Solitary in Nature: Young adults using urban nature as a safety net during COVID-19 lockdowns

Abstract

Spending time in urban nature benefits young adults’ mental health, particularly those experiencing chronic stress, depression, or anxiety. COVID-19 can be seen as a population-wide stressor, which resulted in greater loneliness, anxiety, and depression among younger adults than among those older. This study explored how young adults (18–25) residing in the state of Victoria, Australia engaged with both public and private urban nature during and following stringent COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, in particular their visit locations, frequency, and participation in solitary, restorative activities. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in July and August 2021 via an online survey with 147 participants. During stringent COVID-19 restrictions, the type of nature that young adults visited most frequently (at least twice a week or more) was their own garden at home, with 23 % visiting this site every day and 15 % visiting at least twice a week. In terms of motivations for visiting nature while under strict restrictions, the most common ones were to ‘relax and unwind,’ followed by to ‘get away from home’. These motivations remained common following the relaxation of restrictions. More than half of participants engaged in solitary, restorative activities in nature during lockdown. Our study indicates that multiple forms of nature helped ease the strains of living under strict restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic for young adults in Victoria, particularly by providing a place to be alone. Government departments that manage urban greenspaces should consult young people to ensure their needs are understood when creating new or revitalising existing urban greenspaces.