Finnish clean-energy companies unite to restore peatlands and protect old-growth forests across three regions

Finnish clean-energy companies unite to restore peatlands and protect old-growth forests across three regions

(IN BRIEF) Nine renewable-energy companies have jointly financed the protection and restoration of 108 hectares of Finnish nature across Simo, Pudasjärvi and Puolanka to celebrate Finland’s 108th Independence Day. The Nature Gift to Finland initiative builds on earlier biodiversity research by Renewables Finland, with One Planet Oy as project partner. Funded by Taaleri Energia, Fortum, Helen, Myrsky Energia, ABO Energy & Ålandsbanken Wind Power Fund, Eolus, Ilmatar, Neoen and Renewables Finland, and implemented by Hiilipörssi and Luonnonperintösäätiö, the €119,000 package supports peatland restoration, forest conservation and habitat improvement for endangered species. The sites — Pirttimaansuo, Ilvessuo and Koppelosuo & Pöytäkangas — will undergo extensive hydrological and ecological renewal, forming private nature reserves afterward. The project demonstrates a scalable nature-positive model for corporate biodiversity action in Finland.

(PRESS RELEASE) STOCKHOLM, 8-Dec-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Nine companies and organisations within Finland’s renewable energy sector have joined forces to conserve a total of 108 hectares of natural landscapes, marking a symbolic tribute to Finland’s 108th Independence Day. The protected areas, located across Simo, Pudasjärvi, and Puolanka, will undergo ecological restoration and long-term conservation, showcasing how industry collaboration can meaningfully support national biodiversity goals.

The initiative, titled Nature Gift to Finland (Luontolahja Suomelle), continues the work of Renewables Finland’s earlier biodiversity value-chain project. Taaleri Energia, Fortum, Helen, Myrsky Energia, ABO Energy with the Ålandsbanken Wind Power Fund, Eolus, Ilmatar, Neoen, and Renewables Finland have collectively financed restoration measures, coordinated in partnership with One Planet Oy. The announcement took place in Helsinki on December 5, with Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Sari Multala opening the event.

Funding will enable the restoration of drained peatlands and protection of old-growth forests, improving habitats for threatened species and reducing emissions typical of degraded peat soils. Implementation responsibilities lie with Hiilipörssi and the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation (Luonnonperintösäätiö). The actions will benefit species such as trout and declining peatland birds, while safeguarding spring-fed ecosystems, rocky terrain and forests over a century old.

The 119,000-euro conservation package, supported administratively by TT-Säätiö, serves as a pilot example of how corporations can adopt nature-positive operating models. Each participating company is developing its own biodiversity approach, with the Nature Gift project acting as a tangible demonstration of voluntary environmental responsibility in practice.

Three major project areas will be restored and protected:

• Pirttimaansuo (Simo – ~60 ha): Restoration of drained peatlands by blocking ditches and re-establishing water flow to revitalise mire vegetation and birdlife. A nature reserve will follow after hydrological recovery.

• Ilvessuo (Puolanka – ~14.8 ha): Restoration of peatland at the Portinjoki river headwaters to support trout habitats and revive historically diverse fen and meadow ecosystems.

• Koppelosuo & Pöytäkangas (Pudasjärvi – ~39 ha): Conservation of natural mire, spring systems, rocky forest terrain and old-growth stands, including critical habitats and peat-forest mosaics.

Together, the sites highlight how Finnish industry can directly contribute to ecological recovery and climate resilience while showcasing collaborative environmental leadership.

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SOURCE: Suomen uusiutuvat ry – Renewables Finland