Scottish Nature Omnibus - summaries - The Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) community and nature

Published: 2019

Introduction

This report summarises some of the most recent research findings relating to how members of the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) community in Scotland use, value and enjoy the natural environment.   It includes data on participation in outdoor recreation and other types of engagement with nature.

The data sources used are the Scottish Nature Omnibus Survey (SNO) and Scotland’s People and Nature Survey (SPANS) which are commissioned by NatureScot on a regular basis to provide insights into people’s use of the natural environment.  Each survey is based on interviews with a representative sample of the adult population (aged 16 and over) living in Scotland. More information on the SNO and SPANS is available on the measuring participation page of the NatureScot website.

Please note that for some survey questions, data for more than one year of fieldwork have been aggregated to provide a more robust sample of BME respondents. 

Headline Research Findings

• Although most people in the BME community visit the outdoors for recreation, the proportion who visit at least once a week is lower than average.
• Most of the outdoor visits taken by members of the BME community are taken in urban areas with local parks the most popular type of destination.
• Family outings play an important role in the outdoor visits taken by members of the BME community. 
• Awareness of the range of wildlife species that exist in Scotland and understanding of the issues around wildlife management is relatively low among the population as a whole and lower than average among members of the BME community.  Only 16% of people in the BME community say they feel concerned about Scotland’s wildlife.
• Less than half of people in the BME community anticipate biodiversity loss in Scotland over the next 50 years (slightly lower than the average for all adults) and relatively few describe themselves as very interested, very concerned or feel that the subject is personally relevant.
• Most people in the BME community say they’ve done something to help look after the natural environment in the last 12 months, typically by being a green consumer or a green traveller, although participation is slightly lower than the average for all adults.   Significantly fewer have volunteered for the natural environment, signed a petition or taken part in a conservation campaign, or are members of an organisation which looks after nature or wildlife.

Detailed Research Findings

1. Participation in outdoor recreation

1.1 Frequency of participation in outdoor recreation

Most members of the BME community visit the outdoors for recreation (84%) and 45% do so on a regular weekly basis.  As shown in Table 1, below, the level of weekly participation in outdoor recreation among members of the BME community is lower than the average for all adults.

Table 1: Frequency of visiting the outdoors for recreation (%)

Frequency of visiting the outdoors for recreation	All adults % All respondents	BME population % All respondents
At least once a week	54	45
Once or twice a month	15	21
Once every 2-3 months	7	11
Once or twice	7	7
Never	18	16

1.2 Where do people go on their outdoor visits?

Most of the outdoor visits taken by members of the BME community are taken in towns and cities (62%) with fewer visits taken in the countryside (22%) or in coastal locations (16%).  Compared to the population as a whole, members of the BME community are more likely to visit the outdoors in an urban environment and less likely to visit the countryside.

Table 2: Types of environment visited (%)

Types of environment visited	All adults % All outdoor visits	BME population % All outdoor visits
City/town	37	62
Countryside	50	22
Seaside	13	16

Local parks and other open spaces are the most popular outdoor places visited by members of the BME community, accounting for more than half of all outdoor visits (57%).  Beaches are the next most popular type of place visited (17% of visits).  Compared to the population as a whole, members of the BME community are more likely to visit parks and other open spaces and less likely to visit woods or farmland.

Table 3: Main types of places visited (%)

Main types of places visited	All adults % All outdoor visits	BME population % All outdoor visits
Park	42	57
Woods	22	11
Beach	15	17
Village	11	7
Farmland	10	3
Mountain/hill	7	11
Wildlife area	6	5
Loch	4	4
Sea/sea loch	5	2
River	5	2
Moorland	3	0
Canal	2	2

1.3 What do people do on outdoor visits?

Around three quarters of the outdoor visits taken by members of the BME community involve a walk (74%), slightly lower than the average for all visits (83%).  Family outings (25% of visits) are next most popular.  Compared to the population as a whole, members of the BME community are significantly more likely to visit the outdoors on a family outing.

Table 4: Main activities on outdoor visits (%)

Main activities on outdoor visits	All adults % All outdoor visits	BME popn % All outdoor visits
Any walking	83	74
Walking less than 2 miles	34	24
Walking 2-8 miles	46	42
Walking more than 8 miles	4	3
Hillwalking	3	7
Family outing	11	25
Any cycling	7	11
Picknicking	3	7
Running/jogging	5	8
Sightseeing/visiting attractions	3	7

2. Awareness of NatureScot as an organisation

2.1 Awareness of NatureScot

Awareness of NatureScot as an organisation is lower than average among members of the BME community: 37% (compared to 69% of all adults) say they’ve heard of NatureScot but only 10% (compared to 25% of all adults) claim to understand what NatureScot actually does. 

Table 5: Awareness of NatureScot as an organisation (%)

Awareness of NatureScot as an organisation	All adults % All respondents	BME popn % All respondents
I have heard of NatureScot and I know what they do	25	10
I have heard of NatureScot but I'm not sure what they	44	27
I have never heard of NatureScot	27	51
-	4	10

2.2 Understanding NatureScot's role

When asked what they think NatureScot does, 28% of people in the BME community (compared to 45% of all adults) are able to suggest a role which contains at least some correct elements.  Members of the BME community are most likely to associate NatureScot with ‘protecting or looking after Scotland’s natural heritage/culture/history’ (mentioned by 15%).

Table 6: Main associations made regarding NatureScot’s role (%)

Main associations made regarding NatureScot’s role (%)	BME population % All respondents	All adults % All respondents
Looks after/preserves/restores historic buildings/museums/monuments/castles	9	20
Looks after/protects wildlife animals/birds/ habitats	8	19
Looks after/protects the environment/ countryside	6	11
Protects/looks after Scotland's (natural heritage/culture/history)	15	12
Looks after Scotland's nature and landscapes	10	14
Don't know	51	30

2.3 NatureScot's corporate image

Thirty nine per cent of people in the BME community express a favourable opinion of NatureScot, below the average for the population as a whole (66%).

