Where the wild places are

Factors associated with people's favourite local and national wild place in the United Kingdom

Bibliographic Data

ID4662278
AuthorsEmily K Madsen (0000-0003-4108-6608, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology University of Oxford Oxford UK), Mike Daniels (0009-0003-4345-8169, The John Muir Trust Pitlochry UK), Clara Montgomery (The John Muir Trust Pitlochry UK), Norman Stillman (0000-0001-6991-7923, The Alan Turing Institute London UK), Nicola Homer (0009-0009-3573-1739, The Alan Turing Institute London UK), Nick Homer (The Alan Turing Institute), Cristín Lambert (The John Muir Trust Pitlochry UK), Darragh Hare (0000-0003-4418-9637, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology University of Oxford Oxford UK)
Year2025
Volume191
Issue1
Publication date2025-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGeographical Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0016-7398 • E-ISSN: 1475-4959
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/geoj.12607
OpenAlexW4402452239
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited45

Protected areas globally serve as crucial sanctuaries for biodiversity, playing a pivotal role in conserving endangered species and maintaining ecological balance. In the United Kingdom (UK), 25% of land is currently designated as public protected areas and discussions are underway regarding the implementation of new protected areas, including the establishment of new National Parks in all four nations of the UK. Wild places have an important role to play in understanding and deciding where public protected areas should or could be. People form profound connections to wild places locally and nationally. We used two online surveys to gather information on the UK public's local and national favourite wild places, and the characteristics of those places which make them their top choice. Our analysis revealed that respondents preferred different wild places based on their survey group, with significant differences in the importance placed on characteristics like 'Accessibility', 'Nature' and 'Scenery' across local and national scales. Demographic factors, including age and settlement, had some impact, but the overall importance of characteristics like 'Peace and Quiet' and 'Nature' were consistently high across both surveys. Recognising the prevalence of favourite wild places outside of designated areas underscores the importance of engaging the different viewpoints of the public in conservation initiatives, and indicates that public support for conservation might extend beyond officially protected regions

Biology · Favourite · Geography · Kingdom · Political science · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Law · Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management · Urban Green Space and Health

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access