Important and rewarding meetings with municipalities
In May 2025, the researchers met with the municipalities of Härnösand and Östersund to discuss the results and conclusions of the research, and its use and benefits in the municipality. With help from the reference group, we invited representatives of various administrations and municipal politicians.
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Workshop in Östersund (left) and in Härnösand municipality (right)
It was fruitful conversations where we alternated presentations with reflections and questions. We touched on questions about older people's needs and wishes regarding accessible natural environments, how society can promote active ageing, what hinders access to natural environments, the importance of green areas close to the home, and different sectors of society's range of activities and supportive services for elderly people.
We concluded with discussions about how the municipality wants to work with accessible natural areas and what is required to achieve this. Among other things, the municipalities believe that there is a need to get a common picture of accessibility within the municipality and that several units within the municipality must be invited well in advance for various development initiatives because issues of accessibility affect several administrations. There is a desire for internal cooperation within the municipality between different administrations because "we may be unaware that we are working on the same issues" (quote from an official who at one of the meetings emphasized the importance of internal cooperation). It emerged that there is a need for a working group and one that leads municipality-wide work. In such work, knowledge and consensus on age-friendly planning are needed, but also a changed view of older people.
At one of the meetings, it was highlighted that green areas are important not only for people's health and well-being, but also in work with biodiversity and in climate work, where the participants stated, among other things, that more research is needed on the multifunctionality of urban and urban nature. In working with nature's multifunctionality, the participants once again highlighted the system perspective and the importance of avoiding internal drainpipes in the municipality.
The participants highlighted the need to reach out to even more groups in society regarding the importance of nature for health and quality of life. It is particularly important to reach out to those who are not currently part of any association or organisation or do not participate in activities organised at the municipality's meeting places. The municipalities see getting more people to participate in outdoor activities as important preventive health work.