Because of a research proposal I am working with (at my academic employer’s desk) I have been thinking about forests a lot lately and what their current state might mean for the kind of work we want to do wioth Suo&co too. This week Suomen Latu nominated the Finnish legal concept of “everyman’s right as intangible cultural heritage” (so called jokamiehen oikeudet in Finnish). Everyman’s right gives everyone the chance and freedom to roam an enjoy outdoor pursuits and the vast forests, fells, lakes and rivers of this land, with few restrictions. This is good, it has raise the profile an care for public issues in Finland, since public access to private land (e.g forests) is much wider here -and other Nordic countries- than in most of the world.
As a legal concept, and I would dare to say a “design” it is an excellent basis for helping us to think about #commons and about the implications of the design of policies. We owe very much to Ilma Lindgren, the brave woman who challenged the court decision to have her pay compensation to the land owner that confiscated the lingonberries she had been collecting partly in his land. Her activism, her vision to protect our collective right to roam the land, led to the securing of this traditional practice in Finland almost 100 years ago. THANK YOU ILMA
At the same time, these reflections also made me wonder IF the way this right works (its design and its name) has not at the same time been limiting political imagination of the things that need to be struggled for and by whom? I came to the conclusion that at this point in time the current “everyman’s right” concept is ontologically limiting, its design no longer is up to the task and we must change it. Why? We might for example in Finland need also to start protecting the rights of the trees to enjoy their outdoors (here), at the rate things are moving. I think Ilma would agree with me if she would have lived today, I am sure also she will actively participate in the design of these new types of rigths. Because ecological devastation is a sad reality in many parts of the world already…. I went (with) to the forests, and the swamp to think with the trees and with Ilma.
