Finnish ambassador to Latvia, Anne Saloranta, collected buckets full of her favorite berries: “Lapland’s summer is magical with its midnight sun, snowdrops and swarms of mosquitoes.”
Advertising photo
Anne Saloranta, ambassador of Finland to Latvia, passionate berry and mushroom picker, “Latvijas Avīze”, JSC “Latvijas Mediji”
OR Ukrainian soldiers paid? How large is it? Slaidins replies
A slide explains the functions of the boxes attached to the tanks and what transforms the crews into “meatballs”
In which age is it now possible to retire early and can I therefore receive royalties?
Read other posts
As the end of October approaches, it’s time to take stock of this year’s berry and mushroom picking. You can still find late cranberries and chanterelles, but as the days get shorter and the nights get colder, hunting for treasure in the woods is no longer so much fun.
In the first weeks in Latvia as a Finnish ambassador, I have already had the pleasure of meeting many lovers of Latvian berries and mushrooms, both in Riga and in other parts of Latvia. Luckily I discovered that we Finns share a passion with our Latvian neighbors: we too love our northern nature and its rich gifts.
Walking in the woods and enjoying its different terrains, we breathe the fresh scent of pine and birch trees in summer and autumn. From early spring to late autumn, the forest enchants with its variegated vegetation and fascinates with a special bouquet of scents of plants and berries. Harvesting raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and cranberries is a great way to spend an afternoon outdoors. The mushroom, on the other hand, is best done when the first autumn leaves have already begun to change color.
Going to the forest to pick mushrooms and berries is a common pastime in Finland; in fact, for many, it is also a sport and a great way to exercise. For some, natural resources also provide additional income. However, the main thing when walking in the forest is to be outdoors, relax and enjoy nature. For those who prefer longer walks, hiking and backpacking in nature reserves and protected areas are popular pastimes. Nature reserves, which together cover an area of over 1,000 hectares, are a feature of Finland.
In Finland we have introduced what we call “rights of all”. This means anyone can hike and pick mushrooms or berries almost anywhere they want, as long as they don’t harm the environment or disturb other people. Private landowners’ permission is not required, however the privacy of the landowner must be respected by maintaining a distance of at least 50 meters from residential buildings and gardens. These rights are also linked to responsibility: the duty to respect and protect nature. This means that the collection of berries must not damage the plants and in no case is it allowed to leave waste in nature.
According to a survey conducted a few years ago, nearly 50% of Finns pick berries in the forest and 30% pick mushrooms. We Finns don’t reveal our best berry and mushroom spots – it’s the biggest secret. It is even considered rude to ask someone where he got such a result. Despite the much enthusiasm of Finnish berry pickers and the participation of foreign nationals involved in seasonal work, 90 percent of the berries are not harvested in the forests.
Having lived outside Europe for a long time, I realized that I can be grateful to the nature of the north. There are very few countries in the world where you can go to the forest with one or two empty baskets and return home with baskets full of precious forest products. Forest products are truly super products – that’s what we call them. They provide us with vitamins and nutrients throughout the year.
My favorite berry is raspberry. In my country house in Lapland, my daily movement is to pick berries in the marshy area; sure, if I’m lucky enough to find them. This summer, finding the puffins was quite challenging, but we managed to collect 17 kilograms.
There is always the possibility of encountering wild animals in the open nature. I once had to leave a basket full of berries when I noticed a large snake inside it. The same thing happened when I encountered a handsome but slightly annoying grouse who took me for an intruder. Another time I was chased by a moose – I was lucky it wasn’t a bear.
In addition to the benefits that the forest offers us, nature also plays another role in promoting our well-being. Research shows that being in nature increases our emotional and physical well-being; nature heals, soothes and refreshes our mind. A wood, a park or a flower garden allow us to enjoy a relaxing and pleasant natural landscape. In today’s fast-paced world and in these troubled times we live in, nature can provide us with comfort and healing.
As we prepare for winter, we remember the joy and happiness that the forest, or green gold, as we Finns call it, has given us again this year, and we hope that next summer will also offer us the opportunity. to enjoy and enjoy our national treasures.
Themes
