PARKS & WILDLIFE Health and Wellbeing 2025 programme

1 1 Our knowledge of the benefits of nature and outdoor Nature is good for us and we encourage everyone to enjoy recreation for human health and well-being has in- the great outdoors - whether in the nearby natural envi- creased tremendously over the last few years. Nature ronment or a national park! has a highly positive impact on our physical, mental and social well-being. Visitor surveys and feedback support this - visitors gain a wide range of health benefits from outings in the wild.

Our common goal is to inspire people to move and stay in the natural environment more often and for longer periods. Outdoor recreation activates people and pro- motes their health, regardless of their age and condition.

In cooperation with partners, Metsähallitus is responding to future challenges through the Healthy Nature, Healthy Peo- Timo Tanninen Jukka Bisi Executive Director, Director, ple health promotion programme which will last until 2025. Parks & Wildlife Finland Game and Fisheries Metsähallitus Metsähallitus

2 2 Contents

The goal: Healthy nature, healthy people 4 Health programme themes 5 From nearby nature to national parks 6 Everyone Outdoors 13 Results based on communications and cooperation 22 How will implementation be measured? 32

Kvarken Archipelago World Heritage Site, Ritgrund lighthouse

WORKING GROUP: Martti Aarnio, Joel Erkkonen, Timo Halme, Pertti IMAGES: Metsähallitus, Aino Eronen, Tea Karvinen, Marjo customer comments: Parks & Wildlife LAYOUT: Anna Pakkanen 3 3 Itkonen, Liisa Kajala, Riikka Mansikkaviita, Jussi Päivinen, Mikko Rau- Kämäräinen, Maarit Kyöstilä, Riikka Mansikkaviita, Tapani Mikkola, health and wellbeing and visitor surveys. TRANSLATION: Semantix tiainen, Päivi Rosqvist, Matti Tapaninen ja Veikko Virkkunen. Eeva Mäkinen, Ann-Britt Pada, Anna Pakkanen, Juha Paso, Sanna-Kaisa Rautio, Emilia Rüf, Tapani Vartiainen, Vastavalo / Jari Hindström. ISBN: 978-952-295-174-8 The goal

Finland’s diverse natural environment improves the health and well-being of its people.

he Finns are an active, outdoor people, for whom nature is an T essential part of everyday life and leisure time. Their social, physical and mental well-being has improved due to the varied Finnish wilderness and their active relationship with nature.

The role of Parks & Wildlife Finland

• Guardian of the diverse • Inspiring people to go out natural environment and into the natural environment a provider of high-quality and strengthen their relation- services that meet the needs ship with nature of local recreation, tourism, • An active developer, hiking, hunting and fishing partner and coordinator in collaboration

4 4 Themes

From nearby nature Everyone outdoors Results based on to national parks communications and cooperation

• The opportunity to experience nature forms • Everyone has equal opportunities to enjoy the • Good communications in cooperation with the the basis for building a relationship with it. great outdoors. Our services create well-being, other actors encourage Finnish people to get prevent public health problems and promote out and about in the natural environment, in • Both easily accessible, nearby nature and an active lifestyle. everyday life and during their leisure time. attractive natural areas that provide an escape from the grind of daily life are necessary for • The threshold for outdoor recreation becomes • We reach a broad population base in coopera- outdoor recreation. lower, making it an easy and fun activity tion with our partners. throughout the year. Experiences in nature • Natural areas and historical and wilderness • Parks & Wildlife Finland produces and compiles motivate people to exercise. sites form part of nature destinations offered easily understandable, entertaining and reliable by municipalities and cities; they create a • Fi