3-30-300 Nature Recommendation

Juho Jäppinen embodies in all his work the quiet power of nature and the belief that we all deserve a connection to it. For years, Juho has been working with Meijän polku (Our path), exploring and promoting ways in which simply being outdoors can heal, energize, and sustain both individuals and communities. You might have heard of Meijän polku through the Luontotyöpäivä (the Finnish Outdoor Office Day) or Reitistöviikko (Trail Week). And now, inspired by Cecil Konijnendijk’s 3-30-300 rule, Juho is leading the new “3-30-300 Nature Recommendation” initiative—bridging research and lived experience to invite all of us to reimagine how nature can be a daily companion, rather than an occasional retreat.

How did Meijän polku first come across Cecil’s 3-30-300 rule, and what about it resonated with you most?

We are actively following nature-positive change both globally as locally, here in Finland. One significant shift for cities is Cecile Konijnendijk's 3–30–300 rule, which has quickly become a standard refeence when when discussing the future of urban life. Cities hold a crucial role in addressing enormous challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss — not only because more and more people live and move there, but also because their ecological footprints extend far beyond their boundaries. For example, London’s ecological footprint covers an area roughly the size of two United Kingdoms. Both cities and their inhabitants must adapt — and quickly.The 3–30–300 rule, in all its simplicity, is a powerful mix of numbers and vision — almost impossible not to reuse when aiming to increase people’s exposure to nature. It also proved to be an easy formula to adapt in research on the well-being effects of nature.

What adaptations have you made to the original rule to fit Finnish nature, culture, or landscape?

At the beginning of 2025, Yggdrasil – The Living Nordic City project, published a report about Finnish cities which reinforced a feeling that had carried with me for some time now. Most Finnish cities already meet the recommendations of the original 3–30–300 guideline. For us Finns, the rule didn’t offer much new — apart from the centers of our largest cities, where Cecile’s 30 rule could still make a difference. At the same time, I reflected on the challenges of the original guideline. Its aim — to increase residents’ exposure to nature — is essential, but in the Finnish context I thought we maybe needed something a bit simpler. Something that people could grasp instantly, and use to strengthen both their well-being and their connection with nature.

Most Finns literally live in the middle of nature. Yet a large proportion of people do not spend time in natural environments. Jyväskylä, Finland, 2025.

Could you break down what each number means in the Finnish version of 3-30-300?

Of course! The Finnish version states that you should visit nature at least 3 times a week, spend at least 30 minutes at a time in nature, and aim at spending a total of 300 minutes in nature every week. The idea was to make the recommendation achievable for people who are not used to spending time in natural environments, but also offer something for people who already spend time in natural environments on a weekly basis. Maybe you can add a couple of nature breaks to your week, or maybe you could aim to be in natural environments a little longer?

Just like Cecil’s rule, these three numbers speak to the imagination. Even if you are not a professional, the numbers inspire us to rethink the way we live and work. What are some of the biggest challenges in helping people meet those thresholds in everyday life?

Our environment and lifestyles have been shaped — even forced — to support passive, indoor, car-dependent habits. Over the past century, enormous amounts of money and energy have gone into this effort. The practical outcome has been clear: people are encouraged to move around in cars and enjoy a consumer lifestyle safely indoors. And in that sense, society has succeeded remarkably well. If we look at the financial support for passive versus active lifestyles, the imbalance is staggering. In Finland, around 95% of investments go to cars, and only about 5% to cycling and walking. And when a society channels its capital into promoting passivity, the result is passive people.

Our lifestyle is unsustainable for both ourselves and our environment. However, small changes could make a big difference. Juho Jäppinen, Meijän polku, 2025.

The consequences are serious. This bias has eroded both physical and psychological health — and it has weakened our connection to nature. From an evolutionary perspective, human habits and living conditions have shifted dramatically in just a few decades. Change on this scale and speed leaves no time to adapt. We see the results all around us: in declining health and well-being, in climate change, and in the accelerating loss of biodiversity.

How could you make nature more accessible for people who live in urban areas, who have mobility issues, or who have limited time? Are there particular tools, programs, or design ideas (parks, green corridors, benches, signage, etc.) that you advocate for to support the prescription?

