The report of a national survey exploring attitudes, experiences and actions among private land managers to public access in their woodlands has been published.
The research was completed by Sylva Foundation, an environmental charity, working with Forest Research, Great Britain’s principal organisation for forestry and tree-related research. Funding was provided by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Nature for Climate Fund. The survey forms part of a broader project led by Forest Research exploring public access in woodlands.
Almost 500 respondents took part in the survey. 87% were woodland owners, representing a significant area of woodland (1.3 million hectares) across Britain, or 56% of all privately-owned woodland area.
Two-thirds of land managers surveyed provide public access, with half having statutory public access, such as public rights-of-way in their woodlands. A majority in England also provided various forms of permissive access (routes or an area of land that a landowner has granted permission for the public to use), while many woodland owners said they would welcome one-off requests for access to their woodlands.
Nine out of ten land managers believed that access to woodlands was generally beneficial to human health and wellbeing. However, only one-fifth of woodland owners thought that their woodlands were currently accessible via public transport. Many land managers recognised that visitors can help keep an eye on a site, and that providing access can help support a community of people. Respondents also recognised that allowing access can help educate visitors about the natural environment and forest management, and promoting understanding and support for nature recovery or conservation. Conversely, 57% of land managers believed that public access to woodlands had a negative effect on commercial activities, and many were concerned that public access negatively affected biodiversity, particularly breeding birds and mammals. Half of owners reported inconveniences resulting from the public accessing their woodlands, with littering and dog fouling among the most common complaints.
The survey explored whether financial support from Government or other forms of support such as advice and guidance might encourage more land managers to voluntarily provide public access. It was clear that few (7%) land managers were currently in receipt of any grant support to provide public access, while most (79%) were not in favour of more advice or guidance. However, for the 23% of land managers interested in providing public access, many expressed interest in advice or guidance, particularly around grant applications. Land managers thought that the Government should compensate them for providing access rather than owners charging visitors for access. Most woodland owners would only accept compensation which was greater than the costs of providing public access.
Lead author of the survey report and chief executive of Sylva Foundation, Dr Gabriel Hemery, said:
“We’re grateful to all those who took part in this revealing survey and to partners who helped promote it. Evidently, woodland owners and managers understand the positive benefits of the public accessing their sites, yet are concerned about the impacts on nature and the resources required to support responsible access.
Gabriel continued:
“A balanced policy approach that incorporates environmental priorities, public health benefits, and effective financial support could facilitate sustainable access, respecting both public interest and the unique responsibilities of woodland owners and managers.”
Lead researcher from the team at Forest Research, Dr Liz O’Brien, added:
“We believe that further research could explore the impact of public behaviour, funding options, and ecological sensitivity on woodland access, informing policy refinements to support both environmental stewardship and public enjoyment of these natural spaces.”
The full report is freely available from Sylva Foundation at www.sylva.org.uk/bws
