4th June 2020
COVID-19 Impacts: Engaging with the outdoors during and beyond lockdown
Last month we were delighted to work with Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland (ORNI) on a survey which explored how the Northern Ireland population were engaging with the outdoors during the COVID-19 lockdown, the issues encountered, benefits received and hopes for the future. The survey was conducted online with 1,487 interviews between 4th and 11th May 2020.
Lockdown led to a significant increase in local outdoor visits
While about a quarter of respondents (27%) had visited the outdoors much less during lockdown, often due to their age and/or because they were taking steps to shield from the virus, a much larger proportion (47%) stated that they were taking more visits than normal during lockdown.
Indeed, almost two thirds of the population (63%) reported visiting the outdoors every day during lockdown, a significantly higher proportion than normal (NISRA’s Continuous Household Survey recorded an average of 28% of people taking outdoor visits every day in 2017).
As might be expected given the lockdown restrictions, levels of participation in close to home activities increased most: 71% took more walks which started and finished at home, 62% walked more often on roads and roadside pavements and 58% spent more time watching and listening to wildlife.
Spending time outdoors during lockdown provided clear health benefits
Our survey evidenced the significant benefits of spending time outdoors. 84% of people reported feeling physical health benefits and 90% reported benefits related to mental health and wellbeing such as feeling more relaxed or revitalised. Also, over three quarters agreed that the time they had spent outdoors had made them feel closer to nature (79%).
Some participants had concerns over a lack of local places to go and difficulties social distancing
During lockdown over two fifths of the survey sample (44%) reported having to walk on roads and roadside pavements due to a lack of off-road trails and 36% told us that there was a lack of off-road trails within easy walking distance of their home. Other issues reported during lockdown included 39% finding it difficult to maintain social distancing in the places they could visit and 31% reported a lack of suitable greenspaces to visit in their area.
Looking to future…
As lockdown restrictions are eased, about half of respondents (51%) expect to spend more of their free time outdoors than before lockdown. Activities most likely to be of interest include:
Spending time visiting parks, the countryside and the coast (63% would do more than pre-lockdown)
Spending time outdoors together with family (51%)
Taking walks or runs on off road paths and trails (54%)
Playing outdoors with children (49%).
Population groups most likely to want to increase the amount of time they spend outdoors include those in the youngest age groups (16-34) and residents of urban areas.
The survey has clearly illustrated how the outdoors can provide people with a place to gain health and wellbeing benefits, becoming the
venue for regular exercise and a natural place to relax and unwind. Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland are now using the results of this survey to support the development of a network of off-road trails which would allow people to continue to exercise outdoors daily, in a safe environment.
Find out more
This important study has provided a snap shot of the Northern Ireland population’s outdoor recreation experiences during lockdown and how it has influenced how they feel about visiting outdoor places in the future. If you would like to find out more about this research, see the infographic summary below or read the full report here
