Forest walks by Wild Out were born on the shores of Lake Kitkajärvi and on the hills of Vasaraperä, wandering slowly and without hurry. At the heart of everything they do are unhurriedness, meaningful experiences, safety, nurturing a relationship with nature, and deep respect for the nature.
In symbiosis with nature: Wild Out’s nature experiences invite guests to care for nature
Responsibility is about connection and appreciation for your own local area – your village and your community.
Tourism in Ruka-Kuusamo is founded upon the region’s magnificent natural attractions. Hence, the promotion of responsible tourism is especially important for local tourism businesses. Through the Sustainable Travel Finland program (STF) by Visit Finland, companies can incorporate sustainable practices and responsible choices into their daily operations.
Just a few years ago, Theresa Rauma and Tomasz Bogacz were living a hectic city life: Rauma as a film industry professional in Helsinki, Bogacz as a chef at a top restaurant in Warsaw, Poland.
Yet both, in their own ways, had started to feel worn down by the intensity of urban life – and drawn to the idea of a nature-based way of living. They found each other through wilderness guide training in Tampere, and a study internship period called them to Ruka-Kuusamo.
For Rauma, the area was already familiar, as she had spent plenty of time as a child at her family’s cottage in Jäkäläniemi. Bogacz was struck by the nature of Koillismaa, where everything best about Finland comes together – rapids, lakes, fells, cliffs, and forests.
– The more time I spent in the forest, the stronger my longing became to live close to nature. When we moved to Kuusamo, our connection to nature grew stronger. Our whole lifestyle shifted almost by itself in a more responsible direction, says Theresa Rauma, originally from Teerijärvi in Central Ostrobothnia, from the edge of the forest.
Birdhouses for local nature
Strengthening their connection to nature in nearby surroundings soon became the foundation of the couple’s shared business, Wild Out. Ideas for their programmes emerged slowly while spending time outdoors – gathering wild herbs, berries, and mushrooms, walking along the shores of Lake Kitkajärvi and roaming the hills of Vasaraperä.
– From the very beginning, we wanted to create programmes that serve nature and the local community. When we serve nature, nature can serve us, says Rauma.
On Wild Out acitivities, the idea is always, in one way or another, to support biodiversity in local nature – for example, by building birdhouses! At the same time, guests get to strengthen their connection to nature with all their senses: by seeing, hearing, doing, tasting, and smelling.
– For some, it’s a small opening; for others, it can be a life-changing experience! These activities can have far-reaching effects if guests take their insights about serving nature back to their own local surroundings and start nurturing their nature connection even after the trip.
For Wild Out, social responsibility means genuine, concrete actions that benefit the local community. Wild Out hosts lunches at the Vasaraperä village hut, and part of the proceeds goes to the village community. With those funds, they have organised volunteer work, renovated the village hut, and painted a storage building. Their next dream is to restore the village’s deteriorating nature trail.
– Actions like these – and local travel in forests owned by local people – send the message that your everyday forest is a special place, and that it matters to all of us that biodiversity there is preserved.
Regenerative tourism
Wild Out first heard about regenerative tourism from the Ruka-Kuusamo Tourist Association. Restoring and strengthening the wellbeing of nature and the local community had already become an intuitive part of their whole approach – but now they learned there is a specific term for it.
In Rauma’s view, one of the best things about regenerative tourism is the deeply rooted feeling it gives.
– It does people good to simplify a little, to question things and downshift, to take responsibility and carry it with pride. Nature itself is regenerative.
The Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) sustainability programme has opened up new perspectives for Wild Out’s continuous development. It felt like a natural continuation of the Green Activities certificate.
Especially in terms of social responsibility, Wild Out has room to grow further if the company hires more employees in the future.
Rauma has also found it rewarding to learn about communication that is inclusive of gender and sexual minorities. Calculating the carbon footprint for each programme still lies ahead.
– It will require a lot of time and calculations. But that’s fine – then we’ll calculate! In the end, doing business is easier when you’re up to date on what you’re doing, Rauma notes.
The most surprising part has been reviewing the different marketing terms related to responsibility. Choosing words carefully is part of responsibility just as much as a service’s carbon footprint, reducing energy consumption, and recycling.
– In everything, you have to think: does this claim truly fit us, and is it true? Are you being completely honest, or are you using certain words automatically just because you’ve heard someone else use them?
On a genuine path
Customer feedback about Wild Out suggests the couple is on the right track. Respect for nature – and a passion for serving it – shine through in every detail of the company.
– It feels good when people appreciate that the ingredients in our wild food experiences are foraged by ourselves and come from the local area. Our guests are grateful that they get to be part of the food’s journey and to prepare and enjoy it together.
According to Rauma, people get genuinely excited about the birdhouse programme. It’s a concrete way to help wildlife begin anew.
Guests want to make the nest boxes as good as possible for local birds. At the same time, it’s natural to also talk about the challenges, such as the impacts of forestry and land use on Finland’s nature.
– In my opinion, it’s more responsible to take people into a nearby forest to do something good for nature – and to give a holistic picture of nature – than to show only national parks.
To Rauma, there is something profound about building birdhouses. It is very characteristic of Finnish culture.
– It’s nice and easy to do. You can use recycled materials and craft tools picked up at flea markets.
To other businesses in the Ruka-Kuusamo region, Rauma encourages joining the STF programme by urging them to turn their gaze to their own immediate surroundings.
– Connection and appreciation for your own local area and your own village increase the sense of responsibility. Learning something new broadens your worldview and brings joy, Rauma says.
Read more:
Sustainable Tourism in Ruka-Kuusamo
Wild Out
Published: 15 May 2026
Text: Pauliina Toivanen
Photo: Wild Out
Images of Wild Out trips and cooking
