Community researchers spoke to people in the communities of
Winson Green, Lozells, Newtown, Handsworth, and Bartley Green to
get their views on local parks and other green spaces.
The researchers explored what might prevent people from using
green spaces as well as talking about barriers such as amenities
and more complex issues. These included mindset, purpose,
feelings about nature and a sense of belonging in local
communities and areas.
Doorstep to Landscape project
The research is part of Natural England's Doorstep to Landscape
project which aims to enable more of society to connect with
nature from where they live. The benefits of spending time in
nature are far reaching, including improving health outcomes.
The work found that many people stay away from green spaces due
to a fear of not belonging and not feeling safe. There was also a
lack of information about green spaces such as where they are,
how to access them and what amenities they have.
The participants reflect a cross section of the community
including people from different ethnic groups, employment
backgrounds, ages, genders, and with disabilities. The
participants said there is no one size fits all for green spaces
and what some like, others may not.
They suggested that green spaces could be designed to be split
into zones to meet diverse needs. For example quiet spaces, areas
for children to enjoy, areas for dogs and dog-free spaces.
Lack of suitable clothing to enjoy green spaces in different
weather was also identified as a barrier. Some participants
suggested that being able to hire wellies, like when shoes are
hired at bowling alleys, could enable more people to access
nature.
Having a purpose to visit nature was also discussed. Many of
those with children or pets felt they had a reason to access
green space, whereas for others there was often a feeling that
visiting required a purpose. Activities and events in green
spaces such as food growing and fitness groups were popular
ideas.
Chloé Thompson-Haynes, who led the research for Natural England,
said:
Nature in cities is important for our physical and mental health
and wellbeing, but some people have better access to nature than
others.
Our research seeks to understand how to increase access to and
quality of green spaces for more people. It also seeks to develop
community empowerment over green spaces both for people and for
nature.
We worked with local community researchers who have had research
training and are part of local communities in Birmingham. They
were able to identify the multiple obstacles that people in local
communities can face in experiencing nature.
They found that different people have different wants and needs
in accessing nature, and that this isn't always catered for.
They also found that when people feel safe and included in their
community, they are more likely to feel confident and comfortable
exploring local nature. It is not surprising for people who have
had unpleasant experiences in their local community to feel
nervous about visiting local green spaces.
We now plan to work with the community researchers and
organisations to further explore how we can enable the barriers
described in our research to be reduced.
David Drake, Connecting People with Nature portfolio Director for
Natural England, said:
We want to increase the number and range of people who engage
with nature; understanding what is stopping them from doing that
is key. This research identifies social and cultural barriers
that we need to address so more people can access and connect
with nature.
We're really looking forward to using the results of this
innovative research to better understand how to tackle those
barriers.
Jessica Pykett, Director of the Centre for Urban Wellbeing,
University of Birmingham, said:
Building on the work of Natural England's Doorstep to Landscape's
programme we are working to better understand policy priorities
and research gaps around unequal public access to urban green
space.
By engaging with dedicated community researchers we hope to
demonstrate how Birmingham can be an exemplar city to promote
environmental and health justice.
Further information
The research is part of Natural England's Doorstep to Landscape
project which aims to enable more of society to connect with
nature from where they live.
View the research:
The report NECR561 has now been published on Access to
Evidence: https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/6365792116146176
In total, 32 interviews were conducted throughout the month of
March 2024 by community researchers.
The outcomes of this research were explored by the Centre of
Urban Wellbeing at the University of Birmingham with community
organisations in a series of workshops.
The results were showcased at the Urban Greenroom Event during
the Neighbourhood Futures Festival this July at Birmingham
Settlement in Edgbaston.
This research was commissioned by Natural England and carried out
by BVSC research, a directorate within Birmingham Voluntary
Service Council (BVSC).
Additionally, a practical summary of this research was developed
to provide a shorter and easy to follow version of the report.
You can request this summary through accessing the publication
link.
