The key to understanding this, is that, as long as there is nothing damaged, the property owner doesn't lose any value, while the freedom to move around is a huge value.
Denmark has a higher population concentration, so if the same rules would be applied here, it would produce more damage. Therefore, we have more strict rules, like following existing paths, and you may only pick the amount of berries that can be in a typical hat.
If you go into more densely populated areas, many more rules must be introduced in order to preserve nature.
In most countries, ownership means that the government gives you some rights over a geographic area. The rights may include selling freely, selling at various conditions, and may include building on it, and it is usually limited to a certain depth and to a certain height over the area. There are usually strict regulation of what kind of pollution you may create etc., and depending on how you use the land, traffic rules may apply, and all other kinds of laws may also apply. In other words, ownership does not mean that you can decide everything.
A couple of good examples on restrictions on what I can decide on the property on which my house stands:
* I cannot cover more than 40% with a house.
* I cannot make my house higher.
* I may not use firearms on my property.
* I may not water my lawn. (I may water all other plants, though)
* I may not make a huge mess that can be seen from the outside, like old car junk.
* I may not have very high trees right next to my neighbor.
If I would buy agricultural land, I would not be permitted to build a house on it. If I buy a forest, I would not be permitted to close it for access by the public during daytime, but I would be allowed to put a lot of restrictions on behavior inside the forest. If I buy a property in an industrial area, I would not be permitted to build a house or a shop with public access. If I buy a summerhouse, I would not be permitted to live there 365 days per day (in order to avoid that the commune becomes obliged to deliver full service).
Danes are perfectly happy with most of these rules. They shape our country, and since the rules are different in Sweden and Germany, these countries are different. And we like that :-) Does it make economical sense? No idea, and seriously, I don't care :-) |
