The Right of Public Access - Allemansrätten - Leave No Trace

[@hoboesque_]

Rights with responsibility , access with respect for nature and other nature lovers . Leave no trace . Being sparing and mindful and considerate. Eriks videos are a weekly joy.

[@chrishowie882]

Great video Erik, thank you! Just to say The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 (which came into force in 2005) gives everyone rights of access over land and inland water throughout Scotland, subject to specific exclusions set out in the Act and as long as they behave responsibly. These rights are sometimes referred to as 'freedom to roam'. So we join you!!!

[@RS-xq6je]

I travel to Scotland regularly for that reason to wild camp, I live in Northumberland and we have beautiful countryside and coastline but we aren't allowed to enjoy it like that I don't think it would last long around here the riff raff would ruin it, I've seen more and more shocking sites in Scotland recently too it's mindless

[@y1sco]

Hi Chris, as a fellow Scot I agree with your comments and that of the chap from Northumberland however during recent lockdown and travel restrictions I’ve come across mindless damage, rubbish etc can only assume it’s people with no knowledge or care for the environment. Having watched Eric’s video along with others I’m envious of the their mindfulness of caring for their countryside.

[@chrishowie882]

@@y1sco great words my friend. This planet 🌎 is absolutely stunning yet we do our best to destroy it. There is a great deal to be said of the Nordic way of life 👍😎 Leave no trace 👍

[@benhikescamps]

I do wish we had the same rules in England! I really do envy the Scottish freedoms. Land rules and laws are so ridiculously complex here. It would really benefit the well-being and the general mood of people here.

[@Skogsgeek]

Thank you for that info. I also live in Sweden like Erik and I have long thought about visit Scottland for hiking.

[@Naemamnam]

This is a video that heals to the depths of your heart 😊

[@33jayy]

Yes I felt the same 👍

[@benhikescamps]

I absolutely love how ingrained this way of living and respect for the outdoors is in the Swedish psyche. It’s wonderful. I’m in England and it’s very restricted. We are allowed to ‘roam’ on land that is classed as open access land. It’s privately owned but the public have the right to walk around it. Wild camping is technically illegal in most of England and Wales though. This must be so strange for Scandinavians, Americans etc: how enjoying the land and leaving no trace is ‘illegal’. On the positive side, there is a strong wild camping community here that on the whole adopts a ‘arrive late, leave early’ and a ‘leave no trace’ policy. Some of us have KZbin channels and we make sure we advocate this on our videos for others to follow. The problem is that some people trash the woods, the countryside and give proper wild campers a bad name. It’s very sad. Thanks Erik for sharing and clearly explaining how it works in your country. ATB - Ben

[@getthebrewsin6258]

I do find it strange that we are allowed to move freely in open access land but can’t simply stay overnight. Stealthiness adds a bit of fun to a wild camp I guess. I am doing it whatever the bloody blanket punishment rules say.

[@dznnf7]

@@getthebrewsin6258 It's harmless until someone decides to "stay awhile" on private land. Maybe a one-night maximum would be an alternative?

[@getthebrewsin6258]

@@dznnf7 yes, the laws are aimed at this situation but needlessly ‘outlaw’ considerate campers

[@bubl8015]

One of the best channels on KZbin - Erik is such a nice guy and his content is awesome

[@JohnnyJuke]

Noise control should be part of our responsibility as well. Thanks for sharing!

[@japeltoni]

The Right of public access is a vital part to maintain a healthy and preserved relationship between people and nature. Thank you Erik for this positive video that motivates to enjoy and take care of our precious environment while outdooring! Greetings from Finland

[@erik_normark]

Yes I think that is one reason people in Nordic countries have a close relation to nature.

[@freiherr260]

Good and informative video. Very much the same rules applies here in Norway. It is just in the later years I have understood what a privilege this is.

[@Skogsgeek]

I think the Nordic countries all have similar rules regarding right to access. And I think we generally are very good to cherish it.

[@kasperkumpulainen8505]

Yup. Finland has basically the same rules. But making a fire is only allowed in Finnish Lapland and in some other more rural parts of the country. Couldn’t imagine keeping track of whose land I’m hiking on… Such a privilege here in the Nordic Countries and some other places as well, as has veen pointed out in other comments.

