Green4C National Launch Event at WALDCAMPUS Austria

32 participants came together at WALDCAMPUS Austria in Traunkirchen for the Green4C National Launch Event to exchange, network and learn about nature-based solutions in urban and rural areas.

“Green4C helps us to better understand Green Care in Europe and makes a substantial contribution to equipping those who want to start their own Green Care initiatives with the necessary know-how”, Dominik Mühlberger says on why the Austrian Research Centre for Forests is proud to contribute to Green4C, a three-year project co-funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union innovating and promoting nature-based solutions for health, well-being, and social inclusion. On 9 September 2021, the Austrian Green4C National Launch took place at WALDCAMPUS Austria in Traunkirchen. 32 participants from forestry, the health sector, tourism and forest education gathered to exchange, network and discuss to further develop new opportunities in the field of Green Care.

Green Care as an opportunity of diversification

Following this year’s Green Care FOREST Days, where the spotlight was on health and therapy in the forest, the Green4C launch event revolved around Green Care as an opportunity for diversification of smallholders in Austria and Europe. Nicole Prop talked about Green Care – Where people flourish (Green Care – Wo Menschen aufblühen), one of the international case studies conducted within the Green4C project. Dennis Roitsch (EFI) presented the EU Blueprint on Green Care and the Market Outlooks of the four different Green4C thematic sectors Social Agriculture, Urban Green Care, Green Care Tourism and Forest-Based Care and discussed opportunities and challenges with the audience.

Pioneers in Urban Green Care

Herbert Floigl presented Pioneer Oasis (Pionieroase), a best-practice initiative in Urban Green Care. Based on a participatory approach and social inclusion, the initiative aims to promote bringing nature back into the urban space by adapting close-to-nature gardening in housing complexes. The project thus makes an important contribution to nature and climate protection as well as the preservation of biodiversity in the city. Herbert Floigl talked about his experience and the potential of Green Care in urban areas: “I think Urban Green Care has an insane amount of potential because it connects different people. In our project, we have a green space where many people come and see how we work and deal with nature. I think this is where the basis for an understanding of nature can be laid”.

Join, Learn, Practice

In addition to the announcement of the Green4C e-Learning Course, the Business Plan Challenge and the Summer Specialisation School for Green Care in Italy, the Green4C Alliance and how to join this wide network of entrepreneurs, researchers, public health and social service providers and supporters were demonstrated to participants.

The Green4C National Launch Event ended with an open discussion group where the speakers and participants highlighted their learnings and exchanged ideas as well as their views on opportunities and challenges of the different Green Care sectors.

Visit our website

Learn more about Green Care and the four thematic sectors

Join our Alliance

Take part in the first European e-Learning Course on Green Care

Please send inquires to:

Green4C in Austria: Austrian Research Centre for Forests

Dominik Mühlberger, dominik.muehlberger@bfw.gv.at

Barbara Öllerer, barbara.oellerer@bfw.gv.at

Monika Humer, monika.humer@bfw.gv.at

Green4C: info@greenforcare.eu

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