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[–] 39 points 1 day ago (6 children)

Also the mythical finnish forests have indeed been a myth for a long ass time. When you go anywhere here today the nature you are most likely to see is clear cut lumber monoculture. The stuff in the tourist brochures really doesn't relate to reality.

The practices of the forestry industry have been so destructive and there really isn't much old forest left. The oldest and most diverse small patches of forest are often near cities where it gets preserved as an area for the urban dwellers by the city. Or carefully selected in tourist heavy areas like Saamenmaa, but the areas are tiny compared to how big the country is. In more rural areas there hasn't been much diverse forest present in a long long time now, Finnish Karelia for example is pretty depressing. It's mostly wood farming monoculture practices that render the forests vulnerable to pests and destroy the environment.

All the land has been dried for maximum lumber output. Trout used to migrate through the forests here a hundred years ago, there is nothing to migrate through now. The wolves and other big predators are hated by the hunting kulaks who both poach and "legally" kill as many as they can. The legality comes from the bougie state that is very much an arm of these same interests. They get to do whatever they want. Same as in mining. The Sami have been driven off their land and the latest bougies to enter the picture in Saamenmaa are israeli business people who are in bed with the local bougies.

None of it is environmental, it's always been like this since the country became "european". Back when there was a slash and burn culture here the relationship to land was complelety different, no land ownership existed. The only positive that is still left over from this is the fairly strong right to roam law, but the bougies hate it. I am sure it will go next.

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  • [–] 17 points 21 hours ago* (2 children)

    My first impression upon moving there was that Finland is far more ecologically conscious than the US. But at this point I fully agree with what you said about old-growth preserves being carefully managed around cities. It's propaganda to keep the liberals ignorant of how bad it is once you venture out... that's my feeling at the moment. Appreciate the historical context you added, as always.

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  • [–] 13 points 20 hours ago (1 child)

    heart-sickle

    Indeed and you don't often need to go much out of a city forest to get to the depressing bit. Near me there is a hiking trail that becomes a clear logged land of sad only a few kilometres in. It's very distressing.

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  • [–] 23 points 1 day ago (2 children)

    As somebody coming from a country that also barely has any old growth forest left, where wolves were hunted to extinction and where their return has been constantly used as a talking point by a far right party courting the votes of petit bourgeois farmers, i find that depressingly relatable.

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