F E AT U R E By Graham Duxbury
Equity and landscape The CEO of Groundwork asks if we can fashion a green and fair COVID-19 recovery.
T
1
https://www.ons. gov.uk/releases/ accesstogardensand publicgreenspacein greatbritain
2
https://assets. publishing.service. gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_ data/file/904439/ Improving_ access_to_ greenspace_2020_ review.pdf
3
h ttps://www. sportengland. org/news/surgeappreciation-exerciseand-activity-duringlockdown
4
h ttps://www.health. org.uk/publications/ reports/the-marmotreview-10-years-on
5
h ttps://www.gov. uk/government/ publications/ outdoors-for-all-fairaccess-to-a-goodquality-naturalenvironment/ outdoors-for-all-fairaccess-to-a-goodquality-naturalenvironment
he speed with which COVID-19 brought the world to a halt is a graphic illustration of our global interconnectedness. As with other powerful global forces – from conflict to the climate emergency – those hit hardest by the pandemic have been those who were already suffering most inequality. Deaths in the UK have been disproportionate in disadvantaged areas and among BAME communities, and the legacy of the virus on our health and jobs will weigh most heavily in those same areas. One of the bright spots amid the gloom has been the narrative around society’s reconnection with nature. The role of green spaces in keeping us physically fit and mentally well has come to the fore, and how often we can visit the park, and who with, has been a barometer of our confidence to unlock society. What this narrative masks is that, for some people, this isn’t the gradual return of cherished freedoms, but an ongoing reminder of what they lack. One in eight homes in England has no garden, with the figure much higher among black families than white.1 Data from Natural England consistently shows that people living in more disadvantaged areas, people from BAME communities and people with disabilities or long-term health conditions visit parks and green spaces less frequently than others.2 There is
a strong correlation3 between these groups and people who are less physically active (according to Sport England) and a clear ‘read-across’ to people and areas experiencing health inequalities, as highlighted by Professor Marmot.4 The pandemic has both highlighted and exacerbated this inequity, providing a stark reminder that, for people in certain communities, green spaces may be close by but remain off-putting or off-limits. For some, the issues are systemic – where green spaces are located, how they can be accessed, and whether or not they have decent facilities. For others the barriers are about relevance or confidence – perceptions of who and what green spaces are for, how people behave in them, and how to make the most of them. These issues are not new, but COVID-19 has intensified the challenge. How to address that challenge in the context of a ‘green recovery’ is at the core of a debate being taken forward under the auspices of the National Outdoors for All Working Group5, convened by Natural England. We need to start by understanding the financial, health and social realities of the post-COVID-19 period. Budgets to manage parks and green spaces have seen a steep reduction in the last ten years, and financial pressures will only increase in the months ahead as local authorities consider how to cope with an estimated £5.5bn
in lost income and spiralling social care costs. At the same time, travel restrictions, the ‘staycation’ boom and anxiety about indoor attractions means an unprecedented increase in visitor numbers, with all the associated maintenance challenges that entails. Some people who consider themselves vulnerable will be experiencing physical ‘deconditioning’ as a result of extended inactivity, which may make them even less likely to visit open spaces. Meanwhile, for many with underlying conditions, the easing of lockdown will lead to ongoing anxiety about the safety of being in places which may become crowded. Finally, the renewed focus on tackling racism adds urgency to the questions about how well diverse voices are heard in the design and delivery of local services and the management of public institutions. The parks, landscape and conservation sectors are not seen to be representative of wider society and often default to certain norms in terms of the way green and blue spaces are managed and promoted, including the behaviours that might be expected of people using them. As well as highlighting the challenges, this debate also creates an opportunity to put parks and urban green or blue spaces at the forefront of thinking about how we emerge from the pandemic stronger. A growth in visitor numbers means there is a wider group of 23
