Pre-conference: Connecting nature and public health: scientific seminar and nature experience (NATU)
Tuesday 11 November, 09:00 – 18:15 Helsinki time
Organised by
Solvalla, Nuuksio National Park, Espoo. Solvalla is a national sports institution by Lake Pitkäjärvi.
Transport included from Finlandia Hall, Helsinki
Venue
Folkhälsan and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare in collaboration with the EUPHA Environment and health section
Background
We welcome EPH conference participants to step outdoors for new perspectives. During this multidisciplinary pre-congress, we focus on 1) Green prescriptions for mental health and 2) Biodiversity and health. You will hear from leading researchers in the field and have opportunities for networking and planting new ideas for sustainable health promotion.
In addition to inspiring scientific presentations indoors, you will also choose a guided outdoor activity of your preference. We will round up with a traditional Finnish Sauna by the lake or outdoor coffee in a wilderness hut.
Watch the pre-conference video for a visual overview of the pre-conference themes and venue. It is intended to give participants a sense of what to expect in November and to highlight the setting for this inspiring event.
More information here.
Target audience
EPH conference participants who want to learn more about nature connectedness and health impacts. No prior knowledge is required to attend.
Programme
09:00 Bus from Finlandia Hall, Helsinki, to Solvalla Folkhälsan, Espoo
10:00 – 11:30 Morning session: Green prescriptions and mental health
10:00 –10:05 Welcome. Eva Roos, Professor, Senior scientist, Samfundet Folkhälsan, Folkhälsan Research Center, Finland
10:05 – 10:45 Mental health and nature prescription: evidence from the UK for effectiveness and expansion. Rebecca Lovell, Doctor and Senior Lecturer in Biodiversity Health and Policy, European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, United Kingdom
10:45 – 10:55 Targeting loneliness through Nature-based social prescribing- highlights from the international RECETAS project. Jill S Litt, Professor, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Spain
10:55 – 11:05 Evaluation of a nature prescription program targeted at physically inactive people in Finland. Maija Lipponen, Researcher, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Finland
11:05 – 11:15 Green space and mental health in general practice: evidence from a highly urbanized region in Belgium. Simon Gabriël Beerten, Research Fellow and General Practitioner, KU Leuven, Belgium
11:15 – 11:30 Discussion by Rebecca Lovell, Jill S Litt, Maija Lipponen, and Simon Gabriël Beerten. MD Annika Kolster, University of Helsinki, as discussant.
11:30 – 12:45 Guided nature walks
12:45 – 13:45 Lunch at Solvalla restaurant
13:45 – 15:15 Biodiversity and health
13:45 – 14:15 Biodiversity and children’s health. Aki Sinkkonen, Principal Scientist, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Finland
14:15 – 14:25 Early-life biodiversity exposure and childhood-onset NCDs in Finnish children – population-level approach. Jenni Lehtimäki, Principal Researcher, Finnish Environment Institute, Finland
14:25 – 14:35 Assessing the potential health and wellbeing impacts of biodiversity-focused park redevelopments in an urban area: an evaluation of the Linking Leith's Parks project. Stephen Malden, Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
14:35 – 14:45 Biodiversity, Bioclimate, and Health: Spatial Relationships of Urban Ecosystem Services in Cologne and Bonn. Morten Rahmen, Doctoral Researcher, University Hospital Bonn, Germany
14:45 – 15:10 Discussion by Aki Sinkkonen, Jenni Lehtimäki, Stephen Malden and Morten Rahmen. Senior Researcher Tytti Pasanen, Institute of Health and Welfare, as discussant.
15:10 – 15:15. Closing words, Carola Ray, group leader, senior scientist, Samfundet Folkhälsan, Folkhälsan Research Center, Finland
15:15 – 17:30 Coffee in a wilderness hut or Sauna and drinks at the lake
17:30 Bus back to Finlandia Hall, Helsinki
Registration
max number of participants: 50
Price: 120€, including transport, lunch, refreshments, outdoor activities, wilderness hut/sauna.
Additional information: Participants who have registered for the pre-conference will receive more detailed information later regarding the nature walks. At that time, you will be asked to choose one of the four options: Recharge Your Brain with Nature, Discover Nature Through the Lens, Discovery Path, or Walk & Talk. You will also receive information about the sauna and wilderness hut, including how to register. Please note that sauna access is limited to 30 participants.