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Successful integration of immigrants has been identified as the key for future social and economic well-being in EU. Nature can be used to support integration. Based on survey data collected from students in 7–9th grades in the city of Lahti (n=1,121), we explore immigrants’ and native Finns’ participation in outdoor recreation and their well-being experiences of and relationships with nature. The study applies the framework of integration to discuss how nature supports the integration of immigrant youth in Finland. The results show that nature is an important part of immigrant adolescents’ everyday lives and can support their structural, cultural, interactive and identificational integration. However, there are also some differences between the immigrant and native adolescents. The study results highlight the better inclusion of the youth and multi-cultural nature-relationships in the governance of natural areas and development of nature-based solutions for integration.

The paper focuses on the key development needs and existing policy interventions to better connect rural areas and rural populations with the digital society in Finland. Among the sub-themes addressed in the paper are challenges and opportunities concerning skills, capabilities, and the utilisation of information and infrastructure, as well as digitalisation as a way of increasing rural attractiveness and enabling the future development of rural areas. In this paper, the Finnish MAP also presents key recommendations concerning what types of policy initiatives are needed, along with key knowledge and research needs.