Nature Program

There have been a lot of exchange students in Estonia who are rather sceptical when our volunteers suggest going into the forest to hike, eat berries, pick mushrooms etc. They are often worried that the berries are poisonous, or that there may be a worm in the berry! However, you can trust us with the berries because we have been picking and eating wild berries and mushrooms since we learned to walk.

Estonia is a small country both by its size and population and it is located by the Baltic Sea. The country has neither high mountains nor large rivers, but it definitely has something really special – the wild, untouched nature. There are still many natural bogs in Estonia where we go hiking. There is a big chance you will meet a moose or some other wild animal in the bogs. But there’s no need to be afraid of them! This is also what we teach in the Nature Program – you can live side by side with animals. When leaving the bog there is even a bigger chance you will meet a deer eating by the edge of the forest. Fortunately there are still a number of places in Estonia where wild animals feel safe. Going to a forest is not a special thing for us; it is a natural part of our lives. Of course, we could also buy natural products from supermarkets but the jam made from berries you’ve picked yourself tastes much better than the jam made in a factory.