Contested views of freedom and control: Children, teenagers and urban fringe woodlands in Central Scotland

Questioning policy, youth participation and lifestyle sports

“…Fear over gangs, 'loitering youths' and practices such as drink and drug use, particularly in urban fringe woodlands is well documented (Bell et al, 2003;Ward Thompson, Travlou & Roe, 2006), yet there is little written about the fear surrounding the interactions between young people from different socio economic backgrounds who share leisure spaces. People from low income groups were identified as a key target group at the case study site, however, their use of the forest did not secure them access to the core lifestyle sport community.…”

“…As in urban areas, however, the countryside has also been theorised as a contested leisure space, particularly for young people who are themselves subject to socio-spatial processes of exclusion and marginalisation (Bell et al, 2003;Leyshon, 2011), and when new recreational groups make claims to these environments (Church & Ravenscroft, 2007). As a sport performed largely in the countryside, mountain biking itself has been described in terms of 'controversy and discord' (Hollenhorst, Schuett, Olson & Chavez, 1995 p.41) and mountain bikers have earned a reputation as irresponsible users of the countryside (Chavez, 1997;Ruff & Mellors, 1993;Dougill & Stroh, 2001).…”

“…In addition research has the benefits to physical, psychological and social health associated with visiting the countryside for young people (Bell, Ward Thompson & Travlou, 2003;Bingley & Milligan, 2007, and the links between spending times outdoors and increased levels of physical activity (Henwood, 2001;Bird, 2004).The choices young people make about the spaces and activities they encounter during their leisure time are therefore considered as crucial to the development of healthy lifestyles in youth and can further contribute to the future development of healthy lifestyles and behaviour into adulthood (Thompson, Rehman & Humbert, 2005).…”

A walk in the woods: the effects of ethnicity, social class, and gender among urban Norwegian adolescents

“…This age trend has been demonstrated in both cross-sectional and in longitudinal studies (e.g., Culp, 1998;Sallis, 2000;Sallis et al, 2000;Kristjansdottir & Vilhjalmsson, 2001;Kimm et al, 2002;Barnett et al, 2002;Klasson-Heggebø & Anderssen, 2003;Norman et al, 2005). Since many popular forms of PA take place outdoors, it is interesting to note that adolescent interests in nature-based PA, as well as in studying or observing wildlife, decline with increasing age (and seem to decline steeply at the onset of puberty) (e.g., Bjerke et al, 2001;Kaplan & Kaplan, 2002;Bell et al, 2003;Brodersen et al, 2005). Stamps and Stamps (1985) and Hutchison (1988) reviewed the first decades of research on the relationships between social class and participation in leisure activities.…”

Human Engagement with Forest Environments: Implications for Physical and Mental Health and Wellbeing

“…Indeed, the woodland environment seems to offer particularly rich opportunities for inter-generational activities, such as grandparents and their grandchildren sharing knowledge about the natural environment, and for children's play that has different, multisensory qualities that distinguish it from play in conventional urban environments or playgrounds (Ward Thompson et al, 2004;Ward Thompson et al, 2008). As mentioned earlier, forests can provide opportunities for activities and freedom of movement for teenagers and young adults that may be important for their development and difficult to provide for in the conventional urban environment (Bell et al, 2003).…”