Nature heals – documentary filmmaker Petteri Saario visits Teijo

Well-known documentary filmmaker Petteri Saario will visit Teijo Nature School on August 17th.

In his public lecture, which is open to everyone, he discusses the health effects of nature.

"The latest research confirms that exposure to nature can prevent diseases and speed up recovery. Even looking at nature images has been shown to promote health. Nature is good for people of all ages. Spending time in nature has been found to strengthen children's immunity and develop fitness and motor skills even better than supervised physical activity. Playing in nature also develops social skills while reducing bullying," says Petteri Saario.

The health effects of nature have begun to receive increasing attention at the same time as nature loss and human impacts on nature have begun to become more apparent. Documentary filmmaker Petteri Saario has studied both of these in a variety of ways during his career. Petteri Saario's public lecture on the health effects of nature, organized by the Teijo Nature School, will be held on Monday, August 17 at 6 p.m. at the Teijo Sports Hall.

During his career as a documentary director and nature filmmaker spanning over three decades, Petteri Saario has filmed and directed over twenty documentaries and numerous documentary series about the relationship between humans and nature, such as The Kingdom of Water, The Enchantment of the Wilderness, The Pearls of Our Rivers, The Pearls of Our Lakes and The Forbidden by Water.

Saario's documentaries have been loved by both viewers and critics. They have attracted tens of millions of television viewers in Finland and abroad and have been awarded at several major domestic and international festivals. He has also worked as a lecturer, environmental journalist and secretary general of a nature conservation organization, among other things.

Petteri Saario's documentaries are characterized by their examination of the changing and sometimes contradictory relationship between man and nature. His approach is often personal, even philosophical. Saario is currently working on a documentary series about the effects of war on nature. He has recently been to Ukraine to film the environmental devastation caused by the war. Saario is also working on the documentary "Fire, the Renovator of Nature", which also depicts forest restoration burning in Teijo.

“I am a documentary director and nature filmmaker. Above all, however, I consider myself a curious and privileged observer of nature and human nature, a friend and advocate, who has been born with some kind of storytelling ability,” Saario describes himself.

Petteri Saario's open public lecture on August 17th at 6 pm at Teijo Sports Hall, Pellonpääntie 60. Voluntary donation for the nature school.

Organizer: Teijo Nature School maintained by the Teijo Area Village Association.

Teijo Nature School organizes nature school days in Teijo National Park for schools in the Salo area, according to the basic education curriculum.

During his visit, Saario will also visit Teijo School to show his documentary series "The Mermaid" to the students and discuss the thoughts it raises with the children.