Gathering wild foods and plant knowledge in Karelia, Finland and Russia

What is it about?

Wild edible plants, particularly berries, are relevant nutritional elements in the Nordic countries. In contrast to decreasing global trends, approximately 60% of the population in Finland is actively involved in (berry) foraging. This ethnobiological article presents the results of interviews with Finns and Karelians living in Finnish Karelia about the use of wild edible plants, makes a comparison of those results with published data about neighbouring Russian Karelians, and documents the sources of local plant knowledge.

Featured Image

Photo by Stephan H. on Unsplash

Photo by Stephan H. on Unsplash

Why is it important?

There are both similarities and divergences in wild food plant knowledge among Karelians and Finns from Karelia, and among Karelians living on both sides of the Finnish-Russian border due to historical reasons. The sources of local plant knowledge include a vertical transmission, acquisition through literary sources, acquisition from “green” nature shops promoting healthy lifestyles, childhood foraging activities performed during the famine period following WWII, and outdoor recreational activities. Especially childhood gathering and outdoor recreational activities in particular may have influenced knowledge and connectedness with the surrounding environment and its resources at a stage of life that is crucial for shaping adult environmental behaviours.

Perspectives