Forests are important to Finns. Here are some fun facts about Finnish forests.
Fun Facts About Finnish Forests
1. Finland is the Most Forested Country in Europe
Forest areas cover about about 75 percent of Finland’s area. This makes Finland the most forested country in Europe.
2. About 13 % of Finland’s Forests are Protected
There are 2.94 Million hectares of protected forests in Finland. This means that about 13 percent of Finland’s forests are protected.
3. Finland’s National Tree is Birch
Silver Birch is Finland’s national tree.
4. Pine is the Most Common Tree in Finland
In Finland, there are about 30 domestic tree species. Most common are pine, spruce and birch. Pine is the most dominant. About 65 % of Finland’s forests are dominated by pine.
5. Over 100 Million Tree Seedlings a Year
Finnish forests keep growing. About 150 000 000 tree seedlings are planted in Finland every year.
6. Finnish Forests are Full of Berries
In Finnish forests grows about 50 varieties of wild berries. Of these, 37 are edible and about 20 are suitable for picking. The total amount of berries in Finnish forests is estimated to be over 500 million kg a year, but just about 3-10 % are picked.
7. Finnish Forests are Made for Mushroom Hunting
Finnish forests are great for mushroom hunting. The total yield of edible mushrooms in Finnish forests is estimated at 1000 million kg a year.
8. Bear is the King of the Finnish Forest
Brown bear is Finland’s national animal. In Finnish, bear is “karhu”. It is also referred as the king of the forest (metsän kuningas in Finnish) as it’s the biggest predator in the finnish forests.
9. Tapio is the God of the Finnish Forest
According to Finnish mythology, the god of the forrest was called Tapio. He ruled the forest with his wife Mielikki. As the bear was the biggest animal in the forest, it was sometimes thought to be a manifestation of Tapio.
10. Finns Live Near the Forest
Although most of the Finns live in cities, they haven’t moved too far from the forest. On average, Finns live about 700 meters from the nearest forest.
Sources:
Forest Finland
Arktiset Aromit