[@willymakeit5172]

I’m in north Texas, and even if I’m only fishing for a few hours, I always leave the site cleaner than I found it. I have been doing that since I was 19 and backpacked a lot. I’m 69 and still do it.

[@mikelazure7462]

Thanks Erik, that answered some half formed questions I've had when watching some of your travels. By contrast, in Australia we have no such rights of access. Private land is "no trespassing" and the vast majority of the land IS private. National Parks are owned by the nation and have strong protections and rules about what you can and cannot do, which is necessary but at least you CAN move in them, camp, hike and enjoy. Open flame fires are increasingly a rare experience in Australia - the risks they pose in most of the year to start "bush fires" is too great. But when a camp fire is allowed, similar rules generally apply to those in Sweden - wood laying on the ground is the only wood allowed for such use. In well used places this means there IS NO WOOD so you better be carrying an alternative way to cook your food!

[@ewengillies9826]

And it's only going to become more regulated in the future because of people who have no respect for nature and the land. I do like Swedens ideas tho. Thanks for info Erik. Bushyboy Oz.

[@willek1335]

Camp fire laws in Norway. 1. You can only make a fire during the winter (a season when there's more rain or snow is on the ground), or when there's obviously no risk ( a heavy downpour for several days) during summer. 2. You can't cut down trees. Private and public recreation use the trees. Fair enough, this can makes sense in certain sections. 3. You can only collect dead stuff from the ground. (This will almost always be wet or too damp, because of rule 1). Legally, it's a right pain in the ass. I don't break these laws. I don't make fires anymore, but I have no respect for laws that are so unreasonably restrictive. *shrug* according to these laws made by city dwellers, in order to make a solid campfire, I need to haul my own body weight in wood in sacks from a store, when I'm walking into the woods...

[@steinarfolde6403]

Important topic. We have the same rights and regulations in Norway. Enjoy nature - leave no traces! 👍🏼

[@janbjorkman3279]

In short: don't disturb, don't destroy. Thank you, Erik. This is a very important video.

[@alwaysExploring8431]

Everyone needs to watch this and apply the principals, wherever they may be enjoying nature. 👍🏻

[@CaptainCamp]

Nice country. Great awareness. Responsibility & respect 😎👍

[@azhomeboy2000]

I love Swedish outdoors. You along with Swedwoods and Nagualero are my favorites. I wish you safe journeys for many years to come!

[@anhatur]

I'm from Norway, and while we may have about the same amount of rules as the Swedes we're more opportunistic and less focused on rules. The downside of that is, respect has to be learned. You have to learn to love natusre as it is, untouched, to learn to actually care for it. Living near town centres and people not used to nature, you can see litter everywhere, trees topped off or cut down just to "improve the view" and birch bark ripped off of live trees, deep enough to create permanent wounds. So while I may take down dead branches for firewood, or thin out a sapling of birch or willow when knowing all too well that the people who own these woods cut such things straight down in the name of management, this is well worth repeating.

[@kbpaulsen2539]

We cannot hear this often enough. This is a very important topic when moving in all kinds of nature. Great video!

[@Oldsparkey]

I never knew it but I have been following the Swedish rules all the time while camping in Florida. As we like to say , " Take only pictures leave only foot prints ". Unfortunately not everyone adheres to it. I don't even mat down the grass when camping since I use a Jungle Hammock. My cooking is either a wood stove or a alcohol stove. It's fun for me when no one ever knows I've been there. Here private land requires the land owners permission , it's easy to get when they know you respect the area. Public land , the rules vary with the regions and seasons. As a Florida Trail member I have a 1,300 mile pathway to hike and camp.

[@Karen-dq8nw]

Freedom always comes with responsibility and respect; Americans take note. Nice video!

