Climate change or not, there’s still a ton of snow in the endless forests of Finland. Actually, much more as in other years, according to the locals. There is around 1 – 1.5 meter of snow on the ground and most trees are covered in it as well. It really feels like a winter wonderland to walk around in.

Most of this forest is perfectly quiet. No sound can be heard. There are hardly any birds and no cars, factories, planes, playgrounds or any other human sounds. Deafening quiet. Only the chirping of your own footsteps in the snow.

It’s sometimes hard to see with all the branches and tree trunks covered in snow, but most of the trees are covered in lichen. This is a good sign, as this combination between algae and a fungus is a very good indicator for clean air as they get almost all they need from the air. These old-growth forests are really a joy to walk around in, I’ve seen them a lot in Sweden in the summertime, but in winter they are equally beautiful.