New research project on preschool’s outdoor surroundings

How can multifunctional urban outdoor spaces be designed to strengthen ecosystem services promoting health and well-being? Region Jönköping County has started a project to improve preschools’ outdoor surroundings, and researchers from Jönköping University will follow the results.

JU researchers will study the design and implementation of the region’s intervention to examine what impact preschools’ actions for multifunctional outdoor spaces have in promoting ecosystem services and thereby health and well-being in short and long perspective. 15 ecosystem services will be evaluated before and after the intervention. They will use observations, envisioning workshops, walk and talk procedures together with children and questionnaires and focus group interviews to gather data from participating adults. Results will continuously be brought back to participants and the region in order to improve outdoor spaces and social processes in the intervention.

The Swedish Research Council Formas has allocated 6 million SEK to the project.