How can inter-generational exchange help strengthen the new urban generation’s appreciation and engagement with nature?
Inspired by the enthusiasm expressed by Fellows at the Parks for the Planet Forum, Juana Mariño Drews’ project “Outdoor Grannies” aims to strengthen the connection between not only the new generation with their environment but also the relationship between grandmothers and grandchildren.
The initiative seeks to reinforce the relationship between grandmothers and grandchildren and use that connection as an opportunity to improve nature’s conservation and human wellbeing in urban areas.
Outdoor Grannies will encourage and promote outdoor activities and events for grandmothers and grandchildren to engage in nature and promote bonding. Activities, such as gardening projects and outdoor activities, can be used as a catalyst to talk about the natural environment with grandchildren and promote conscious thought about how they can connect with nature and create a better world in their future.
“The relationship grandmothers have with their grandchildren occurs in different moments, different environments, and under different circumstances in various cultures around the world,” Mariño told Salzburg Global in an interview a few months after the November 2015 session.
“Grandmothers can be the link between past and present. There is a powerful bond that can be promoted and enriched if nature becomes a visible and meaningful part of it.”
Many projects focus on urban environments, but usually focus on one specific topic or population group. This initiative is attempting to make a key family relationship through shared outdoor activities and engagement the focus which can therefore involve a very wide, complex and rich range of individuals, cultures, urban environments and topics.
Mariño came to the Parks for the Planet Forum with a unique perspective. “I was probably the only expert who was not representing a specific institution,” she said. “I’m an architect, I’ve been part of the government and some institutions but now I am a consultant therefore this gave me a unique perspective at the Forum.”
The spark of inspiration came from the final slide of Mariño’s presentation at the Forum which featured a picture of her grandson in her garden in Bogotá.
Through nurturing a relationship between grandmothers, grandchildren and nature, Mariño hopes that this will allow a dialogue to be created with the new generation that can improve their health, their life, and the natural environment they will inherit.
“This was the natural project for me. It combined ‘Juana the Professional’ with ‘Nanita [Granny] Juana,’” Mariño said. “The expert Fellows at the Forum were incredibly enthusiastic and encouraged me to take the idea forward.”
Mariño envisions the project to potentially involve every grandmother and grandchild in every city in the world and wishes to involve any public or private organization that cares about nature and health. She also wishes to include other members of the GI Cities platform to aid in the project.
Although these are high expectations, Mariño understands that you can think big but have to start small. To this end, she hopes by the end of 2016 to have achieved some base goals for the project. These include outlining the initiative in full with a functional website; present the initiative in an international, regional or national event; gain organizational support; and having at least one local Outdoor Grannies group constituted and operating.
Mariño hopes the project will have a profound effect for both nature and families: “This project can become a win-win situation for the grandchildren, the grandmothers, urban society, and for mother nature in cities in our urbanized world.”
