Forests – The New Dubai!

Be aware Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, your tourism sector will have a big crash in the future!

Why? Because Dubai will soon be boiling hot making forests the futures trending places (well those that don't burn down during the heat waves).

I am sure that forests will start to look like a paradise in the near future. It's like in Wall-E, green things will become gold when there is little of it. And of course, nature is our stress relief, we need nature, which is kind of ironic considering how we have treated it.

But no worries, there is still a lot of forests left. For example here; about 75 % of the country is forested. And when you add that 10% are lakes and 5% are farmland, you will see why The Finns are called 'the forest people', its very forestry here indeed.

But thanks for the climate change, it's not that bad after all considering that we also have a lot of freshwater because of those +180 000 lakes. Of course, there is the threat of water war and floods in the future, but that's a whole other catastrophe, I will now just concentrate on the current hot one!

We also have "the freedom to roam, or "everyman's right", is the general public's right to access certain public or privately owned land, lakes, and rivers for recreation and exercise. The right is sometimes called the right of public access to the wilderness or the "right to roam".

It allows you to camp wherever you want, you don't need a permit from the landowner. You can also collect berries and mushrooms as much as you want, we only collect about 10% so there are tons of healthy blueberries and lingonberries to eat and boost your immunity and wrinkle fight.

I have to admit that I haven't camped yet, but I should as I could set up a tent anywhere. This summer I was planning to go to the campsite but 1 night in your own tent cost almost the same as 1 night in a hotel. 50€ is a big price for the use of a shower and a toilet. Especially when you can camp free on the other side of the fence.

As I love to make predictions like a crazy old fortune teller, I predict: as the climate is heating up and people's stress levels with it, they will start to look for holidays in the shadow, and what would be a better place for that than a forest? And you are welcome, our forests are nice and our lakes are clean, almost intact I would say, we are so few living here (Finland is the size of Spain, yet there are 5 million Finns while in Spain there are 56 million Spaniards) so we haven't gotten the opportunity to destroy everything, yet. So welcome!

Another good thing about our forests, mosquitos don't have diseases. They bite and leave a horrible itch but at least you don't have to worry that you will end up in the hospital. Some of the ticks have Lyme disease, but at least there is an antibiotic if you notice one hanging onto you for days. And you know, just avoid running into long fields of grass and you will be just fine. I have lived here my whole life and I haven't had any tick bites (and I've run in the forests and fields like a lamb in spring pasture.)

So, if you need forests, we have them, 75% of the acreage! Plus those +180 000 lakes could come in handy if you happen to be enjoying the forest during a wildfire.

So, when you plan your next summer holiday, I say, don't burn yourself in Dubai, but visit the places that are still mostly clean and intact.

The clock is ticking, we don't know how much of it will be left in the future.