Everyman's rights in Finland: camping, campfires and berry picking
Finland's jokaisenoikeudet allow people to explore nature and collect wild berries and mushrooms without asking each landowner, provided they cause no harm or disturbance. Temporary camping is generally possible too. Lighting a fire is a separate permission issue, and protected areas have their own rules. Guidance checked on 11 November 2026.
What is generally allowed?
| Activity | General position | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Walking in woodland | Usually permitted | Private yards, cultivated land and local restrictions |
| Temporary camping | Usually permitted without disturbance | Nearby homes and protected-area rules |
| Picking wild berries and edible mushrooms | Usually permitted | Identification and area restrictions |
| Lighting a campfire | Not covered by access rights | Permission, fireplace, warnings and conditions |
| Cutting branches from a tree | Not covered | Landowner permission |
Legal guidance in this table comes from the Finnish Forest Centre and Metsähallitus, checked on 11 November 2026.
Private woodland and private gardens are different
Private ownership alone does not prevent the use of public access rights in a forest. A home's yard, planted areas and cultivated fields are different. Choose a route that keeps clear of places people use as their private outdoor living space.
Apply the same consideration when choosing where to camp. Your overnight stay must not disturb a home or interfere with the owner's land use. For a longer stay or a large camp, settle permission with the landowner.
A place to camp is not permission to light a fire
Check the listed fireplaces and conditions at Metsähallitus destinations. During a wildfire warning, an open campfire is prohibited even at an existing open fireplace. Local restrictions can also affect other types of fireplace.
A camping stove offers another way to prepare food, but a twig-burning stove is not equivalent to a gas stove. Metsähallitus prohibits twig stoves during wildfire warnings. A gas stove also needs a suitable surface and conditions in which flames cannot spread. Rules checked on 11 November 2026.
For a short outing, pack food that can be eaten cold. This keeps lunch independent of whether a fire is possible.
Picking berries is different from taking wood
Collecting bilberries or lingonberries does not give permission to break branches or gather moss and lichen. Access rights do not permit damage to trees. Removing a chaga growth damages the tree and is outside these rights.
Only collect mushrooms for food when you can identify them reliably. Permission to gather and safety to eat are separate questions: a permitted location does not make an unknown mushroom edible.
Check protected areas individually
A national park may restrict camping to designated places and limit access in particular zones. Metsähallitus also states that berry and mushroom picking are prohibited in strict nature reserves. The Finnish terms kansallispuisto and luonnonpuisto describe different kinds of protected area.
For destination ideas, browse places to visit in Inari. If the outing includes angling, consult the separate guide to fishing permissions.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The Finnish Forest Centre describes the rights as belonging to everyone, regardless of land ownership.
You must not disturb the occupants' privacy. Choose another place if your stay would interfere with their use of the cottage.
A shoreline is not permission. Check the landowner's consent and applicable fire restrictions.
An open fireplace does not. Chimney-equipped fireplaces can have separate conditions, which must be checked locally.
Public access rights do not permit this. Use wood you are authorised to take.
Often, subject to the park's restrictions. Metsähallitus prohibits picking in strict nature reserves.
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