COVID-19 and human-nature relationships: Vermonters' activities in nature and associated nonmaterial values during the pandemic.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly modified Earth's social-ecological systems in many ways; here we study its impacts on human-nature interactions. We conducted an online survey focused on peoples' relationships with the non-human world during the pandemic and received valid responses from 3,204 adult residents of the state of Vermont (U.S.A.). We analyzed reported changes in outdoor activities and the values associated with human-nature relationships across geographic areas and demographic characteristics. We find that participation increased on average for some activities (foraging, gardening, hiking, jogging, photography and other art, relaxing alone, walking, and watching wildlife), and decreased for others (camping, relaxing with others). The values respondents ranked as more important

SUBMITTER: Morse JW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7732125 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature