Finland isn’t just one of Europe’s most forest-rich countries, it has also been ranked the world’s happiest country for eight consecutive years. New research from the University of Eastern Finland helps explain why.
Published in People & Nature, the study introduces the concept of Forest Happiness and shows how forests contribute to Finns’ perceived happiness in everyday life. Based on a nationwide survey of nearly 1,000 respondents, the research identifies three main sources:
- A deep bond with natural-like forests
- Happiness from forest activities such as berry and mushroom picking
- Well-being gained simply through forest exposure
Notably, over 64% of respondents said their lives would be considerably unhappier without their relationship with forests.
The study also found aspects linked to reduced levels of perceived happiness among people: Damage and degradation of natural-like forests due to excessive clearcutting, littering, biodiversity loss and land-use change reduced people’s perceived happiness, leading to eco-anxiety.
The study calls for forest-related policies and city planning that recognise and balance the diverse values people hold towards different types of forests, rather than treating all forests the same.
Read more here: Forests contribute to Finns’ perceived happiness in multiple ways | University of Eastern Finland