Urban forest landscapes in the UK — progressing the social agenda

The work identifies and attempts to value urban woodlands according to their social significance to the user. Using questionnaires, interviews and focus groups, it examines the usage patterns and perceptions of the public to an urban forest complex. Results point towards the high social value of urban woods providing that they meet specific requirements and raise some fundamental issues regarding the location, size and structure of urban woodlands for everyday public use, the relationship between the communities and the woodlands that serve them and major differences between professional and public attitudes to woodlands. Findings point to a severe undervaluing of the social importance of woods by professionals in favour of general nature conservation guidelines which fail to recognise the nature of urban woodland/community interaction. Key parameters are that woodlands should be 5–10 min walk from the home, be of a suitable size to create a woodland environment (minimum of 2 ha) and have an open structure. Species was not a significant factor. Woodland interaction is highly personal where even 25-year old plantations are regarded as static long-term structures. As such, they are used as a context for a variety of life events and functions, where the relationship is defined by social parameters and social need, which are derived from the urban populations that they serve. To promote and establish an effective urban forestry strategy requires an understanding of these dimensions, however, any evidence for such an understanding among professionals was not found.