Central Finland libraries launch Finland’s first nature backpack network

Libraries across Central Finland have offered nature backpacks for loan since spring, creating Finland’s first regional network of its kind, Yle reports. The backpacks are intended to help more people explore nearby nature and experience its benefits.

There are 22 backpacks available across the region, and borrowers can check them out with a library card. Each contains basic equipment for outdoor trips, including binoculars, a magnifying lens, two sitting mats, nature cards and instructions for using species-identification apps.

More than 30 loans so far

The backpacks were developed through a collaboration between the LähiLUMO project at Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences and the Keski libraries. The idea followed a library customer survey in which people asked to borrow equipment for outdoor activities.

Project manager Janne Laitinen, a senior specialist at the university, said individual nature backpacks, such as those for berry picking or mushroom gathering, had been available before. But he described the regional network as the first of its kind in Finland.

The backpacks have been borrowed more than 30 times. They have been most popular in Hankasalmi, Saarijärvi, Viitasaari, Jämsä and Uurainen, although some municipalities have not yet recorded a loan. In Hankasalmi, the backpack has been included in municipal events and campaigns, which Laitinen said has raised awareness and borrowing.

The project aims to encourage people to spend time outdoors and learn about biodiversity. Laitinen said research indicates that spending time in nature can reduce stress and support physical and mental health. The national Health from Nature programme also highlights the importance of bringing nature’s wellbeing benefits into everyday life.

Libraries were chosen as partners because they reach people across social groups, Laitinen said. The backpacks are particularly useful for people who do not have their own outdoor equipment.

During the project, nature events were held in every municipality in Central Finland. Laitinen said 49 events drew more than 1,500 participants, who recorded species observations and took part in citizen science using apps including iNaturalist and Seek.