[@Pendulum-Paranormal]

*Respect ...... An unknown word for millions of people out there .....! It's a shame*

[@russellwhyte806]

I’m glad to say that Scotland has very much the same access rights and freedom to roam as you enjoy in Sweden. We promote the concept of leave no trace with the additional restriction of forbidding fires, a fire on mainly underlying peat can be devastating. Scotlands wilderness landscape is extremely fragile having suffered brutal abuse at the hands of man over the past 200 years and because we have a high level of outdoor activity the potential for exacerbating that damage is high. Thankfully most of our outdoor community are very responsible, however because access to mountainous land is relatively easy here sometimes damage occurs. It’s sad but it’s part of the price we pay so that we can enjoy the freedom to roam. The land belongs to us all, and we belong to it.

[@truenorth365]

Very important video Erik, allemansrätten is a great freedom. A freedom that comes with great responsibilty! Like Spider-Man said... 😅 Freedom of speech and allemansrätten, two freedoms that we have and should fight for if neccessary.

[@wilbuzllf5057]

Great video, thanks for posting! People always understand their rights and are very concerned with them. But don't forget your RESPONSIBILITY! This has been sorely missed in nature these past two years as more people have been "forced out" rather than to fly away. At least down in the south of Sweden where bad behavior towards nature and other people has increased.

[@AngeloJesus]

The world needs more content like this. Thanks for the inspiration Erik.

[@macaroni1139]

Sweden rules! In Canada, you have to pay 20-25$ per night to camp in a designated area and cannot even do winter camping in some places.

[@TheOtherShoreOutdoors]

Really? I tought there was a similar set of laws in Canada than in Sweden. I follow many canadian youtubers, adventurers, van dwellers, bushcrafters, etc. And all seem to roam freely, camping, hiking, starting a fire, climbing mountains, paddling. I tought you were allowed to do that based on personal responsability and not in restrictions and regulations like in my country.

[@macaroni1139]

@@TheOtherShoreOutdoors In my province you can go either in federal park, provincial park/reserve or a territory owned by individuals. You cannot leave your car on the side of the road and decide where you'll camp and come back. They almost sent the search and rescue team looking for me during my last winter camping trip.

[@woodnugget1301]

A better description could not not have been said. These words apply world wide and if we all abide by them then we can all enjoy nature’s beauty present and future generations. Lovely simple video Eric that puts the word across. 🙏🌈

[@bennypax2167]

Thanks Erik to make this video with these advices . I believe that it is more important to remember to all. Sometimes when we make trekking we forgot the simple things. Great information .

[@tobiasmalmborg8343]

Very good point to bring up Erik, as we see an ever increasing influx of foreign tourists to our Swedish wilderness this is a topic that need to be known so we can keep our unique ways of interacting with nature for generations to come.

[@JimRodgers]

Sounds like a great balance that allows you to enjoy nature, even have campfires but not spoil the experience of others. Makes sense.

[@ericlang7700]

Hey Erik, When people pay fees for access, they assume in many instances, that they can treat their surroundings like their living room, or that fee covers someone picking up behind them. When my daughter was young, there were fishing tournaments at a public lakes, and i would take her and we would pick up the bread bags in, and out of the water. the fish would go in the bags, and get stuck. We received some local press, and called many politicians in the towns locally. So now, these years later, they do not stock the lakes for these reasons of public tournaments as they have stopped them all together. It truly disturbed me that no one would come and help as well. A very good point Erik!! Thanks, Peace

[@paavoviuhko7250]

Although Finland is my ancestral home, I have lived in Canada since the late 50's. Here the public lands, called crown lands, are free to residents. I don't use park lands at all. My tenting is all done locally, within biking distance from home because I am surrounded by freely available crown land. But here there seems to be a lack of responsibility for using a woodland environment. I often have found chainsaw activity and garbage remains. The closer to town, the more disrespect and damage. So I try to get as far out as possible in a day's trekking.

[@dazzershell]

In my school days, every year at late spring we went to park and our district, to clean it from garbage, instead of workshop lessons. No city cleaning services worked, awfull picture it was, park side after snow begin melted in april, wasteland. Now, as i know, such actions with "poor kids" are illegal, all garbage magically disappear.

[@АлександрНикитин-ь7ъ]

Thank you for the video. This is a video with the format of natural healing, in addition to tea with berries and vitamins.

[@MixManik]

Thank-you for saying this. Leaving a place as though you were never there ....

[@Smedaake]

Underbar & informativ film .

