Browsing by Author "Falck, Mariina"

As forests flee further away from the everyday environments of Finns, concerns arise about the alienation of forests and the distance of adolescents from the forest. Previous studies have shown that adolescents’ human-forest relationships require exposure, and human-forest relationships are known to be built on significant life experiences. This study aims to describe and analyze the human-forest relationships among Finnish adolescents. This thesis examines the human-forest relationship of adolescents, the factors that affect the human-forest relationships, and the thoughts and concerns that adolescents have about the forest. The aim of the thesis is to form a picture of the dimensions and factors that the human-forest relationship of adolescents holds inside. In this thesis, the dimensions of the human-forest relationship were examined based on Palmer's (1998) tree model of environmental education and previous data on forest relationships among adolescents. The thesis has been implemented as part of the research project Vaikuttavia metsäsuhteita – seurannan kehittämisestä ennakointiin. The material for the thesis was collected through six focus group interviews with 13–17-year-old adolescents (n=21) during the spring and autumn of 2021. The material of the semi-structured thematic interviews was analyzed using theory-based content analysis. The material was used to examine the dimensions and factors affecting adolescents’ human-forest relationships, and the effects of their ideas on their activities. The results of the thesis show that the human-forest relationship of adolescents is multidimensional. Most adolescents considered forests important and experienced a positive relationship with the forest. Based on the results through significant experiences and individual factors, the human-forest relationship may also be affected by an individual forest identity. Based on the thesis, the forest relationship of adolescents arose through different dimensions and included numerous factors that affected the activities and well-being of the adolescents. The forest was seen as a social and functional environment and, if necessary, a place of calm. In addition to calming down, the forest was a prominent place for leisure, and experiences in the forest were shared with significant people as well as pets. The results showed that adolescents were concerned about changes in forests and the environment, and in principle, the concerns they experienced were related to their local environment. The results of the study show the need to support adolescents’ human-forest relationships through environmental education. The results can be used to develop ways to support the strengthening of forest relations and forest identity among adolescents.