As I mentioned, in Finland, nature is in close proximity. Our main focus here, is to enable and increase the diversity of nature, and to protect the old natural areas that still exist, such as old forests. At the same time we know that every minute spent in natural environments is good for both the individual and society at large. Our task then is to develop ways of inspiring people to enjoy their own local nature. 

Last week in Finland, we just celebrated the national Trail Week, which is one of Meijän polku’s initiatives. This festive week encouraged provinces, municipalities, communities and individuals to actively enjoy nature trails all over Finland. It was wonderful to see how an idea that started back in 2020 is now moving the whole nation closer to nature. 

From the perspective of the accessibility of nature for urbanites, we implemented the Nature Stops concept, where in all simplicity we went through the nature areas of our hometown (Jyväskylä) and listed them alongside existing bus lines and stops. Then we created maps and a communication campaign around these areas. This idea was born from the realization that we already had a large and active public transport network in the city, and that all of these buses drove past wonderful natural sites. This was what happens in everyday life too – buses and people move past these areas all the time. So, in practice, only a little insight was needed, and the same lines gave birth to a transport network directly to local nature. 

In one project, we implemented an arboretum in connection with a primary school. This not only increases the diversity of and connection to nature it also provides experiences for schoolchildren and provides a diverse park area for the residents and wildlife of the surrounding area for years to come. 

In other words, we need to lower the threshold and not only encourage people to go out in nature, but also to bring diverse nature into their daily environments. Here, the 3–30–300 models support each other perfectly.

All age groups benefit from contact with diverse local nature. This is especially important for children and young people in terms of developing a relationship with nature.

What are common excuses or obstacles people report when trying to follow this version of the 3-30-300 rule — or when inviting them to take part in Luontotyöpäivä (Outdoor Office Day)–style moments in their everyday life? And how can they be addressed?

In Finland, the weather is often the most common excuse for staying indoors. Rain, wind, snow, sunshine — almost any condition can feel like a reason not to go out. We’ve become so accustomed to sitting inside and traveling by car that nearly all weather has turned into a “problem.” But as one of our national heroes (borrowed from Sweden), Pippi Longstocking, wisely said: “Man ska va glad att det är väder över huvud taget” — or in English: “You should be glad there’s any weather at all!” This wonderful way of thinking feels even more important as climate change brings greater variation and more extreme conditions. Instead of seeing weather as an obstacle, let’s be grateful it exists — and learn to enjoy it in all its forms. Not during a thunderstorm, of course, but before and after a storm can be magical moments to step outside. With a little luck, you might even find yourself enchanted by nature.

A group of seniors enjoying the Finnish nature trails in a spring snowfall. Their attitude towards life is delightful; the weather is just a matter of dressing.

How do you help people turn nature connection into a lasting habit?

For working-age people, spending outdoor office days is an easy way to add nature contact to the workweek. The office can be wherever you are.

Positive experiences are key — especially at the beginning. A butterfly landing nearby, a bird overhead, a glowing sunset, summer rain, or giant snowflakes… moments like these spark curiosity and make us seek more. They can even inspire action: planting a tree, starting a flower field, or rewilding your neighborhood. Group activities also help people reconnect. Seniors who joined guided trips began taking nature walks on their own. Schoolchildren asked for more outdoor classes. Employees who tried walking meetings or park sessions started pushing for Outdoor Office Days. In the end, it’s about contact and consistency. Habits form through repetition. The more time we spend outdoors, the more natural it feels — until one day, we’ll look back and wonder how we ever thought spending almost all our waking hours indoors was normal.





Back to you Juho: When was the last time you felt a real “wow moment” in nature, and what made it so special?

I’ve learned to enjoy the little things more and more. A wow moment can be as simple as spotting a new flower or bird in the neighborhood — or even a moose (yes, a couple wandered into downtown Jyväskylä a few years back!).On a larger scale, wow moments come from cities too: like Oulu’s year-round cycling path network, or Helsingborg’s (Sweden) Outdoor Office Day initiative in the Fredriksdal museum area. Both are great reminders that wonderful steps toward a sustainable, nature-positive future are happening all around the world. That’s why we should keep our eyes and ears open — and whenever possible, adopt these positive examples into our own lives and environments. Small actions, when shared, can fuel the rapid and much-needed change ahead.

- 25 degrees below zero? Great cycling weather on Oulu's well-maintained cycleways. Photo: City of Oulu.

Outdoor office day setup in Fredriksdal museum area, Helsingborg, Sweden.