Walk in the forest

The rich natural landscapes and animal environments of rural areas offer unique opportunities to develop social innovations that promote health and wellbeing. Tur i Skogen explores the structural conditions required to create and implement innovative nature-based interventions (NBI) – initiatives that harness the potential of nature in health promotion and inclusive community development.

Traditionally, health-promoting interventions take place in constructed indoor environments such as hospitals, residential care homes and other institutions. Through NBI, the focus shifts outdoors – to new places and contexts – where research demonstrates measurable positive effects: increased wellbeing, reduced stress and strengthened social participation, particularly for vulnerable groups who are outside the labour market or socially marginalised.

The project contributes to the development of socially innovative approaches to health and rehabilitation through collaboration between academia, the public sector, industry and civil society. NBI has also proven to be a cost-effective form of rehabilitation that can promote both individual health and sustainable rural development.