Nature is a right

There is a concept in the Nordic countries and many of their neighbors called Everyman’s Right. It refers to the innate right humans have to interact with and use the land and nature around us.

There are not a lot of restrictions. People are allowed use of the land, water, and plants with a few basic exceptions. These exceptions include private yards and fenced-in property, fields and other areas planted for crops, and endangered or protected species. All animals are off-limits, but there are a few plants that could be restricted depending on current circumstances.

What can you do? Let’s list a few options. You can hike anywhere. And if you hike too far for the day or have a multi-day hike planned, you are allowed to camp as you travel. You can fish recreationally in all seasons. You can ski, bike, swim, sail, and explore. You can pick fruit, berries, flowers, mushrooms and rocks. They only ask that you be conservatively minded about how you treat the land.

Conversely, I am required to pay a fee each time I would like to use public lands. I pay a fee to access beaches, to walk through the woods, to drive through the mountains. I pay resorts to enjoy access to their grounds. I pay landowners to pick apples or berries. I pay to access nature in any true form. The exception is public parks. These parks include grass, playgrounds, pavilions and lots of landscaping; but not true nature. All of it is managed in one way or another; it is not in the hands of the people.

I wonder if the Nordic people take such good care of their lands and environment because they feel invested. No one else is managing it for them. They are allowed full use and are trusted to care for it accordingly. It is seen as everyone’s right but also, perhaps, as everyone’s responsibility.

What did I learn from this?

Freedom to roam nature is priceless.