The Outdoor Sustainability Approach

The Outdoor Sustainability Lab is the Outdoor Capital's space for development and practice regarding initiatives in the core task

Initiatives supporting the use of nature in every part of our society for the benefit of well-being and growth.

The Outdoor Sustainability Lab (OSL)

The OSL programs offer a variety of diverse initiatives, each incorporating three critical pillar values, orbiting around the common thread of sustainability: environmental, social, economic:

  • Social: When assessing social perspectives, one takes into account e.g. human rights, livelihoods, health, cultural diversity and gender equality. Sustainable development in the social perspective is about providing people with a good education, good working conditions and good health services.
  • Economics: Economic aspects of sustainable development are about reducing poverty, creating an equitable distribution of resources, promoting a national and global market economy and taking into account working conditions and income. It is about ensuring people’s economic security.
  • Environment: Environmental concerns include sustainable use of natural resources and land, reducing pollution of nature, enhancing biodiversity, reducing climate change and preventing environmental and natural disasters.

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The Sustainable Solution

An OSL initiative is considered sustainable when it contributes to the health of a relevant target group, thereby creating positive socio-economic effects, and at the same time ensures that the use of nature is done in a balanced way that helps to strengthen the readiness for sustainable action of the target group.

Nature Forces alias Naturkræfter

The Nature Forces initiative is a perfect example of a successful program utilizing outdoor actives to strengthen mental, physical and social health for people recovering from cancer.

The program is designed for citizens recovering from cancer and is an offer aimed at men of all ages. Outdoor activities including nature care, physical trådning with nature elements, bonfire, etc., allow the participants to:

• Regain, maintain or improve muscle strength and fitness
• Reduce discomfort associated with the disease
• Achieve greater well-being, both physically and mentally
• Create social relationships with others in the same situation
• Gain motivation for movement in the future

Indications of sustainability gains in Nature Forces

sustainability-naturkræfter

Using the force of nature for rehabilitation, the Nature Forces program, delivered by a comprehensive team of talented experts, offers outdoor training with a sustainable approach included, fellowship building and empowerment to the well-being and recovery in the journey of cancer patients.

Har du brug for at høre mere?

Kontakt Heiko i Outdoor Institute på tlf: 24 88 96 28 eller mail:  heiko@outdoorinstitute.dk

Be an Outdoor City!

Experience the Outdoor Capital of Denmark and develop your own city’s approach. We share our knowledge and support you in developing your Outdoor City in a facilitated and collaborative process.

The Outdoor Sustainability Approach

Learn about Silkeborg’s inclusion of sustainability in outdoor initiatives exemplified by Forces of Nature.

Courses for professionals

The Outdoor Institute’s course offerings focus on how you as a professional can use nature as a resource, and how your organization can develop and embed the right content and framework for an outdoor culture.

Development of nature-based initiatives

As a development and knowledge-sharing center, we have extensive experience in developing and implementing nature-based interventions.

The Outdoor Compass

The Outdoor Compass gives you an overview of the key elements in the development of an outdoor culture.

Evaluation of benefits

We conduct both qualitative and quantitative evaluations based on interviews, questionnaires, participant observation, etc.

Professional presentations, lectures and workshops

Knowledge sharing creates development. So please, don’t hesitated to contact us if you need knowledge about benefits of nature, outdoor health initiatives, etc.