ÇàÂ¥´«Ã½

With well over a hundred projects, the Mets?n puolella initiative has the power to drive change, writes Mari Pantsar, Change Manager of the initiative.

Let¡¯s imagine for a moment that we are looking at Finnish forests from a bird¡¯s-eye view. From there, we can observe both the relationship with and the use of forests. A clear picture emerges: we see multiple intertwined developments unfolding at the same time. 

From afar, it becomes immediately clear that there is no silver bullet for building a sustainable future for forests. Solutions must be constructed on many fronts simultaneously. This is no surprise ¨C after all, the current model of forest use has taken shape over time through path dependencies, prevailing attitudes, and guiding structures.

The less than three year old Mets?n puolella initiative aims to promote practices that respect the carrying capacity of nature by supporting new openings in research, art, activism, and journalism. In the spring of 2026, 24 new projects have been granted funding, totalling €3.5 million. What unites these projects is a desire to look at forests differently, moving across time as well as between species and perspectives.

From a bird¡¯s-eye view, forests appear as a contested space, shaped by many beliefs and myths. A project led by Hannes Pasanen identifies and begins to dismantle misconceptions about forests, some of which are deliberately maintained and reinforced.

When one can see the forest for the trees, attention also turns to questions of responsibility. In Finnish forest discourse, corporate responsibility has received little attention, but this is now being addressed by Finnwatch, an NGO that investigates the global impacts of business enterprises. Their project is developing a set of responsibility criteria for forest companies based on international standards. The aim is to enable systematic evaluation of forest companies¡¯ operations, identify shortcomings, and create incentives to improve practices.

Elsewhere, the gaze descends into the forests of Kainuu. Heli Maijanen¡¯s project explores forests as resting places for fallen soldiers and as sites of remembrance. Beyond being a natural environment, the forest is a living archive where past and present coexist. 

Going beneath the surface is also central to Kristiina Karhu¡¯s research, which examines carbon storage in the soils of old-growth forests, particularly the role of the remains of dead microbes. The project challenges simplified assumptions about how carbon returns to the soil after logging and produces knowledge that may refine climate models and strengthen the case for conservation. 

When the perspective is widened, the Mets?n puolella initiative emerges as an intricate network of well over a hundred diverse projects.

At the heart of the initiative is a shared determination to approach forest nature with the same spirit as the 87-year-old ornithologist featured in a newly funded documentary film project. Every spring and summer, the main character of the film climbs countless trees to ring bird chicks and collect research material. His modest lifestyle is a reminder that a rich and fulfilling life does not require excessive consumption or youth, but passion, meaningful activity, and a sense of responsibility.

Within the Mets?n puolella initiative, practices that respect the carrying capacity of nature are being renewed in many ways. That is why it has the power to drive change. From a bird¡¯s-eye view, there are as many turning points as there are people making them happen.

Read more about all Mets?n puolella projects (description text are mostly in Finnish, based on the language of the application)