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Finnish Living Lab

Enhancing biodiversity and NBS in Eastern Finland: UEF NBS Living Lab
ᴇNᴀBʟS' Finnish Living Lab (LL), coordinated by the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), focuses on fostering wetland restoration (particularly peatlands) and promoting nature-positive actions in forest ecosystems and urban areas. It aims to enhance societal skills and knowledge through transformative, university-level education accessible to both degree students and lifelong learners via continuous learning and Open University initiatives.
At the core of the Finnish LL are UEF’s courses on biodiversity and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), developed by a multidisciplinary team spanning biology, environmental science, engineering, health, social sciences, and economics. A key advantage is UEF’s Centre for Continuous Learning, which excels in promoting and disseminating these courses beyond academia via the Open University portal, enabling broad scalability of LL outcomes.
Photo is courtesy of the ᴇNᴀBʟS UEF team.
Located at UEF’s Kuopio and Joensuu campuses, the Finnish LL engages diverse stakeholders, including academia (students and teachers, researchers, administration), the government (local actors that offer opportunities for our students for training, master and doctoral thesis in real-life environments and in their projects) and the community (campus cities, citizens, schools, NGOs). Planned activities include online and hybrid courses on biodiversity and NBS, hands-on activities and campaigns on campuses and campus cities, events, educational networks, a digital twin of forestry, and field visits. These initiatives aim to unite students, city management, citizens, and partners in actions such as removing plastic pollution and controlling invasive species.

Contribution to ᴇNᴀBʟS and expected impact

The Finnish LL seeks to elevate the prominence of NBS within UEF’s activities and embed them into the university curriculum. Courses on biodiversity and NBS serve as key tools for fostering Nature-Based Thinking, aiming to influence decision-making processes both within the university and in broader societal contexts. The overall goal of the LL is to drive gradual, systematic change toward nature-positive actions, beginning with individuals, students, and university communities.

Interested in joining the Finnish Living Lab?

Feel free to contact Professor Elina Oksanen, University of Eastern Finland, elina.oksanen@uef.fi
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