To stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) governments around the world implemented lockdowns restricting public travel. In the Australian state of Victoria, this included limiting permitted reasons for leaving home and restricting movements to within a 5 km radius of one’s home. In 2020, we conducted a state-wide survey (N = 1024) of Victorians that coincided with a lockdown. We asked respondents where they had spent time in nature and how they perceived lockdowns affected the amount of time they spent in nature. We then considered demographic and spatial predictors of spending more or less time in nature. Women, younger people, and those living in areas with higher socio-economic status were likely to report spending more time in nature. Closer proximity of residents to parks and waterways and higher proportional area of native vegetation within a 1-km radius were also associated with more time in nature. Understanding how different groups were affected by restrictions on access to nature can help improve government management of crises like pandemics, including through urban planning for green space, supporting improved individual and societal resilience. We discuss the implications of our findings for improving access to nature during lockdowns as well as opportunities for a post-pandemic relationship with nature, particularly in urban settings.

为阻止 SARS-CoV-2 冠状病毒 (COVID-19) 的传播，世界各地的政府实施了限制公共旅行的封锁措施。在澳大利亚维多利亚州，这包括限制允许的离家理由和限制在离家 5 公里半径范围内的活动。2020年，我们进行了全州范围的调查（N = 1024) 与封锁同时发生的维多利亚时代。我们询问了受访者他们在大自然中度过的时间，以及他们认为封锁如何影响他们在大自然中度过的时间。然后，我们考虑了在自然界中花费更多或更少时间的人口统计和空间预测因素。女性、年轻人和生活在社会经济地位较高地区的人可能会在大自然中花费更多时间。居民离公园和水道越近，以及 1 公里半径内原生植被面积比例越高，也与在大自然中停留的时间越长有关。了解不同群体如何受到限制接触自然的影响，有助于改善政府对流行病等危机的管理，包括通过城市绿地规划，支持提高个人和社会的复原力。