Environment - thisisFINLAND

Savouring sustainable eating in Finland

We visit two innovative Finnish businesses – a discount retailer and a Michelin Green Star restaurant – to see how food culture is shifting from consumption to conservation.

Life & society Nature

Where the skies speak: Finland’s southern tip is a birdwatcher’s paradise

At the Hanko Bird Observatory in southern Finland, a reporter joins biologist Aki Aintila and volunteers as they track hundreds of thousands of migratory birds and marvel at the stories the skies reveal.

Business & innovation Innovation

7 surprising things that Finnish companies are making out of wood

Clothes, car batteries, fish feed – you name it. Some of the world’s most creative and commercially promising wood-based innovations come from Finland, and many are made from industry by-products. Here are just a few.

179,584

Number of islands in Finland

Source: Eupedia

Life & society Nature

A secret kingdom of spring: Finnish stick forts come to life

Wherever you go in Finland, you’re never far from a forest or a park. Our photographer takes a walk in the woods and finds imaginative hideouts children have made from branches, sticks and leaves.

Arts & culture Art

Vibrant legacy: How artist Reidar Särestöniemi brought out northern Finland’s colours

From modest origins in the northern Finnish village of Kaukonen, Reidar Särestöniemi progressed to fame and recognition. His art continues to resonate with audiences, celebrating nature, individuality and the power of self-expression.

75%

of Finnish land area is forest

Source: Natural Resources Institute Finland

Business & innovation Webpick

University of Helsinki research: Prehistoric people may have “heard” rock paintings talking

A number of prehistoric (5000–1500 BCE) rock paintings exist in Finland, mostly in the southeastern part of the country. Surprisingly, the acoustics of some sites may have made them important to the hunter-gatherers of the time.

Life & society Sustainability

Good news: Finland tops the Good Country Index

Out of 174 countries, Finland contributes the most to the common good of humanity relative to its size, according to a new study.

Business & innovation Sustainability

How Finnish innovations are helping make the maritime industry more sustainable

In order to attain net-zero goals, it’s essential to increase sustainability in the ocean shipping sector. We hear about the progress of two Finnish companies: Norsepower, founded in 2012, and Wärtsilä, which started way back in 1834.