The policy paper ‘Unravelling the potential of active ageing for nature conservation’ collects the main outcomes which emerged throughout the project, which will be a useful tool for policymakers to integrate into their policymaking activity. 

The research is based on both the oral and written feedback provided by the participants (elderly), the third age personnel, the project partners and all the relevant stakeholders which were involved during the activities. Thanks to their valuable input, the Grey4Green Team was able to elaborate several policy recommendations, both at local and national level, which could be valid and applicable to all the EU member states, with the adequate adjustments. In fact, all the partners of the project noted that the reactions and advice received were similar even though the project took place in diverse geographical and cultural contexts (Cyprus, Denmark, Iceland, Portugal and France).

Among the local policy recommendations, the project identified the importance of: 1) creating accessible, safe, and environmentally friendly public spaces; 2) promoting more occasions/initiatives to match people interested in volunteering and promoting organisations; 3) emphasising the social and educational aspects of volunteering.

Similarly, at national level the policy recommendations included are: 1) lead more conservation projects; 2) create specific national programs/projects/initiatives to include elderly in the community and in nature conservation; 3) elaborate a specific strategy for nature and biodiversity conservation. 

Click the link to read and download the full Policy Paper : GREY4GREEN IO8 Policy Paper

As the Grey4Green project is approaching its end, a series of final events were held by Associação BioLiving between the 19th October and the 15th November, 2024, in Albergaria-a-Velha, Estarreja and Ílhavo, Portugal, including the final conference. These events marked the completion of a 2 and a half years effort aimed at promoting active ageing and contributing to climate action through the involvement of senior citizens in nature conservation volunteering programs and through the capacity of personnel working in the third age sector to develop and implement such programs.

The first event, a multiplier event, took place in Albergaria-a-Velha, and brought together specialists and academics, renowned organisations, such as nature conservation NGOs, public institutions, stakeholders and the general public to discuss the EU Nature Restoration Law and the role of everyone into putting it to practise.

The second event, the Final Conference, took place in Ílhavo and featured a presentation on the project outcomes, a keynote speech from the Coordinator of the Active and Healthy Aging National Plan, testimonies of successful project, from Aarhus and Ílhavo (Denmark and Portugal, respectively), a roundtable where the challenges, opportunities of active ageing programs, ways of involving the community and the stigma associated to ageing were discussed. Additionally, three workshops on zero waste cooking, sowing and management of natural areas were delivered by Município de Lousada, Associação BioLiving and the Environment Agency of Iceland. The goal of this event was to present the project’s intellectual outputs and encourage both senior citizens and stakeholders (e.g. municipalities, social institutions and NGOs) to participate and develop in nature conservation projects and climate action.

Lastly, we held a plantation of native trees and shrubs with senior citizens and university students, not only from Portugal, but from across Europe. A total of 160 trees and shrubs, from 10 different species were planted, including cork oak trees, strawberry trees and holy trees.

In total, these final events brought together over 140 participants, and to this number we can add 34 online participants of the Final Conference and all of those who have watched or will watch the recordings on BioLiving’s YouTube channel.

These events highlighted the importance of environmental practices, volunteering, and nature conservation for a more sustainable future, but also encouraged a reflection on the impact of initiatives like Grey4Green on the quality of life and well-being of senior citizens.

The project may be ending, but its impact will continue to resonate long after its conclusion. The initiatives implemented, the connections fostered, and the knowledge shared will leave a lasting legacy, creating a foundation for future nature conservation and active and healthy ageing efforts.

As part of the European Project Grey4Green, project partner CARDET organised its multiplier event on the theme of active ageing and nature conservation on 31 October in Nicosia, Cyprus.

The event featured interactive sessions designed to engage seniors, precisely retired people residing in the elder home Materia Care Home, in environment conservation and sustainable living. 

The day started with an introduction to Grey4Green modules, which focus on empowering elderly to adopt sustainable practices while enhancing their physical and mental well-being. These modules are also available on the project’s e-learning platform for anyone who wants to actively contribute to climate action. 

