Back to the forest – How a charity rabbit is reuniting Finnish kids with nature

Finns have always been forest people. According to the World Bank, over 73% of the country is covered by forest. Finland has over 10 times more forest per person than any other Western European country. Old popular sayings show how essential the forest is to Finnish life.

The forest answers back the same way you shout into it. This means others will treat you like you treat them.

He cannot see the forest for too many trees. This means he cannot see the big picture.

Listen to the fir tree under which you have made your home. You must respect those on whom you depend.

The urban disconnect

A study by Tuula Laaksoharju suggests this connection is changing for urban children. When questioned, 30% of boys from Helsinki did not consider human beings a part of nature. Just as many thought they did not need plants for survival. Half of the children could not recognise the most common forest trees.

Rabbit to the rescue

Juha Latvala, Sales and Marketing Director of Finnish outdoor clothing company Sasta, expected these results. He notes that when life revolves around urban activities, it is easy to get distanced from nature. Many families no longer have grandparents in the countryside or a summer cottage.

Latvala decided to act after seeing how happy his own young daughters were in the forest. The result is Utelias Jänis (Curious Rabbit). This charity campaign wants to strengthen the bond between urban children and nature by donating 10,000 euro to daycare centres in the Helsinki region.

Sasta created the campaign with four other companies: Scandinavian Outdoor, Pure Waste, Mellakka Helsinki and Steady Graphics. Finnish celebrities like actor Pirkka-Pekka Petelius, TV presenter Mikko “Peltsi” Peltola and blogger Natalia Tolmatsova also support the initiative.

Going all in for charity

Utelias Jänis sells T-shirts with a rabbit illustration to raise funds. These are made by sustainable fashion company Pure Waste and designed by artist Teemu Järvi. The campaign also auctions Järvi’s artworks. All profits go to daycare centres. The money pays for nature guide visits or transport to nearby forests.

Latvala says that in Helsinki, you do not have to go far from the city centre to reach nature. Children find excitement in ants, squirrels and wild rabbits. Once they taste blueberries they have picked themselves, they realise there is nothing better.

The campaign arrives as the Finnish parliament passed a new forest management bill. This bill transfers forest management duties to a state-owned company. The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation claims this allows forest data to be classified as trade secrets. It may make virgin forests more vulnerable to logging for profit. These forests house unique species and attract nature tourists.

To love, honour and protect

Latvala believes that when you grow to love nature, you want to protect it. He argues that a close relationship with nature does not come from nowhere. It must be built and nurtured. With children, this is simple. You just go to the forest.

Support the campaign by buying a t-shirt at scandinavianoutdoor.fi. The campaign continues through the summer while stocks last.

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