'Pure arrogance': Outrage in Finland after Google cuts down 250 trees

Google's felling of around 250 trees, without meeting environmental legal requirements, has sparked a backlash in Finland. The case has sparked a debate about the consequences of investments in data centers for nature, local communities and the country's interests.

Behind a barbed wire fence lies a vast expanse of devastated land. Before Google arrived a few months ago, the 330-hectare forest near the town of Muhos, in rural northern Finland, had about 250 trees. Now, there are none left.

The technology company cleared the entire area to build a data center, removing even the topsoil, in violation of the law. Today, in place of the forest, lies a vast expanse of mud, filled with machine tracks, puddles of water, and piles of dirt, roots, and branches. Residents say the brown water that flows from the area ends up in a stream, which flows into the Oulujoki River.

"This destruction has no end. The logging continues and continues," says Mari Annala, an ecologist at the Finnish Society for Nature Conservation (SLL), as she watches drone footage of the disappearing forest from the edge of the area.

Finland has been at the center of recent plans by technology companies to build data centers. There are 145 new centers planned in the country, which are in various stages of preparation. In addition to the relative geopolitical and geological stability, as well as large land areas, the cold climate makes Finland particularly attractive for these investments, as it helps reduce energy costs.

Earlier this month, the Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) ordered Google to temporarily halt construction work at Muhos and another site about 100 kilometers southeast in the village of Otanmäki. The decision was made after the company failed to complete the necessary environmental impact assessments before it began cutting down the entire forest. The news sparked widespread reactions and sparked a national debate about what role, if any, Finland should play in the global race to build data centers, driven by the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

Last week, Google's director for Finland, Antti Järvinen, apologized for the deforestation, but claimed the company had acted "based on the best interpretation we had of the legislation at the time."

The projects in Muhos and Otanmäki are part of Google's €13 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The project has drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump, who would prefer the centers be built in the United States and has publicly urged the company to reconsider the decision. It is the largest project of its kind ever undertaken in the Nordic countries.

The Finnish government, which has implemented deep cuts to public spending, has welcomed the investment. Last month, when Google’s plans were announced, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said attracting investment was a “key priority.” He stressed that “the value of the data economy goes far beyond direct investment,” adding that the deal with Google would bring “long-term benefits for both parties.”

However, the revelation of the company's violations has sparked public concern. Residents and organizations are raising questions about the consequences of these agreements for local communities, the price of energy for Finnish households, and the natural environment, which is a source of pride for the country. The expansion of data centers is expected to be a major issue in the April elections.

In addition to the 250 trees cut down in Muhos, Annala estimates that around 150 more trees were cut down in Otanmäki. Since the logging was carried out illegally, the wood from both areas cannot be sold to wood processing plants, she says.

This case has also raised questions about why renewable energy sources in Finland should be used to supply energy to international corporations.

Petition for damages

More than 93 people have signed a petition calling for stricter regulations on data centers and the introduction of a fee that would allow local communities to be compensated for environmental damage. After the scandal broke, Prime Minister Orpo described what happened in Muhos as a “cold shower,” referring to the shock the case caused.

Hanna Halmeenpää, chairwoman of the SLL board, said she was surprised to learn that Google had violated the law.

"At first I couldn't believe it. I've never heard of any company doing something like this in Finland," she said.

According to her, the Finnish system relies heavily on trust and Google has exploited this. "They bought a large area of ​​land and just started destroying the forest, nothing more. It's pure arrogance and it's unbelievable," she said.

Halmeenpää said that the speed with which these projects are being developed has shocked the country.

“A lot of people just watch the news and ask each other: 'What's happening now? What can we do? Should we accept all these data center projects in Finland?'” she said.

Jussi Kangasharju, head of the computer science department at the University of Helsinki, said that these centers create a limited number of jobs and can help the local economy, but the benefits for the country as a whole are minimal.

