-mail liz.seale@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
3. The survey was based on a representative sample of 3,412 adults in England for which the range of uncertainty is at most plus/minus 2.5 %. 490 people were questioned in London and the range of uncertainty is at most plus/minus 7%.
