Why Finns are the world's biggest forest fans

Forests are fantastic! These magical places fuel our imaginations, clear our minds of stress, and provide us with energising, fresh air. With this in mind, it's little wonder why Finland — which has 4,500 trees for every one person —ranks top tier in personal happiness, health and wellbeing. 

Here, many people go for daily woodland wanders to help them switch off and recharge, or simply find themselves in the forest while walking to the shops or metro station. Indeed, when you live in a nation with twenty-two billion trees, you're bound to find a forest somewhere along your daily commute. 

So to honour Finland's vast splendour of spruce, pine and birch trees, we at Very Finnish Problems have picked our four favourite ways to love the forest. 

1. Wild love 

Do you let nothing prevent you from experiencing the magic of a green and shadowy forest? If so, you may just be wild at heart. So don't let the demand of the city get you down. Embrace your wild ways and spend your day amongst majestic trees and woodland animals.

2. Free love

The Hippy movement may have ended in the 1970s, but their love of all things natural lives on. Have you ever dreamed of going off the grid and sleeping in a moonlit forest? If so, grow your hair long and grab a guitar. You're a hippy at heart!

Is there anything more romantic than the twinkling lights of a thousand stars? For generations, lovers have gone to the forest to view the night sky and experience the most excellent cosmic show on earth. In the forest, there's no light pollution, noise and — best of all— nobody to ruin the mood.

4. Real love

Of course, love isn't all picnics and stargazing. Sometimes love is annoying and slightly painful like the sting of a hungry mosquito. But these annoyances are worth it to find real love, even if sometimes it bites you on the backside and leaves a scar.

The forest provides us with daily doses of positivity, enjoyment and energy every day. Now It's time to wear our gratitude on our sleeves and shout from the tallest tree, "I love the forest!"