“Finland actually benefits nothing,” he said. “These are international companies serving international clients. Very little corporate tax revenue remains in Finland. Ultimately, these centers bring very little benefit to anyone other than the companies that own and operate them.”

Meanwhile, legislation has not yet managed to adapt to the pace of developments, so companies are rushing to launch projects as soon as possible.

Some call for the creation of a central institution to coordinate data center projects, rather than leaving decision-making largely to municipalities. The latter can focus on the immediate needs of their areas, without due consideration of the broader consequences.

In Muhos and Otanmäki, there are residents who support the projects, hoping for jobs and land tax revenue that will benefit their areas. However, many others feel that the municipalities have not adequately protected their interests.

Antti Jakonen, a resident of Muho, said that although the felled trees make up only a small part of Finland's forests, he objects to the way it was handled.

"This was done the wrong way. In the American style. Without any logic. No logic at all," he said.

Jakonen, a former entrepreneur and fisherman, is demanding that Google compensate for the damage by helping restore the local salmon population, which disappeared decades ago due to the construction of hydroelectric power plants.

The measures Google is taking

In Otanmäki, the consequences of the encroachment on nature and the daily lives of the residents are being clearly felt. Anni Ranta, 53, whose family has lived in the area for generations, says that after the trees were cut down, wolves that lived in the forest began to approach the village.

Once a mining village, this area is known for its rare earth element wealth. Ranta’s family lives in the center of the village, next to a church with a triangular peak and an old pub that has been abandoned for years. Previously, the quiet forest stretched for kilometers around the village. Now, the noise of construction work near the area cleared by Google for the construction of the data center can be heard throughout the area.

"The wolves started coming into the village because all the wild animals left the forest. They ran away," says Ranta. She also expresses concern about the noise the data center could cause, as the ground in this area is rocky.

"Even when we stand here talking," she says, stamping her feet on the ground, "it's like I'm beating a drum."

Her opposition to Google's arrival is so strong that she is considering leaving the village. She also fears that the data center could turn the area into a potential target for Russia, with which Finland shares a long border.

"I don't want them here," she says of Google. "I don't want them in Finland at all. I don't like the idea of ​​artificial intelligence, or the way the world is changing. Everything is happening too fast, too early."

Her father, Pentti Korhonen, a retired former wilderness guide, says that since the destruction of the forest, the stream's water has turned brown.

"There is absolutely no need for data centers in Finland. There is no need for them at all," he says.

Vesa Hyyryläinen, head of the local branch of the Finnish Society for Nature Conservation (SLL), says that the three-toed woodpeckers, which used to nest in the forest, have been forced to leave.

"All of us who deal with nature protection are very concerned about the political situation in Finland and the way policies are being developed. I wonder why we have to sacrifice so much of our nature. They are giving up everything too easily," says the biologist, who is also an expert on sea eagles.

However, he says he understands the authorities' effort to attract new investment and create jobs, especially in a region with an aging population.

"Young people leave for Helsinki, Berlin and Paris. There are so few people here. We have to sacrifice," he says.

Veli-Matti Uski, director general at the Ministry of Environment, said that the government is “monitoring general developments in the data center sector and the implementation of relevant legislation, and is ready to propose legal changes when necessary.”

Google said it is taking steps to protect water quality in the Muhos area and plans to plant trees on an area of ​​130 hectares. However, conservationists say this area is too small to compensate for the damage caused by deforestation.

"We have been operating in Finland for 15 years and have always strived to meet or exceed legal requirements for spatial planning, the environment, health and safety," a company spokesperson stated.

He said that after receiving notifications from LVV on October 6, we stopped preparatory work in Muhos and Kajaani, where the project area in Otanmäki is located, and that they have sent an official response to the authority to confirm this.

"We will fully meet the LVV's demands on this issue. We look forward to continuing the open and regular dialogue with all authorities, with the aim of strengthening cooperation with Finland and local organizations," he said.