The National Trust inquiry into Britons losing touch with the outdoors

The National Trust has announced it is kick-starting a six-month nationwide project to find out if the UK public is losing touch with the outdoors.

The launch of the Trust’s Outdoor Nation initiative follows a series of high-profile reports and academic studies that have all shown a growing disconnection between people and the natural environment.

Recent reports have shown, for example, that 64 per cent of children play outside less than once a week and the distance children stray from their homes has decreased by 90 per cent since the 1970s*. Meanwhile, some 26 per cent of teenagers believe that bacon comes from sheep** and children are more likely to recognise a Dalek than a magpie***. Also, one third of all under 16s avoids playing outdoors because they don’t want to get their clothes dirty****.

At the same time a growing body of evidence shows that taking part in simple outdoor activities, such as going for a short walk every day, helps to improve people’s quality of life, health and wellbeing.

Fiona Reynolds, the National Trust’s director-general, said: "For generations we worked the land, marvelled at its beauty through art and literature and explored our country paths and mountains. For some, these pleasures remain one of the great joys of life.

"But we can’t ignore the fact that, whether through pressures of time or physical access, as a nation we seem to be increasingly disconnected from the fabric of the country.

“We hope our Outdoor Nation project will help foster local and national partnerships that can help deliver on the huge opportunities offered by the outdoors as we look to its ongoing protection and promotion.”

The project also aims to explore how changes introduced by the Government in recent weeks could present opportunities for ’Big Society’ partnerships between NGOs and local community groups to help provide greater access to local green space.

A roaming reporter will travel across the country talking to people and organisations about their experiences of the outdoors and views about their relationship with the outdoors, with the unfolding Outdoor Nation journey will be reported at www.outdoornation.org.uk.

Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods and co-founder of the Children & Nature Network, said: “I saw the problem first in America and thought it might be unique to us, but the UK is no exception. Nature-deficit disorder poses real risks. If our children lose their connection to the natural world, future generations might never get it back.”

Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, said: “It’s so important that we don’t lose our connection with the natural world around us. Outdoor adventure empowers and brings confidence to people that society can often leave feeling vulnerable and disconnected.”

About The National Trust:
The National Trust was founded in 1895 with access to green spaces and the preservation of places of natural beauty at the heart of its founding principles.

With more than 250,000 hectares of countryside and 710 miles of coastline across England, Wales and Northern Ireland there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors with the National Trust. The National Trust offers many places to visit including days out in Yorkshire, Christmas fairs and the ability to hire a wedding venue through the National Trust.

Notes to editors:

* Eden TV survey of 2,000 UK children aged 8-12 (September 2010, carried out by OnePoll).
** Home Grown Cereals Authority poll of 3,000 nationally representative UK adults (November 2009, carried out by OnePoll and YoungPoll).
*** National Trust survey of 1,651 UK children aged 10-12 (OnePoll - 2008).
**** www.londonplay.org.uk/document.php?document_id=279

PR Contact:
Mike Collins
Senior Press Officer
The National Trust
Heelis
Kemble Drive
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN2 2NA
01793 817708
www.nationaltrust.org.uk

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Mike Collins

Senior Press Officer

The National Trust

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