ACCESS
ACCESS - Advancing Capacity for Climate and Environment Social Science

Nature Recovery Reports and Survey

We are very pleased to share the new ACCESS Citizens’ Survey on Nature, Land Management & Environment UK Report. We interviewed over 3,000 people across the country in December 2025 and January 2026, asking them about their feelings, concerns and opinions, and their experiences in nature. The findings reveal broad public concern about the state of nature, and support for policies to protect and restore nature, in the UK.

Some key findings

  • More than 75% of participants were worried about the potential loss of wild animal and plant life in the UK
  • 57% thought there would be less variety of wildlife over the next 25 years.
  • Over 65% of participants supported the UK’s 2030 target to protect 30% of land
  • Broad support for nature recovery policies, e.g. 68% supported stricter regulations for house building and infrastructure to protect nature

For full findings, read the report

Full report

Slide decks

Slide decks for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales & UK

Nature survey slide deck
Slide from the UK slide deck
“Our results are directly relevant for policymakers, offering new insights about support for different kinds of policies and management practices…Worry about nature depletion translates into support for national targets for nature protection, with around two thirds of respondents supporting the UK’s national target to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.”
Dr Alice Moseley (ACCESS Leadership Team, University of Exeter)

 

“These findings have implications for bodies such as local authorities, national park authorities and nature agencies with responsibilities for protecting and managing natural spaces. Overall, our survey provides support for the continued development of a variety of strong and multi-stranded policies to protect and restore nature.”
Professor Birgitta Gatersleben (ACCESS Co-Director, University of Surrey)

For more information on the Nature Recovery Survey Report, please contact:

Dr Alice Moseley: a.moseley@exeter.ac.uk

The citizens’ survey was conducted to complement the work of the ACCESS Nature Recovery Task Force of UK academic and government social scientists.

The Nature Recovery Task Force ran from September 2024 to September 2026.

Its full report and executive summary will be published in October 2026.