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Household surveys in Scotland

Scotland’s People and Nature Survey (SPANS), which measures and collects details about the Scottish adult population’s participation in outdoor recreation in Scotland, ran from March 2013 until February 2014, with 1,000 adults interviewed in their home each month. The survey replaced the previous Scottish Recreation Survey (ScRS).

Further information on SPANS and the ScRS, including copies of annual reports and online data viewers to access more detailed results, is available from the Scottish Natural Heritage website at www.snh.gov.uk/land-and-sea/managing-recreation-and-access/increasing-participation/measuring-participation/

Table 6.3 shows the frequency of visits to woodland by the Scottish adult population in the previous 12 months.

63% of respondents had visited woodland at least once in the previous year. This compares with results from the Scotland Public Opinion of Forestry Survey (table 6.5), showing that 76% of respondents to the 2013 survey had visited woodland in the last few years.

Around one third (34%) of respondents had visited woodland at least once a month in the previous 12 months.

Table 6.3 Frequency of visits to woodland1- Scotland

Frequency 2013-14
per cent of respondents
At least once a week 18
Once or twice a month 16
Once every 2-3 months 13
Once or twice 16
Never 37
Total 100

Source: Scotland’s People and Nature Survey, carried out by TNS, for Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, National Park authorities and Greenspace Scotland.

Base: 6,042 respondents.

Note:

1. All trips that include a visit to woodland.

These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics.  For further information see the Source chapter.

Additional resources

Sources chapter: Recreation

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