I think that nature is one of the most important things to Finnish people. A lot of Finns have a very strong connection to nature. Here are some examples of Finns’ relationship with nature. Forest is a place to relax and forget all the stress factors. Walking in the forest improves both physical and mental health and well-being. Stress disappears among the trees, and the mind calms down in quietness. Jokamiehenoikeus (every person’s right) also gives everyone the equal possibility to hike, camp, and gather mushrooms and berries in any forest regardless of who owns it. Additionally, around a fifth of Finns owns their summer cottage. Summer cottages are usually in the middle of the forest. Many of them are very close to lakes. The forest industry plays an important role in the Finnish economy and for many families and individuals, it is one of the important sources of income. The private sector (individuals) owns most of the forest in Finland. People are very interested in the well-being of the forest and more than 90% of the forest is environmentally certified. This shows that people and forest owners want to act responsibly so that forests remain healthy.
When thinking about Finland a lot of different things pop into my mind. Other things are for example, all the different seasons, clean water, good tasting tap water, good waste management and recycling, mid-summer, nightless nights, winter, northern lights, snow, skiing, ice-swimming, sauna, people’s personal spaces on bus stops hahah, good candies (especially salmiakki), good education, free healthcare, and safety in general. I love traveling and living abroad but my connection to Finland is very strong and I appreciate so many things in Finland.
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