To better engage the participants, an interactive gastronomy activity was organised: both the elderly and CARDET team prepared food and desserts using local materials, fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile, participants learned more about how to grow the provided ingredients on the outdoor yard of the care home. 

In the second part of the day, the discussions emphasised the connection between personal action and broader environmental resilience. The event was then concluded with short dance lessons.

The seminar managed in fostering environmentally friendly lifestyles, exploring meaningful ways to contribute to climate action and improving elderly physical and mental well-being. As a result, senior citizens received valuable insights into sustainable practices, prompting them to actively contribute to climate resilience within their communities. 

Useful links:

CARDET: https://cardet.org/ 

Materia Care Home: https://materiacy.com 

On October 30th, project partner FO-Aarhus held the fourth Grey4Green Multiplier Event in Aarhus, Denmark. 

The event started with an introduction to the objectives and activities of the Grey4Green Project, followed by a presentation by “Bedsteforældrenes Klimaaktion” (BKA), a Danish NGO, on their participation in the project and the senior mobilities. Afterwards, Morten D.D. Hansen, a Danish biologist, reflected on the importance of nature conservation for seniors and the joy for nature, initiating a debate on the role of the elderly in a sustainable society, focusing on topics such as building in Aarhus, food production and textile production.

The event ended with a song written by the BKA organisation and sung all together, fostering moments of sharing among the participants. 

The participants not only learnt more about the project, but also became aware of the importance of the role of seniors in environmental conservation, especially in Denmark where they are among the most active groups. 

Useful links: 

FO-Aarhus: https://fo-aarhus.dk 

Bedsteforældrenes Klimaaktion (BKA): https://bedsteforaeldrenesklimaaktion.dk/ 

The Environment Agency of Iceland (Umheverfisstofnun), as partner of the Grey4Green Project, hosted its multiplier event on October 23rd, 2024, in Reykjavik, Iceland. 

The goal of the conference was to encourage both senior citizens and stakeholders to actively participate in conversation about nature and environmental projects. In particular, the roundtable with the participation of various experts focused on the importance of nature for the physical and mental health of elderly people. 

In doing so, the Environment Agency of Iceland brought together not only senior citizens, but also municipalities from all over Iceland, organisations working with elderlies (Bjartlíf, Félag Eldri Borgara, University of the Third Age (U3A)), senior citizens’ organisation ALDIN, the university of Iceland and physiotherapy specialists, as well as organisation working in nature conservation (landvernd, Ocean Integrity Iceland).

Although the harsh weather of Iceland did not allow for an outdoor activity, the feedback from the participants was very positive: they found the focus on the health benefits of nature for the elderly very interesting.

The event achieved its goal by creating a network between seniors and potential organisers of  volunteer projects and raising awareness of how everyone, including elderly people, can contribute to environmental protection.

Useful links:

Environment Agency of Iceland (Umheverfisstofnun): https://ust.is/ 

Bjartlíf: https://www.bjartlif.is/ 

Félag Eldri Borgara: https://www.feb.is/felagsstarf/ 

University of the Third Age (U3A): https://www.u3a.org.uk/ 

Landvernd: https://landvernd.is/english/ 

Ocean Integrity Iceland: https://oceanintegrity.org/about-us/ 

The second Grey4Green multiplier event was organised by the Municipality of Lousada on 14 October, 2024, in Lousada, Portugal. The event aimed to introduce the project to the local community, presenting its goals, achievements, and impact as part of the Erasmus+ Programme.

The agenda foresaw two workshops on environmental sustainability, held by two different organisations: Reformers and Laboratório da Paisagem. In the first one, seniors from Reformers highlighted how sewing can be a form of activism, encouraging continued learning and active participation in society while promoting sustainability in the textile industry through the concept of “slow fashion”. Following the workshop, an interpretative walk outside the Social and Parish Centre of Sousela was organised to discover the native flora, with a special focus on centenary trees to create an analogy with the significance of preserving health in old age.

In the afternoon session, the Laboratório da Paisagem workshop focused on zero waste and sustainable food, presenting the 360.come Project at the Lousada Social Complex. 