[@frankkranktrangtmohammedny807]

Intressant video! Allemansrätten här i Finland är dock lite annorlunda jämfört med den i Sverige. Vi får inte göra upp en lägereld utan markägarens tillstånd. Detta har förstås sina goda och dåliga sidor, men jag avundas verkligen er rätt till att få göra upp en lägereld.

[@GoingSoloOutdoors]

Great video! It is always frustrating to find someone’s old campsite. Usually remnants of a fire or abandoned bushcraft projects. I like to pretend I’m the first to ever find and setup camp in a spot. Personally I always find it really fun to leave no trace. To cover your tracks so well that not even an experienced eye can tell you spent the night in a place. Anyways, fantastic message and video as always Erik! ATB

[@alexdan-]

Very useful rules, I see. Unfortunately not all countries have the same culture of visiting the wild nature places.

[@eugenebatstone5658]

Eric, you have been a positive influence for so many ppl. Continue the great work and thanks for all of your efforts. They are truly appreciated! 😊

[@Seamus3051]

Thank you Erik.

[@anndebaldo7381]

How wonderful! By being responsible, more wilderness is available for hiking and camping! Congratulations on having such freedom. Caring and responsibility - That's real freedom. Thanks for sharing. ATB!

[@อมรพันธุ์แข็งแรง]

Yes! The rights to the same experience as us. Respect for nature all the beauty that is the season. For a good time. Thank Erik for sharing

[@randobivouac-zen]

A beautiful message 👍Thanks

[@childofnature-norway]

Thank you, for important information to treat nature with respect 💚 I wish more people would be like this, to leave no traces in nature. Your channel is great! Greetings from Norway :-)

[@Braapncamp]

Important video and message Erik, delivered in your excellent way. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@oskar6607]

I’m from Sweden and when visiting the US with my family a few years ago it really struck me how restricted movement is for the public. You’re relegated to national and state parks (which in turn are often restricted).

[@2manysigns]

Right on !

[@Tethysmeer]

In Switzerland in some regions it is allowed to camp, in others forbidden. We were once surprised by some sort of rangers which only purpose is to tell campers to leave. I envy the nordic countries for their freedom.

[@kerrymower1321]

Thank-you for this important reminder.

[@markthemutant]

Enjoy nature, protect nature, simple as that. Lovely message and video.

[@miketaylor6700]

My favorite LEAVE-NO-TRACE method is a hammock with wide straps (so tree is not damaged in any way). And like you, I use a wood burning stove. Respect nature if you want it to last.

[@Alexmontis3843]

Thanks for the useful info

[@kennyobrien]

Thank you for sharing your outdoor ethos, Eric. Thank you for making such beautiful videos!

[@craigrobertson6082]

Extremely important information, thank you Erik.

[@Smokdeel]

Thanks!

[@Jesse-Gran]

Bra information Erik, nyttigt att läsa på reglerna igen och och njuta av friluftslivet med respekt för andra och sig själv. Hoppas inte Centern får igenom sitt förslag som innebär att folk kan slå upp sina bo-pålar rätt ut i sjöar och åar, det skulle innebära ett stort problem för oss som vill ta oss fram i landskapen och utöva vårt friluftsliv. 👍🌲🏕

[@johan.ohgren]

That must be the best translation I've ever heard for that word!

[@TheOtherShoreOutdoors]

Awesome! Thanks for this video Erik. Someone told me about this. You're so lucky over there. Im my part of the world almost every piece of land has barbed wired fences. While traveling here, on foot, bycicle or packraft i feel afraid of someone seeing me camping for the night, starting a small fire, or just passing by ( i usually go nearby water sources, because is mainly desert land) so i have to tresspass for the need of water. Luckily there's good people everywhere, and most of the times if the owner of the land caught me they give me permission after explain it to them. Must be so great to have laws like those in your country, that allow people freedom to travel based on personal responsibility, and not this system that's mainstream in the world, based on power and restrictions that finally make it worse, because most people is not responsible for their acts, thinking if nobody see a wrongdoing then its ok to do it, like littering or living traces everywhere. Would be nice if you can make more videos about this. 👋

[@amitaimedan]

Tack...

