Locals Transform Degraded Wetland to Biodiversity Hotspot

A local fishing community in Finland has transformed a barren landscape into a biodiverse ecosystem.

Once coined a “moonscape,” the wetland is thriving once again. “It’s very nice that the local people are continuously involved in looking after these wetlands,” says Ecologist Maria Tengö.

Thirteen years ago, the Linnunsuo wetland near Finland’s eastern border no longer supported life after an energy company drained the water to dig up the energy-rich peat that lay beneath – a decision later called an “extreme event that was lethal to all life,” according to Tero Mustonen, co-founder of an environmental non-profit Snowchange. Local fishermen and Snowchange began to work together to restore the health of Linnunsuo, where their first step was restoring the water that once used to flow. One year after the wetland restoration, 120 species of birds were recorded in the area. Now, a decade later, and thanks to the efforts of this local community of fishermen, this crucial ecological area is once again teeming with life, emphasizing how “people can be a positive force for nature,” in the words of Mustonen.