The event was not only an opportunity to emphasise the importance of good environmental practices, volunteering and nature conservation for a greener and more sustainable future, but also fostered a collective reflection on the positive impact of initiatives such as Grey4Green on the quality of life and well-being of senior citizens. In fact, Grey4Green encourages the elderly to stay active, socialise and fight loneliness, and at the same time urge them to contribute to act for climate change and environmental sustainability. 

Useful links:

Municipality of Lousada (Portugal): https://www.cm-lousada.pt/ 

Reformers: https://www.reformers.pt/ 

Laboratório de Paisagem: https://labpaisagem.pt/ 

360.come Project: https://labpaisagem.pt/projetos/360-come/ 

On October 10th, 2024, project partener ALDA – European Association for Local Democracy hosted the first ‘Effective Ageing and Nature Conservation’ Seminar in Grez-Doiceau, Belgium. Its primary goal was to involve citizens, especially elderly people and policy-makers, in active and inclusive policy-making to tackle the impacts and risks of climate change. 

The event started with a presentation of ALDA and Grey4Green Project activities, together with the initiatives organised by Grez-Doiceau municipality for nature protection and the elderly. 

The morning session featured a roundtable discussion with four external speakers on the theme of inclusion and the role of the elderly in society, the importance of volunteering and nature conservation. Precisely, the panellists included: Herni Lourdelle, Special Advisor at the European Federation of Retired and Elderly People (Ferpa); Ismael Paez Civico, Executive Director at the European Confederation of Senior Expert Services (CESES); Manon Jacob, Partnership Manager at Give a Day platform; and Julie Goffette, “Forest Friend” Project Manager at the Royal Forestry Society of Belgium (RFSB). 

In line with the project’s topic, during the second part of the event, the participants took part in an environmental volunteering activity. Les Amis du Parc de la Dyle conducted them in a protected natural area in Grez-Doiceau to discover the biodiversity of that particular area of Belgium. Thanks to this open-air activity, the participants gained more insights into the typical  soil, fauna and flora of the surroundings of Grez-Doiceau. 

The seminar facilitated dynamic debates and discussions on local models and good practices for volunteering and social inclusions, demonstrating the importance of sharing knowledge and experience. At the same time, the event contributed to the goals of the projects by engaging elderly people and showing them that they are a crucial part of society and that they have several options – through volunteering – to contribute to it, especially with regard to environmental protection. 

Useful links:

ALDA – European Association for Local Democracy website: https://www.alda-europe.eu/  

European Federation of Retired and Elderly People (Ferpa) website: https://ferpa.org/ 

European Confederation of Senior Expert Services (CESES): https://www.ceses.eu/ 

Give a day (volunteering platform): https://www.giveaday.be/en-be 

Royal Forestry Society of Belgium (RFSB) website: https://srfb.be/en/ 

Les Amis du Parc de  la Dyle website: https://www.lesamisduparcdeladyle.be/

In Lousada, senior volunteers recently engaged in an environmental initiative based on the concept of plogging, where they combined jogging with litter collection. These senior groups collected over 50 kg of trash from local streets, raising community awareness about environmental issues, especially pollution.

Beyond the environmental impact, the activity also promoted healthy aging. By participating in plogging, seniors enjoyed physical exercise through walking, which is beneficial for maintaining their health. Moreover, the initiative fostered emotional well-being as the seniors socialized with one another and interacted with the community. This collective effort not only improved the environment but also strengthened social bonds and enhanced the seniors’ quality of life.

Part of the collected trash was recycled, while some items were carefully selected and cleaned by the senior volunteers. These items were then transformed into an artistic construction by the seniors. This artwork will be displayed in schools across different districts to raise awareness among children about environmental issues. The project aims to teach that everyone, regardless of their generation, can positively contribute to the community and the environment. By showcasing the creative reuse of waste, the seniors hope to inspire the younger generation to take active roles in protecting our planet and understanding the importance of recycling and waste reduction.

The activities were conducted within the scope of the BioSénior Programme, in collaboration with some informal senior movements, except for one formal institution, ADASM, that it’s a social and solidarity association.

Useful links:

ADASM – Associação de Desenvolvimento e Apoio Social de Meinedo

BioSénior Programme