[@northernswedenstories1028]

I think one of the most important aspects of these rules is "not to cut down standing dead trees". People often don't realise how bad it is to cut down such trees. They are a sign of a healthy woodland. Many species thrive on deadwood and dead standing trees. Even the deadwood we find on the floor isn't great to be burning because of the environmental impact on the local ecology, but it's one of the lesser evils, and we have to draw a line somewhere on what is acceptable and not.

[@eltonstourandtrekking]

Same thing here in Norway.. You can go anywhere, and even cross private property aslong as you keep distance (150m).

[@notquiteultralight1701]

Thank you Erik!

[@BrianthatiscalledBrian]

Thanks, Erik. ☕👍🙂

[@ysgolgerlan]

Thanks for the video, I wish there were rules like that where I live. Some people have absolutely no respect for nature here.

[@norwaywithpal]

Same rules that we have in Norway. Great video and explanation. Love your beautiful shots from nature and your calm voice-over, very inspiring for me to watch. Hilsen fra Norge

[@erik_normark]

Tack Pål! Mvh

[@nedaustin5690]

Thumbs up on the “leave no trace”.

[@ronaldlinkenhoker5705]

I have always practiced this and taught my children to do the same. In my lifetime we have lost access to thousands of acres because others don’t follow this practice.

[@pakoutdoors1303]

Most beautifull video

[@vivian3829]

Gracias a ti 👍por permitirnos a los amantes de la naturaleza🌲🍁🏞 disfrutar de estos paisajes en este periodo de pandemia👌😉

[@metrixon11]

Thank you for this video

[@gerryn2]

Sadly in Poland they don't have Allemansrätten, and I think this contributes to the; 1) lack of benches and such on public grounds, roads, paths, etc. 2) the amount of fences around properties, it's almost ridiculous how much fencing there is in this country compared to Sweden.

[@avel99]

hi Erik I'm from Indonesia I've been watching you for a long time just wanted to say your adventure was amazing, thanks for giving me the eye treat I needed.

[@TCUteacher]

Do you have any areas where pine beetles have killed the trees? That’s what happened to us in Colorado and as a result we’ve had terrible wildfires and there are restrictions about building campfires.

[@GAsoulsurfer]

Well said, another great video, thank you.

[@ferenczorban2564]

Just as an extra info on the topic: in my country, in Romania, which has around 2/3 of europe's Carpathian mountain range, the same basic rules apply. The only difference is that nobody checks them and in practice on is allowed to do anything. Thus, there is a lot of littering, tree cutting, massive deforestation, even in nature reserves. I would say that about 5-10% of the romanian human population knows how to be respectful of nature and all living things. This situation being greatly undermined also by big corporations like the swedish IKEA or austrian Schweighoffer who by massive forest territories in Romania and do cut them.

[@amastreet]

Спасибо за видео, Эрик. И привет тебе из России.

[@KevinOutdoors]

Great video, I knew most Scandinavian countries provide access to private land like that. The rules provide a great incentive to bring a folding stove. Inspires me to do something similar with the rules here in Canada. I'll have to think about that.

[@oltamy1]

Especially important when crossing between Finland/Sweden/Norway in the wild. As there is no border control and you can cross totally free, it’s nice to have the same rules. 😀

[@mlsauron]

An amazing work! How long did it take to do all recordings? How (location scouting, choosing right gear, selecting parameters etc..) do you record nature sounds? What equipment do you use?

[@teresadaigle6991]

Thank you so much for this video. I have been in the forest and have seen traces of others. To many times. To think that people can be so disrespectful of nature and destroy nature is very upsetting to me. I always carry something to pick up trash people have left behind. I Wonder why people bother to be out there if they are going to destroy it but also not to appreciate the beauty of nature. I would love to hike in your country some day. Absolutely breathtaking!

