9 Examples of Freedom To Roam

John Spacey, updated on August 03, 2016

Freedom to roam is a principle that states that people have the right to access land for purposes such as movement, recreation and exercise. The following are a few examples of freedom to roam policies.

Beaches

The right of the public to access beaches and requirement that large private land owners such as hotels provide a public pathway to beaches on their property.

Uncultivated Land

The right to access to uncultivated land such as forests, even if it is privately owned.

Agricultural Land

Some nations allow for the right to access certain types of land even if they are cultivated. There are usually protections for areas such as small gardens.

Public Land

The right to access public land even if it has been leased for commercial purposes such as logging.

Pathways

The right to use established paths through private land.

Common Restrictions

Right to roam is usually accompanied with restrictions such as no camping and no hunting.

Environmental Policies

It is increasingly common to restrict access to sensitive areas due to ecological concerns. Hikers, particularly hikers who bring dogs into forests, are known to cause ecological disruptions. For example, animals may pick up on the scent of dogs as a predator and avoid vast areas of potential habitat.

In areas such as rainforests, freedom to roam can make it difficult to protect biodiversity from activities such as poaching.

Duties

It is common for the legal systems of nations and districts to describe duties of those accessing land such as the obligation to protect property and nature.

By Country

Freedom to roam is an idea that has been embraced by many societies, particularly in Europe. Notably, the freedom to roam, isn't particularly common in the United States with the exception of a few beach access statutes at the state level. Some island nations in the South Pacific have strong property rights and most land is private. As such, people are commonly exposed to demands to make payment to use a well traveled road or beach.

Overview: Freedom To Roam
Type	Public Space Human Rights Economics
Definition	The right to access land for movement, recreation and exercise.
Notes	Historically, many freedom to roam policies were compromises that prevented conflict between landowners and the people. Many areas had strong laws protecting private land rights until the threat of popular revolution caused large land owners to concede.
Related Concepts	Public Space Urban Design