 In Finland approximately 60% of the population engages in foraging for wild edible plants, which is higher than the global average. This activity is more common in the Nordic region compared to other parts of Europe. The study found that this practice is similar between Finnish and Karelian residents of Finnish Karelia, but there were differences between Karelians living on either side of the Finnish-Russian border. Additionally, the sources of local plant knowledge included vertical transmission, acquisition through literature, acquisition from green nature shops promoting healthy lifestyles, childhood foraging activities performed during the famine period following World War II, and outdoor recreational activities. These activities may have contributed to the maintenance and enhancement of local ecological knowledge in the Nordic countries. This article was authored by G Mattalia, Ice Van Berg, S Stahlberg, and others.