Table 7: Opinion of NatureScot as an organisation (%)

Opinion of NatureScot as an organisation	All adults % All respondents	BME popn % All respondents
Very favourable	26	16
Mainly favourable	39	23
Neither/nor	16	20
At all unfavourable	1	1
Don't know/no opinion	17	41

Members of the BME community are also less likely than the population as a whole to rate NatureScot’s partner organisations favourably (e.g. Scottish Forestry, the National Parks, SEPA).    

Table 8: Proportion of respondents rating each organisation favourably (%)

Organisation	All adults % All respondents	BME popn % All respondents
NHS	83	76
RSPB Scotland	74	34
HES	73	42
NTS	72	41
National Parks	66	37
NatureScot	66	39
FCS/Scottish Forestry	66	35
SEPA	56	35
Your local authority	48	52
Scottish Government	41	49

3. Engagement with the natural environment

3.1 Wildlife and wildlife management

Spontaneous awareness of the wildlife species that exist in Scotland is lower than average amongst members of the BME community.  Deer is the wildlife species mentioned most frequently (by 30% of BME survey respondents), with spontaneous awareness of any other wildlife species sitting at a significantly lower level.

Table 9: Main wildlife species spontaneously associated with Scotland (%)

Main wildlife species spontaneously associated with Scotland	All adults % All respondents spontaneously mentioning each species (%)	BME popn % All respondents spontaneously mentioning each species (%)
Deer	61	30
Salmon	20	13
Grouse	19	9
Golden eagle	18	5
Red squirrel	14	3
Scottish wildcat	9	2

Perhaps not surprisingly, given the relatively low levels of awareness noted above, only 59% of people in the BME community (compared to 80% of the population as a whole) agree that Scotland’s wildlife makes an important contribution to the economy.

Only 16% of people in the BME community, compared to a third of all adults (32%), claim to feel concerned about Scottish wildlife.

Levels of awareness and understanding of wildlife management are also low among members of the BME community.  Around a third are aware that some wildlife populations in Scotland are actively managed (32% of people in the BME community compared to 65% of all adults) but very few feel informed about why (12% feel informed) and how (10% feel informed) wildlife management is undertaken.

Table 10: Awareness and understanding of wildlife and wildlife management (%)

Awareness and understanding of wildlife and wildlife management	All adults  % All respondents	BME popn % All respondents
Agree that Scotland's wildlife makes an important contribution to the economy	80	59
Feel concerned about Scottish wildlife	32	16
Are aware that some Scottish wildlife species are actively managed	65	32
Feel informed about why some wildlife species are actively managed	26	12
Feel informed about how some wildlife species are actively managed	22	10

3.2 Marine management

Just over a third of people in the BME community agree that Scotland’s seas are well looked after (37%), similar to the average for all adults (41%). 

Table 11: Level of agreement that Scotland’s seas are well looked after (%)

Level of agreement that Scotland’s seas are well looked after	All adults % All respondents	BME popn % All respondents
Agree strongly	8	8
Tend to agree	33	29
Neither/nor	20	21
Tend to disagree	13	11
Disagree strongly	6	4
Don't know	20	21

Awareness that Scotland has Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is lower than average among people in the BME community (26% are aware compared to 51% of all adults). 

3.3 National Nature Reserves

Around a third of people in the BME community are aware of National Nature Reserves (31%), below the average for all adults (60%).  Twenty-seven per cent claim to recognise the NNR logo and 18% state that they’ve visited an NNR in the last 12 months.

Table 12: Awareness of and visits to National Nature Reserves (%)

Awareness of and visits to National Nature Reserves	All adults % All respondents	BME popn % All respondents
Heard of NNRs	60	31
Have seen NNR logo	47	27
Visited an NNR in the last 12 months	25	18

3.4 Biodiversity

Less than half of people in the BME community anticipate biodiversity loss in Scotland over the next 50 years (46%), slightly lower than the average for the population as a whole (59%).

Members of the BME community are also slightly less engaged than average with biodiversity: only 15% are ‘very interested; 16% feel the subject is personally relevant; and 18% are ‘very concerned’. 

Table 13: Engagement with biodiversity (%)

Engagement with biodiversity	All adults % All respondents	BME popn % All respondents
Proportion of respondents who are very interested in Scotland's biodiversity or variety of life	25	15
Proportion of respondents who feel Scotland's biodiversity or variety of life is very relevant to them personally	23	16
Proportion of respondents who feel very concerned about Scotland's biodiversity or variety of life	29	18

3.5 Taking positive action for the natural environment

Most members of the BME community have done something in the last 12 months to help look after the natural environment.  Sixty-two per cent say they’ve done something to be a green traveller and a slightly lower than average proportion say they’ve done something to be a green consumer (57%). 

Eighteen per cent of people in the BME community have participated in environmental volunteering in the last 12 months; a similar proportion have signed a conservation petition or taken part in a conservation campaign (14%).  Only 5% are members of organisations which help look after wildlife or the natural environment (slightly lower than the national average.

Table 14: Pro-environmental activities undertaken in the last 12 months (%)

Pro-environmental activities undertaken in the last 12 months	All adults % All respondents participating in each activity	BME popn % All respondents participating in each activity
Been a green consumer	73	57
Been a green traveller	67	62
Gardened for wildlife	43	22
Volunteered	18	18
Signed a petition or taken part in a conservation campaign	16	14
Member of an organisation which helps look after wildlife/the environment	12	5