You don’t miss what you have until it is gone

Allemansrätten – The Right To Roam

Have you ever thought that it would be nice to be able to walk out in the forest and pick some mushrooms or berries without having to think about who owns the forest? Well, today I’m going to talk about just that right which we have in Sweden called the law of public access or as it also is called the right to roam.
Sometimes you don’t appreciate what you have until it is gone, and allemansrätten is one of those things. I never thought much about this right that we have in Sweden when I lived there, even though we learn about it in school, I just took it all for granted.
But this is more than just enjoying the fruits of nature for everyone, it is also very much a responsibility to preserve nature. The responsibilities you take on when you take advantage of this right are what make it work.

The origin of this right

The origins of the right to roam come from the middle ages when local laws and customs gave people the right to pick berries or nuts in the woods when they were on their long travel. Of course, it has changed a lot since then and now includes also the responsibilities.
Allemansrätten is not a formal written law, but it is protected in the Swedish constitution. The Swedish word allemansrätt if translated means all men’s rights, and that really is what it is.
Allemansrätten includes everybody, Swedes as well as visitors, so if you ever visit Sweden I hope you will take advantage of these rights and responsibilities.