What is your forest story?
You might have found a surprisingly large mushroom, gotten lost, or just found peace while walking in the forest. Help us better understand and preserve forest traditions by sharing your experience!
Foraging in the forest is an important part of our daily lives. However, if we want it to continue to be part of the daily life in the future and ensure that this tradition does not disappear, we need to cherish and strengthen it. Wild Stories is an initiative to preserve and raise better awareness of the forest and foraging. We are doing this by collecting stories about people's experiences and feelings while foraging. The stories can be about anything that has happened to you while picking mushrooms or berries, or otherwise being in the forest.
About the initiative
Wild Stories is a non-profit initiative that aims to better understand and document a unique tradition in Latvia - mushroom picking, berry picking and other types of foraging.
We collect stories of people's experiences to help maintain and strengthen the tradition and to explain and raise awareness about it. Wilderness provides a unique insight into the interactions between people and nature, helping us to understand the importance and complexity of wild ecosystems. These experiences reveal how people perceive and influence nature, uncovering both positive and negative aspects that are essential for making sustainable decisions. These stories are also a valuable resource that reflects changes in the natural environment over time, allowing us to identify human-induced changes and impacts on ecosystems.
These stories also serve as emotional reminders of the beauty and vulnerability of nature, motivating future generations to protect wilderness. They inspire society and help to build a connection between people and nature, thus fostering the care and understanding needed to protect nature and conserve biodiversity.
FAQ
- What is the objective of the initiative?
Wild Stories initiative aims to promote and preserve the tradition of foraging. We want to gather people's experiences and feelings by sharing stories about picking mushrooms, berries and other plants. These stories will help to better understand and promote this important cultural tradition of ours and to pass it on to future generations.
- Why is my story important?
Every experience is unique, and even the shortest foray into the forest to pick mushrooms or berries can be special. By sharing your adventures, you will help others to learn and maybe even feel what is important to you - whether it is the joy of a great find, the adventure of getting lost, the chance to put your grandparents’ knowledge into practice, or simply to feel at one with nature. Your stories strengthen our connection to traditions and encourage others to get outdoors.
- Who needs may data and for what purpose (contact information)?
We collect your data in order to be able to communicate with you and to verify the authenticity of the submitted story. Your personal data (name, contact information) will not be published without your consent and will only be used for the administrative purposes of the initiative. Publicly available stories may be anonymised to protect your privacy and the privacy of others.
- How can I correct the data and information I have submitted, or withdraw them?
If you would like to correct or update your story, please contact our team using the contact details provided in the contacts section. We will make the necessary changes according to your instructions. If you wish to withdraw your story, you can do so at any time by sending us a request and your story will be removed from the published stories section. We will use the contact details provided to authenticate the story you wish to withdraw.
- How can I delete my data?
Submitting a story is voluntary and you can withdraw it at any time. If you would like your data or story to be completely deleted from our database, please contact us and we will do so immediately. We respect your privacy and guarantee that your data will be deleted in accordance with the legal regulations on data protection. In order for us to authenticate the story you wish to delete, we will contact you using the contact information you have provided.
- Why isn’t my story published? Why is my story edited?
Your story is reviewed by an editor before being published on the website. Most submitted stories are published without modification. However, in certain cases where stories contain personal data or elements that may be offensive or involve conduct that may be considered illegal (or unethical), the editor may decide, in consultation with relevant experts, not to publish the story or to publish a corrected version of the story. It is important to us that the story maintains its authenticity and the voice of the author, so we make only minimal editorial adjustments to the story where necessary. If significant corrections are needed, we will contact you to agree on the changes. The editor retains the right not to explain their decision to not publish or to change a story to its submitter.
Contact us
rsu [pts] lv
