Sociodemographic Determinants of Poles’ Attitudes towards the Forest during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Attitudes towards forest ecosystems have been changing together with human needs, which is amplified with society’s increasing need to spend recreation time in the forest. The phenomenon has been particularly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to determine the attitude of Poles to forests during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was based on (1) a sociodemographic background questionnaire that consisted of questions about the independent variables and (2) the LAS scale—an independently prepared tool for measuring attitudes towards the forest. In the survey, 1025 people participated (673 women). The age of the subjects was between 19 and 68. The attitude towards the forest was analysed in three dimensions: Benefits, Involvement, and Fears. The Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance by ranks were used for statistical analysis. Women and people with primary education expressed the most fears connected with going to the forest. Men and people living in the countryside and in small towns, as well as respondents who were professionally active and performing work connected with forests were the most involved in exploring the forest and working for its benefit. Concerning the forest, concerned women, people from the highest age group, respondents with university education, and white-collar workers notice the most benefits from recreational activities in the forest.

Long-Term Effects of Mountain Hiking vs. Forest Therapy on Physical and Mental Health of Couples: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Nonetheless, women and people with elementary education expressed the most fears related to visiting the forest. In contrast, men and people who lived in rural areas and small towns, as well as respondents who performed activities related to the forest, were most involved in exploring and working in the forest and [60]. Other findings also suggest that nature can be an important resource for people in times of crisis, but that the specific interactions and associated values that individuals feel are the most important may vary among population groups [46].…”

“…Although, in this study only about half of the recommended subjects participated, significant results could be obtained already, therefore higher case numbers are likely to generate even clearer and clinically more relevant results. Additionally, further research specific to women with regard to mountain hiking and also forest therapy should be conducted to further elucidate the effects of these interventions on female gender and to ascertain their backgrounds, e.g., fears related to visiting the forest [60]. Furthermore, to verify the validity of the results presented, a control group would be needed to exclude other confounding factors, this is recommended for further studies.…”

Unveiling the Essential Role of Green Spaces during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

“…A new perspective on forest management is especially important in periurban areas, where public pressure on forests is high and the pandemic has increased the need for contact with nature [23,69]. Koprowicz et al [111] emphasize that suburban forests should provide many ecosystem services that are important from a society perspective. The authors also noted the need for research on socially acceptable forms of forest management (e.g., thinning instead of logging) and the need for recreational infrastructure.…”

Urban tourists' intention towards visiting national parks: an exertion of theory of planned behaviour and expectancy theory

“…People had a deeper yearning to be closer to nature during and after the pandemic (Stone et al , 2021) resulting in a surge in tourism inflow from metropolitan areas to tranquil undisturbed and nature-friendly locations. Lately, the incursion to such placid areas has been the focus of investigation of multiple studies (Gajic et al , 2023; Li and Wen, 2022; Lu et al , 2023; Tankibayeva et al , 2023; Chi, 2022; Koprowicz et al , 2022; Samdin et al , 2022; Seong and Hong, 2021; Stone et al , 2021; Weng et al , 2022; Xu et al , 2021; Zorlu et al , 2023). As a weekend getaway and tourist destination for urban families (Kim and Kang, 2020), nature-based parks have become increasingly popular as they are perfect areas for people to rejuvenate and reboot.…”

“…The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2514-9792.htm Tankibayeva et al, 2023;Chi, 2022;Koprowicz et al, 2022;Samdin et al, 2022;Seong and Hong, 2021;Stone et al, 2021;Weng et al, 2022;Xu et al, 2021;Zorlu et al, 2023). As a weekend getaway and tourist destination for urban families (Kim and Kang, 2020), nature-based parks have become increasingly popular as they are perfect areas for people to rejuvenate and reboot.…”