Local Nature Evening: Children and Nature

How does the diversity of the city's playgrounds and courtyards support children's health? Do children in Helsinki's daycare centres and schools have easy and safe access to nearby forests?

At the Local Nature Evening in Itäkeskus Library, participants discuss the importance of local nature and biodiversity for children's health and learning. Topics include developing school and daycare courtyards to strengthen biodiversity, and whether nearby forests at daycare centres and schools enable safe nature education. The discussion is facilitated by specialist librarian Liisa Uimonen, and the event takes place in the library hall on the entrance floor.

Speakers include officials and staff from the City Environment Division, as well as representatives from organisations. Confirmed participants: Johanna Laisaari (Deputy Mayor, City Environment Division), Sanna Sarkama (Project Manager, development project for naturalising school and daycare courtyards, City Environment and Education Divisions), Sanna Valtonen (Chair, Helsinki Parents rf / Helvary) and Silvia Modig (Executive Director, Finnish Nature League). The list will be updated.

If your association or group wishes to participate with an official representative, contact by email: aino.toiviainen-koskinen@hel.fi. Your representative will be added to the event information along with your organisation and will have the opportunity to give a brief comment at the start of the meeting.