They also provide people with an opportunity to escape, to relax, find peace and escape the heat in densely populated urban areas. These spaces give people opportunities for physical activity and provide a gathering place for the community. There are numerous benefits, for people and for the environment, of having access to parks and green spaces. And with nearly 63% of Americans residing in cities, this lack of access can be seen clearly in the Outdoor Industry Association’s Outdoor Participation Report in 2020 which found that half of the US population did not participate in any kind of outdoor recreation in 2019. Densely populated areas with residents of minority backgrounds have the least access to such spaces. Residents that had higher levels of education and income were more likely to have more access to parks and green spaces. The results of the study, in short, observed that access to parks and green spaces is highly dependent on class and education, as well as race. Images were then cross-referenced with information provided by the Census’s American Community Survey and looked at the characteristics of the population such as income, education, race, age, and density. National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) and maps of US park systems and looked for three types of green spaces: green areas, trees and parks. The researchers utilized satellite images of these metro areas provided by the U.S. The cities surveyed were New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Seattle, Phoenix, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Portland, and St. It’s hard to miss.Īccording to a study conducted by researchers from the University of British Columbia, access to parks and green spaces varies greatly depending on class, education, race and other variables in the US. The sheer amount of parks & recreation areas and green spaces was one of the first things I noticed when I moved to Finland. One third to nearly one half of Finland’s biggest cities' surface area is either parks or green spaces. According to the Finnish Environment Institute, in comparison to other European cities, Finnish cities have considerably more green space. There is a deep sense of responsibility and respect towards the environment and Finns do not take it for granted.īesides Everyman’s Right, Finns have excellent access to parks and green spaces. And while trekking through the forest scouring the land for whatever you can find, you will rarely (if ever) find garbage or litter of any kind along the paths. I’ve spent a fair share of time driving around with girlfriends trying to find patches of forest that haven’t been picked over yet and leave with buckets full of blueberries and lingonberries. I have even reaped the benefits of Everyman’s RIght during the glorious Nordic summer and Finland’s forests are chock full of berries of many varieties. Besides Everyman’s Right providing opportunities for everyone to get outside, it also encourages a common sense of responsibility over the land and its natural wonders. But berries, mushrooms, and flowers, as long as they are not of a protected species, may be picked freely.Įveryman’s RIght is possibly one of the primary reasons Finns have had and continue to have such a close relationship with nature. It also doesn’t allow the cutting down or damaging of trees, or offroading, or the collection of moss, soil or wood and one must always obtain permits to fish and hunt. And the right is obviously limited in cultivated fields and around people’s homes (I don’t have to worry about people creeping into my back garden willy nilly). In the sparsely populated Nordic countries everyman’s right has evolved over the centuries from a largely unwritten code of practice to become a fundamental legal right.” Everyman’s right does not, however, cover activities which damage the environment or disturb others. The Finnish government defines Everyman’s Right as “the age-old concept of everyman’s right gives everyone the basic right to roam freely in the countryside, without needing to obtain permission, no matter who owns or occupies the land. In Finland, Sweden, Norway and other northern European countries there is an ancient tradition of every man having the right to freely roam the land and enjoy the majesty of nature without fear of retaliation from the landowner or state.
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