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Nature offers significant health benefits and strengthens the well-being of people living in Finland. If the positive health effects of nature were used extensively in people’s everyday lives, and as part of health care, Finland could curb the costs of endemic diseases to society, at the same time reducing human suffering.
This was discovered in a Sitra-funded study (summary in English) conducted by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). The study indicates that for the incidence of depression and type 2 diabetes and the use of asthma medication alone, the economic significance of nature’s health benefits can be hundreds of millions of euros per year in Finland.
This is an important and topical issue as the physical condition, work ability and functional capacity of Finns have deteriorated. At the same time, public health care is struggling in the midst of a funding crisis.
“Finnish society needs new solutions that will promote health and well-being. We are now opening a funding call for projects that will bring the health benefits of nature into our everyday lives. We are looking for cost-effective projects effectively establishing the health benefits of nature into use in daycare centres, schools, workplaces or care environments, for example,” says Laura Järvinen, senior lead in Sitra’s Sustainability Programme.
Sitra will grant funding up to a maximum of EUR 400,000. Each project can receive up to EUR 150,000. A self-financing contribution is not required from the applicants, although it is considered an advantage. Public administration actors, organisations, associations, companies, educational institutions and research institutes can apply for the funding.
The call will end on 21 May 2025 at 12:00. The project duration is no more than one year. For more details, see the funding call website. We will also organise two information sessions in Teams for interested applicants on how to apply for funding. The sessions are held on 22 April from 15:00 to 16:00 and on 24 April from 10:00 to 11:00. Participation in the information session requires pre-registration by 21 April. Register for the events on the event page (in Finnish).
Finns widely recognise the health benefits of nature
According to studies, access to nature can protect against depression, relieve stress and improve mood, among others. Nearby urban forests and green spaces can help prevent cardiovascular diseases and possibly even respiratory diseases, including asthma and allergies.
Surveys show that Finns widely recognise the health benefits of nature. In the latest Nature Barometer (in Finnish), almost all the respondents felt that nature contributes to people’s health and well-being. As many as 97% of the respondents agreed with this statement.
Finns also want municipalities to take action for nature. In the Nature Barometer, 89% of the respondents agreed that municipalities should pay more attention to the positive health effects of nature in land use planning and building. This is particularly topical now that new council members have been elected in the municipalities and wellbeing services counties.
In a study published last autumn, researchers from the Natural Resources Institute Finland and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare proposed that Finland should have a national nature health programme that would make extensive use of the positive health effects of nature.
After that, the nature health programme has moved from a concept to concrete preparation. Sitra, together with partners, is currently developing a programme (in Finnish) to reduce the burden of chronic diseases by increasing people’s exposure to nature. A national nature health programme is due to be launched in early 2026.
Sitra’s aim is that the results, information and experiences gained through the now launched funding call will be widely disseminated and implemented in society. Lessons learned from the projects will be used, where appropriate, in the design and implementation of a national nature health programme.
Read more:
Sitra’s funding call: Bringing the health benefits of nature into Finns’ daily lives (in Finnish)
Study by Luke and THL: The health effects of the natural environment and their economic significance (summary in English)
Sitra’s working paper: Health, well-being and cost savings from nature (summary in English)
Read the results of the Nature Barometer on the Ministry of the Environment’s website (in Finnish)
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