Case Study

3030 campaign motivates everyday movement in nature

Contact name

Katriina Kilpi

Institution name

NatureMinded

Region & country

Flanders, Belgium

Summary

NatureMinded.be conducts an impact study on the effects of getting outside for a minimum of 30 minutes in a green environment doing any kind of movement. An online diary helps the participants to follow their own progress and upload pictures and post about how they are doing. Three surveys are conducted before, right after and 1 month after the end of the campaign. 3030 is a cooperation of health insurance provider cm.be & forest advocate organization bosplus.be. It is in both their interest to get people using the green spaces of Flanders more. For each registered participant, BOS+ plants a square meter of forest in Flanders, one of the least forested regions in EU.

Background of the project

For 3 years, we have been attracting highly educated women of age 35+ with high nature connection, living in relatively green environments, but with no time for green exercise. The campaign motivates them to keep going. Participants report to having visited new green areas, realizing how little time they spend outside & becoming aware about planning in nature time in their everyday lives (e.g. biking to work through green route versus taking the car). We raise awareness on nature’s impact on well-being.

Work weeks are tiring, people need to be motivated to get outside. Movement in green should be made so easy that one does not have to make an effort to get outside – nature should start at your doorstep. Greener neighborhoods and more accessible nature is needed in Flanders.

Solution and actions taken

We created an online diary to motivate each other and share experiences. People want to know how they are doing.

The people are motivated to keep going by the promise of planting a square meter of forest for every participant registered in the campaign. Also, those participants who fill in all the three surveys, have a chance to win a hot air balloon ride.

Other institutions or parties involved

  • CM health insurance provider
  • BOS+ forest advocate organization

Results

There is definitely a need we are answering so we keep doing this.
I would like to reach out to other partners too, to think together on how to get others to participate as well and to widen the reach (youth, elderly, immigrants). Either in the same project or another one with a different focus. For example, what works for youth does not necessarily work for the target group we are now reaching. Also think of engaging offline. We need more boots on the ground to work before and during the campaign.

Challenges

  • Reaching out beyond the usual suspects.
  • Keeping people engaged in the campaign.
  • Getting people to answer all the surveys.
  • Having more funds to making the research part more scientifically valid.

Lessons learned

People seek nature for different reasons. Health is the most important one, but activities in which they engage in nature differ. By bringing nature closer, we make it easier for people to get outside daily. Otherwise people continue to require motivation to get outside.

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