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Our project Niin Mestä Vastaa (As the Forest Answers) explores our collective imagination of Finnish forest-relationships. During spring we developed a new workshop format for co-creating intentional language to inspect and shape our relationships with nature. Niin Mestä Vastaa (As the Forest Answers) seeks to co-develop a creative dictionary of new language defining the need of future forest relationships, and introduce the work to Finnish society.
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Photo Credit: Savannah Vize/Falay Transition Design
Finland is a country where forests are deeply embedded in both cultural identity and everyday life. Covering nearly 75% of the land area, forests are not only vital ecosystems but also sites of spiritual connection, recreation, and economic activity. For centuries, Finnish folklore, art, and literature have reflected reverence for the forest as a source of sustenance and inspiration. However, in modern times, the dominant narrative has shifted toward viewing forests primarily as resources to be managed and harvested, often at the expense of ecological and cultural relationships.
This shift in perception is closely tied to language. Words shape the way we think about and interact with the world, and in Finland, much of the language surrounding forests has become transactional—focused on production, ownership, and utility. Terms used in forestry, policy, and economics often reduce forests to commodities, obscuring their intrinsic value as ecosystems and sources of cultural meaning.
The Niin Metsä Vastaa (As the Forest Answers) project emerged from this context, recognising an urgent need to reimagine how forests are described and understood. Building on the idea of Linguistic Relativity - that our words have a direct impact on our actions, imaginaries and behaviours - the project seeks to challenge extractive narratives and create space for more reciprocal, caring, and sustainable ways of relating to forests. We recognise that language, collective imagination and behaviour are intertwined, and if we can find ways to challenge and co-create language and imaginaries, we might be able to affect how we also interact with nature.
The project draws on a rich tradition of Finnish environmental consciousness while addressing contemporary challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and the disconnect many people feel from the natural world. Through its innovative approach to language creation, Niin Mestä Vastaa (As the Forest Answers) **invites participants to reconnect with forests as living entities, fostering a shift in perception that is critical for ecological and cultural resilience.
The process began with extensive research. The team dove into Finnish cultural and historical narratives surrounding forests, analysed current language use, and engaged with stakeholders who interact with forests in diverse ways—from foresters to artists and indigenous communities. This groundwork provided a rich foundation for designing workshops that would guide participants in rethinking their relationships with forests.
Workshops were at the core of the project, serving as a space for creativity and collaboration. Each session, referred to as a "word café," was approximately two hours long and designed to immerse participants in sensory and emotional memories of forests. Whether held online or in-person, workshops began with introductions and a brief explanation of the concept of Unidentified Collective Entities (UCEs)—aspects of human-forest relationships that lacked proper language.
Participants were then led through guided imagination exercises, where they reflected on personal experiences in forests—what they heard, saw, felt, and smelled. These memories became the seeds for creating new words that expressed the previously undefined. The sessions concluded with group discussions where participants shared their creations and reflected on the process.
Photo Credit: Savannah Vize/Falay Transition Design
The outcomes of these workshops were carefully documented, contributing to a growing creative dictionary of forest-related terms. This dictionary will serve as both a tool and an inspiration for individuals, communities, and organisations seeking to transform their relationship with the natural world.
One of the greatest successes of the project was the depth of engagement it fostered. Participants reported experiencing a shift in perspective, becoming more conscious of the language they use and its impact on how they perceive forests. Many described the process as transformative, finding joy and meaning in creating words that resonated deeply with their personal experiences.
Using imagination practices allowed participants to transport themselves to the forest from wherever they were, created a playful and open environment that encouraged rapid idea co-creation without fear of failure, and connected participants to each other through shared memories and experiences of being with and in forests.