The impact of Covid-19 restrictions on recreation and use of green space in Wales

利用绿地进行娱乐，在一定程度上降低了死亡率，对身心健康有好处[1]。绿地包括城市地区的公园和花园，以及更多农村环境中的更广阔的农村。然而，社会不同阶层在获得绿地方面存在很大的不平等。来自更贫困背景的人苦于缺乏优质的当地绿地，但也缺乏前往更远的绿地的手段，绿地的使用量随着年龄的增长而趋于减少。一个关键的政策目标是增加社会各界对绿地的使用。人们对绿地使用的差异仍然知之甚少。新冠肺炎疫情期间实施的社交距离规定既限制了出行，也强调了在当地锻炼的重要性。这为绿地的使用如何受到这些法规的影响提供了一个有趣的“自然实验”。特别是，我们是否发现社会不同阶层受到了不同的影响，因为长途旅行不被鼓励，但允许的运动增加了对当地绿地的使用？2020年1月，我们调查了1000人，从威尔士各地获得了具有代表性的样本。数据显示了人们在哪里、为什么以及如何访问绿地，以及他们获得的好处。在旅行受限期间和英国从冠状病毒危机中恢复期间重复这项调查，将为人们如何从自然空间受益以及如何受到Covid-19.1的影响提供独特的见解。Http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0538/POST-PN-0538.pdf

The use of green spaces for recreation has acknowledged benefits for physical and mental health, to the extent of reducing mortality rates [1]. Green spaces include parks and gardens in urban areas, and the wider countryside in more rural settings. There is, however, great inequality in access to green spaces for different sections of society. People from more deprived backgrounds suffer from a lack of quality local green space, but also the means to travel to more distant green space, and use of green spaces tends to decrease with age. A key policy aim is to increase use of green spaces by all sectors of society.Variation in people's use of green spaces remains poorly understand. The social distancing regulations implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic both restrict travel, but also emphasise the importance of exercising locally. This provides a fascinating 'natural experiment' into how the use of green spaces is affected by these regulations. In particular, do we find that different sections of society are affected differently as distant travel is discouraged, but permitted exercise increases use of local green spaces?In January 2020, we surveyed >1000 people, obtaining a representative sample from across Wales. Data showed where, why and how people access green spaces, and the benefits they derive. Repeating this survey during the period of restricted travel and as the UK recovers from the coronavirus crisis will provide unique insight on how people benefit from natural spaces and how this was impacted by Covid-19.1. http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0538/POST-PN-0538.pdf