EN
The article presents the results of questionnaire survey, which aimed to determine social preferences in relation to running as a form of active leisure time in the forests. In 2016 the survey covered 346 people over 18 years of age. As a research tool we used an internet questionnaire, which included questions about such issues as: the frequency of running in the forest, the preferred season and the views on advantages and disadvantages of running in forest areas. The questionnaire was distributed via social media (eg Facebook) among people interested in running. Statistical analysis of the impact of personal characteristics (gender, age, place of residence) and experience in running on the respondent preferences was carried out using the chi−square test. Men dominated among the respondents. The majority were people aged 35−44 and urban residents. Over half of the respondents declared that they are doing athletic or recreational running for more than 4 years. Results show that forests in Poland are an attractive place for running. The most preferred season for running in the forest was summer and spring. Most respondents run in the forest several times a week. The most frequently mentioned advantages of running in the forest included: contact with nature, clean air, and landscape – pleasant environment. Subsequently, the respondents pointed to the lack of traffic control infrastructure, and lack or a small number of other recreational people. Among the disadvantages of running in the forest, respondents mentioned mainly: the presence of tick, hunters, and lack of clearly marked and illuminated routes. Other factors limiting the comfort of running in the forests were: uneven road surface or problems with phone connection. The results showed that the preferences varied significantly, mainly in terms of gender, age and experience in running. The age and experience of respondents have an influence on preferences regarding the frequency of running in forests. The preferences of the respondents referring to the advantages and disadvantages of running in the forests are different due to gender, age and number of years of their experience. The analysis of respondents’ preferences leads to the conclusion that for the development of running in forests, promoting the forest as a friendly running place, it is important to have appropriate recreational forest management, including, first of all, proper layout of forest road networks and their markings.