Nearly half of adults in the UK now spend three hours or less each week in outdoor natural settings, a recent survey has found, highlighting a significant decline from childhood experiences. The poll, conducted among 2,000 adults, revealed that while 59 to 65 percent of respondents reported spending more than half their free time outdoors during childhood—engaging in activities like building dens, climbing trees, and exploring parks—just 44 percent of adults maintain similar outdoor habits today. For about one in ten adults, time spent in nature falls below one hour weekly.
These findings were gathered on behalf of the Wildlife Trusts, a conservation charity that emphasizes the health and wellbeing benefits of spending time in green spaces. Research cited by the organization suggests that regular exposure to nature can reduce medical visits by nearly 28 percent and potentially generate savings of around £2 billion annually for the National Health Service.
Despite these benefits, access to green spaces remains uneven. Approximately 20 percent of households lack a natural area within a 15-minute walk, posing a barrier to outdoor engagement for some populations. Dom Higgins, head of health and education at the Wildlife Trusts, acknowledged this factor, noting the difficulty some people face in accessing nature. He also highlighted the importance of urban parks, which frequently appear in people’s fond childhood memories and provide not only interaction with nature but also community connections.
The survey also showed a strong desire among parents for their children to experience similar outdoor play opportunities. Around 80 percent of those with young children expressed that their own positive childhood memories motivated them to encourage outdoor activities for the next generation.
Efforts to promote outdoor engagement include the Wildlife Trusts’ “30 Days Wild” initiative, which has involved three million participants over the past decade, providing resources aimed at reconnecting people with the natural environment. Higgins suggested that small actions such as pausing to breathe deeply in a local park or lying on the grass to observe nature can help people “rewild” their inner child and rekindle their relationship with the outdoors.
From a policy perspective, the government has committed to expanding public green spaces, with plans for three new national forests and nine national river walks across England underway. A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated that efforts are being made to improve access to nature nationwide.
However, financial pressures on local governments have made it challenging to maintain parks and green spaces. Julie Jones-Evans, chair of the Local Government Association’s culture, tourism, and sport committee, emphasized that while parks are vital to communities, increasing demands for statutory services like social care have left discretionary services vulnerable. She called for sustainable funding to protect these important amenities.
The survey and subsequent responses underline a growing concern about adults’ decreasing connection with nature alongside a determination among stakeholders to encourage more frequent and meaningful outdoor experiences.