Elonkirjon kaupunki: Alternative Plans for Biodiversity

Cities and municipalities across Finland are planning new residential and industrial areas, as well as data centres, at the expense of nature, despite well-documented evidence that urban nature is vital for human wellbeing, biodiversity, and adaptation to climate change. Many plans for building in city forests are based on outdated assumptions and fail to adequately account for the forest's role in safeguarding living conditions during climate and environmental crises. A significant portion of Finland's last near-natural forests are located in cities, as they have rarely been exploited for forestry.

The Elonkirjon kaupunki project presents alternatives to forest-destroying plans, enabling city forests to be saved from development. Alternative plans have been developed for Kuopio's Pieneen Neulamäki, Helsinki's Stansvik and Kumpula, and Lehtivuori in Lempäälä - all created in close collaboration with local communities. The aim is to strengthen residents' agency in urban planning and protect nearby forests. For each plan, information meetings and planning walks are held, bringing together residents, decision-makers, and planners. The project is funded by the Koneen Säätiö foundation's "Metsän puolella" initiative.

Elonkirjon kaupunki is created by architects Heljä Nieminen, Seela Pentikäinen, Cecilia Aintila, and Siiri Hänninen. Tuikku Leinonen contributed to developing the alternative plan for Kumpula. All completed alternative plans and further information can be found at www.elonkirjonkaupunki.com and on Instagram @elonkirjonkaupunki.