Everymans' rights (Finland)
Description
The recreational use of the forests is based on the traditional right of public access, known as Everyman’s Right. The Everyman’s right is the principle that grants the universal right to everyone to use forests for collecting berries and mushrooms, recreation and other outdoor activities, as far as they do not create damages or disturbances to landowner or land. The Everyman’s rights are regulated by several different laws (listed below).
NWFP harvesting right is in harmony with the Everyman’s Rights. That means that everybody is allowed to pick berries, mushrooms, flowers, dry twigs and branches, cones and nuts found on the forest floor in all forests, as long as these products are not protected species. However mosses and lichen and fallen trees are not allowed to be collected on land owned by somebody else. Digging land or leaving litter in nature is also prohibited. Finland’s Penal Code mentions the most important natural products which may be collected on other people’s land. Collecting of many other plants too is allowed unless they are protected under the Nature Conservation Act.
Everyman's rights in a nutshell
- You may
- walk, ski or cycle in areas outside private gardens and land that is in a specific use (for example cultivated fields and plantations)
- stay for a short period in any area where access is otherwise allowed (for example put up a tent, but not too close to people's homes)
- pick wild berries, mushrooms and flowers
- fish with a rod and line, and through a hole in the ice in wintertime
- walk on the ice or boat.
- You may not
- disturb other people or damage the environment
- disturb nesting birds or game
- cut down or damage trees
- collect moss, lichen, soil or wood
- disturb the privacy of homes
- litter
- drive a motor vehicle off the road without the landowner's permission
- fish and hunt without the appropriate permits.
Source link
http://www.ymparisto.fi/en-US/Nature/Everymans_rights(27721)
the Finnish Ministry of Environment: http://www.ym.fi/download/noname/%7B595923BE-007D-4405-B69C-1748A02055EF%7D/57650
Related to
• Forest Act, 1996 (Finland) (1996)
• Nature conservation act, 1996 (Finland) (1996)
• Government Decree amending the Nature Conservation Decree 2005 (Finland) (2005)
• Law on Amending the Penal Code, 1990 (Finland) (1990)
• The Water Act, 2011 (Finland) (2011)
• The Private Roads Act, 1962 (Finland) (1962)
• The Hunting Act, 1993 (Finland) (1993)
• Decree on mire protection areas, 1981 (Finland) (1981)
• The Waste Act, 2011 (Finland) (2011)
• Fishing Act, 1982 (Finland) (1982)
• Environmental protection Act, 2000 (Finland) (2000)
• Cross-country Traffic Decree, 1996 (Finland) (1996)
• Act on the Defence Forces, 2007 (Finland) (2007)
• Antiquities Act, 1963 (Finland) (1963)
• Environmental Protection Decree, 2000 (Finland) (2000)
• Nature conservation decree, 1997 (Finland) (1997)
• The Criminal Code, 1889 (Finland) (1889)
• Cross-Country Traffic Act, 1995 (Finland) (1995)
• The Water Traffic Act, 1996 (Finland) (1996)
• The Constitution of Finland, 1999 (Finland) (1999)
• Assembly Act, 1999 (Finland) (1999)
• Mining Act, 2011 (Finland)
• Rescue Act, 2011 (Finland) (2011)
• Land use and building act, 1999 (Finland) (1999)
• Public Order Act, 2003 (Finland) (2003)
• Border Guard Act, 2005 (Finland) (2005)
• Animal Welfare Act, 1996 (Finland) (1996)
• Territorial Surveillance Act, 2000 (Finland)
• Food Act, 2006 (Finland) (2006)
| Instrument | |
| Year | Tradition - has been for ever? The date "Tradition - has been for ever?" was not understood.
|
|---|---|
| Affected activity | Harvesting/Production |
| Affected actors | Landowner/land manager, Picker/harvester/hunter, Producer/beekeeper |
| Products | Berries, Herbs/plants, Mushrooms/truffles |
| Subject | Access, NWFP |
| Promoter/initiator | Public |
| Zone | North East Europe |
| Countries | Finland |
| Regions (NUTS 2) | North Karelia |
| Focus on NWFP | Direct |
| Instrument type | Regulatory |
| Legal status | Binding |
| Geographical scope | National |