22 new projects across Finland focusing on strengthening biodiversity and ecological restoration were selected for Metsä Group’s Funding programme for nature projects. A total of EUR 300 000 was granted. This year, several accepted projects combined concrete nature management measures, environmental education, and community involvement.
In 2026, funding was granted, among others, to the restoration project of Sarvikas wetland and a biodiversity project focusing on local nature sites in Säkylä. In Sarvikas, the goal is to restore the area into a significant wetland habitat for threatened bird species, while in Säkylä biodiversity will be promoted through measures such as meadows, pollinator-friendly solutions and involving schoolchildren in nature management activities.
“Interest in the Funding programme for nature projects continues to grow every year. This year, we received a record number of applications – 122 in total. The high number and quality of applications shows that there is a great deal of expertise, commitment and ready-to-implement ideas for strengthening biodiversity in Finland. In many cases, access to funding is the decisive factor in enabling these projects to move forward,” says Shaheena Turak, Nature Expert at Metsä.
An external expert panel participated in the evaluation of the projects, with representatives from the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the University of Eastern Finland, the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and
The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK).
The programme’s newest panel member, Marja Järvenpää (Sitra), participated in the evaluation process for the first time this year: “It was a pleasure to read applications that reflected the strong commitment of many different actors improving the state of nature and their understanding of its importance. Restoration plays a crucial role in improving water quality, supporting climate change adaptation, safeguarding pollination, and also promoting human health and well-being. We received a large number of outstanding applications that concretely demonstrated the ways in which restoration and the strengthening of biodiversity can be advanced.”
Metsä's Funding programme for nature projects supports biodiversity projects also besides commercial forests in Finland. A prerequisite for funding is that the project has measurable positive impacts on biodiversity. Between 2021 and 2026, the programme has already provided funding for 111 projects with a total value of EUR 2.7 million.