What do young people get out of tree planting? Vickie Norris & Nicky Puttick The Silvanus Trust 4 th July 2014

Content Background Methods Results Conclusions Key messages

Background On behalf of Woodland Trust (WT) Conducted in 2012 Retrospective exploration of well-being outcomes of tree planting activities What do young people think about woods and tree planting to create new woods? How does planting trees to create new woods make young people feel?

Background Focused around secondary schools in St Austell area, where WT did tree planting with primary schools 5 years previously Also interested in those that: planted trees in other contexts hadn’t planted trees at all. Participating schools may have stronger environmental ethos than other schools

Methods Online survey 113 students took part from 4 schools Gathered initial information on memories, experiences and feelings Identified potential discussion group participants Discussion groups 18 students took part from 3 schools Explored survey findings in more depth Data analysed using GfW indicators to identify well-being themes

Results 55% of students who took part had planted a tree before Most of these trees had been planted in primary school grounds Unclear how many were on woodland sites Those that had planted a tree were: more likely to think tree planting was important more likely to think it was important to plant trees to combat climate change

Results

Results – well-being Self-transcendent purposefulness Taking action for a purpose greater than oneself Often linked to global environmental crisis and feelings of disillusionment, anger, sadness, helplessness, fear of impending doom Link between personal action & global issues Increased as knowledge of issues increased Knowledge of planting a tree acts as a well-being resource that can be accessed in the future “It makes you feel kind of successful cos you’re making a difference to climate change”.

Results – well-being Feelings of nurturing the natural world Feelings of being in a care-giving role towards trees, animals and ecosystems Differs to previous indicator as depends on direct relationship with nature Derived from directly benefitting plants, animals and trees Experiencing positive emotions and moods Mostly linked to practising pro-environmental behaviours, not to planting trees directly. Researcher: “Right, and how did it make you feel to think that you were helping the environment?” M: “Yeah it made me feel a little bit happier.” ‘Sort of like...you’re benefitting to the animals like helping them out to get along with life a lot more.’

Results – well-being Feelings of closeness to the natural world Closely related to feelings of nurturing the natural world. When asked about experiences that provided similar feelings to tree planting – Being engaged in a relationship with nature Being able to influence the future of the environment through tree planting appeared to be significant When asked what about tree planting made them feel connected - ‘...I just sort of like thought it could just be like a huge tree later on and just kind of have lots of animals inhabiting it.’ “Sometimes in the woods, basically where the plants have grown most, just in there... just makes me feel connected… Just sitting there and watching it.”

Conclusions Well-being outcomes were mostly found to be focused on biophilic (connection to nature) benefits, but psychological, emotional, social and physical outcomes were also mentioned. Young people do not consider that they have personally benefitted from tree planting, but largely focus on the impact their actions had on the natural environment. Participants reported that by planting trees they felt that they were ‘doing their bit’ to help reverse environmental destruction and restore the natural environment.

Key Messages Adapt the way that tree planting activities are facilitated to take into account the main motivating (and well-being inducing) factors for young people; namely: Creation of habitats Feelings of nuturing/care giver role Taking action towards a greater purpose than themselves Enable young people to access well-being through activities and discussion Ensure tree planting activity participants are not de- motivated to engage in further pro-environmental behaviour through feeling that they have ‘done their bit’.

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