[@willek1335]

People leave a trace all the time. When you walk in nature, it creates a foot print. Over time, steps creates a trail where nature doesn't regrow. If you're in high altitude areas, you can permanently damage an area for many decades by trambling moss with your feet. When you walk in nature, it disturb wildlife. Animals, birds, snakes, even bears and moose, avoid you, and are thusly restricted by your presence. You'll only see a fraction of them. There used to be 4000 bears in Norway a couple of centuries ago. Now there's 150. There used to be a moose family where I live, but civilians were scared, so they shot them all. Almost all the woodland is there to be harvested. It's common, when I walk in the Norwegian wilderness to come across football fields of barren land. Only treestubs and reshoots remaining, after people use those trees for house construction. All that wildlife is transformed into a wasteland. Human beings leave a trace all the time. They're OK with that as long as they don't see it.

[@JustBrowsing777]

It's good you do a video like this as the right to public access in Sweden is often misunderstood. This summer alone I've seen tourists from abroad cut off branches from threes to use as firewood thinking It's allowed because the branch was dry or looked dead.

[@Sleeperknot]

That's very interesting to know. When citizens are responsible and when the government knows it, rules will not be very restrictive. This is not the case in my part of the world (India). We need explicit permission from the forest department to enter any forest. If the government let our people move around in the forests freely, then the pristine forests would turn into dumpyards.

[@aeastman59]

thank you for the video on this topic... what kind of binoculars do you use? also why do you use the poles when walking?

[@Kikikikiki1234]

Good 👍

[@ropersix]

Just curious, since we have different rules in different parks in the US, but what about disposing of human waste? Are you allowed to dig a hole for it?

[@svartberg84]

If by waste you mean human excrements then yes you are allowed to dig a hole for it. I wish more people would dig a hole or at least burn the toilet paper after them. Nothing like seeing wet, white toilet paper amidst the blueberry bushes when you're camping or walking about. Take a dump in the woods people but do put some moss on your mountain and bring a lighter so you can do the proper thing and burn the paper after you!

[@matthewlockhart3226]

Fantastic video as always, Erik! I have mixed feelings about such access laws. I see the up-side but in America, unfortunately, not everyone who goes into the woods respects the woods. Such a law would be a disaster here. Even in some of the most remote places I can get to I find many signs of human presence. I've also seen it in our national parks; graffiti, various signs of destruction. No, I just don't think this would work in America.

[@ZhaanMan]

In sweden we get tougt as early as pre school to respect nature and that trash you bring to the forrest, you also carry home. Its doable in US too, just will take a generation or two.

[@heatherandthehounds]

Great video. Sweden looks like a wonderful place

[@BrookZerihun]

Well done sir

[@kirstendl1724]

If you cannot follow these simple rules u have nothing to search in nature.

[@cowboypalaboy0723]

Wow I really dream to live in a Country like that which is not populated already unlike in my country Philippines everywhere you go there's a house there's a lot of people I really hate to live here 😭. And by the way your the Man Sir I really like your videos I feel the Nature Everytime I watch.

[@tarotbloom4871]

Very nice...

[@mcg5404]

Great video Erik

[@cubensic]

Thanks for this, going to be camping in sweden alot this fall

[@haisanjafri]

Leave No Trace rule should be applied to the whole planet. I wish if we could...

[@kategoodger1192]

Very good, hello from MEXICO

[@chrisfrueh3148]

Thanks Erik, Landscape at the end, what a beauty. I agree with those rules, but there are only Rangers in Parks supervising ? Seen the movie -Leave no trace-. Next week looking for cloudberry jam at local Ikea Store. Cheers from Switzerland.

[@robertbodnar8745]

Hey! This man speaks!! ^-) I saw so many videos where he just thumbs up... ^-)

[@Skogsgeek]

You have an international audience and they might visit Sweden in the future. I think you explained the right to public access well. Jag blir också ledsen när jag ser berghällar söndertrasade av eld.

[@ephemerics]

I so wish the USA had the kind of people who could make this work. Unfortunately, we do not.

[@brendaf3132]

Yes wood on the ground is best for the fire because species of birds use dead standing trees.

[@ChennysaFerrynrera]

💖Thank you for lovely video, Erik. Hope you are doing well. You look very happy with nature, like me :)💖 💖From CHENNY💖 🌿🌺🌺🌺💖💖🌺🌺🌺🌿

[@peetnativeman1693]

Good videon And to all reading these use your comon sents . it is not allowed to, for example, take chaga from birches without a permit from the landowner, or extract sap from trees without a permit from the landowner.