AS LOCKDOWN eases and many venture out into their local green spaces, new research has found that people would like to see them enhanced.

A study by YouGov reports that 72 per cent of people living in the South East think their local green spaces, including the countryside next door to where they live, are in need of change.

The research shows that the majority of people in the South East believe increasing the amount of wildlife (52 per cent) and the variety of plant life (50 per cent) are top ways in which their local green spaces can be improved.

During lockdown, we have seen a surge in appreciation for local green spaces and a heightened awareness of their role in boosting our physical and mental health and wellbeing. For the one in eight households who do not have access to their own garden, accessible shared or public green spaces are all the more important.

Dee Haas, chairman of CPRE Hampshire, said: “Access to quality local green spaces has hurtled up the agenda as a political issue and for good reason. As lockdown eases, many people are turning to their local patch of green as a place to meet family and friends, subject of course to social distancing, as well as their daily dose of exercise and nature.

“CPRE has been championing local countryside and green spaces for nearly a century, believing they are vital for our health and wellbeing – a ‘natural health service’ as they’re now being called.”

Photo by Colin Lee