There is something very dear about the nature to all of us Finnish people. I think the connection to our green environment is being built very early on in our childhood. Over 75% of Finland is covered in forests, making it the number one European country with relatively most forests. We also have over 168 000 lakes here. Finnish people really appreciate and respect the nature around us, we take care of the environment around us. And it is not something you will travel to, it’s everywhere. On your way to school, to work and to home. I was raised in the middle of a forest in a cozy detached house. Forests have always been very important in my life. A place to be yourself, alone but not really.
The Finnish nature is for everybody. Everyone has the right to walk in the forests, pick berries and mushrooms and sleep there without any permit.
In Finland we still have very distinct four seasons of the year. I’m guessing that is part of the reason why we can respect nature even more when we can witness all its beautiful changes. Every season has its own features, and it wouldn’t be the same to live here without experiencing it all in a year. White Christmas is something that is definitely important for me from my childhood and I think I can speak for everyone on that one. It does make me feel sad that we don’t have as much snow here as we used to because of climate change. That makes it even more important to look after the natural environment.
The love towards Finnish wilderness has been part of our culture for many years. It’s part of our history. Many songs depict the love for our environment, the national anthem being a great example. There are numerous paintings and drawings showing of the beauty of Finland. We even have a listing of national landscapes of Finland. It is very common to give nature inspired names to children in Finland. Like me, my name being Taimi, meaning a sprout. Many artists of our history have painted Finland to be the land of lakes and forests. That legacy came to stay, and I am proud to be born in such a beautiful country where we take care of our surroundings. There is so much beauty around us in our daily lives.
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