- Scale of clearing: At the Muhos site (near the town of Muhos), roughly 330 hectares (about 815 acres) of forest were clear-cut, with estimates of around 250,000 trees removed. An additional ~150,000–200 hectares were cleared at a second site near Otanmäki/Kajaani, for a combined total approaching 400,000 trees in some reports. Topsoil was also stripped in places, leaving mudflats.
- Why “illegal”/unauthorized: Finnish law generally requires an EIA for permanent land-use changes involving continuous forest clearance over 200 hectares. Google began logging months earlier (around March 2026 at Muhos) while the EIA process was incomplete or still underway. The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation raised the alarm; the Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) ordered a temporary halt to preparatory works (tree removal, topsoil stripping, roads, etc.) in early October 2026. Police have also looked into suspected illegal logging at least at one site.
- Context: This is tied to Google’s announced €13 billion investment in Finnish data centers and infrastructure (its largest single European commitment), attracted by the cool climate, renewable energy, land availability, and stability. Finland already hosts Google facilities (e.g., Hamina).
- Google’s position: The company said it acted in good faith under the Forest Act, conducted nature surveys, believed authorities were aware/approved preparatory work, and has “fallen short of our own high standards.” Google Finland country manager Antti Järvinen publicly apologized. Work was stopped after the LVV order, and the company said it would comply fully while EIAs continue. It has also referenced plans for landscaping/biodiversity measures, including tree planting.
Local impacts and wolves
Residents and nature groups have expressed strong anger, describing the clear-cuts as “pure arrogance” and a “gaping wound.” Concerns include habitat loss, runoff (e.g., brown water into streams), disruption of protected or valuable nature sites, and questions about using Finnish renewables to power large foreign tech infrastructure.
On wolves specifically: Locals in/near Otanmäki reported that after the forest was cleared, wolves (and other wildlife) that previously lived there moved closer to the village. One resident told The Guardian: “We had wolves coming into the village because all the wild animals moved out of the forest.” This matches the claim of animals being driven into villages due to habitat loss.
There is also a separate, older issue at Google’s longstanding Hamina site involving excess logging that affected flying squirrel habitat in 2018–2019.
