How Finnish destinations and travel companies are giving back to nature

What if travel didn’t just leave no trace but actually helped nature flourish?

That’s the idea behind regenerative thinking. In Finland, destinations, travel companies and communities are taking real action to improve biodiversity, restore ecosystems and deepen our connection to the natural world. Visitors may not always be involved directly but their presence, support and curiosity still play a part.

Here are real-life examples of how Finnish places are helping nature heal. To read more about sustainable travel in Finland, please visit our sustainability site.

In the eastern wilderness of Salla, travellers can now take part in preserving Finland’s forests. Through the Give back to local nature campaign (Sallan luontohyvitys) developed together with the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation, visitors can choose to protect old-growth forest, peatlands, or rare floodplain woods, or even support the restoration of swamps.

Participants select the amount they wish to contribute and what kind of habitat they’d like to protect. It’s a unique way to connect with local nature and leave a lasting, green footprint in one of Finland’s most pristine regions.

Pollinators like bees are responsible for around 90% of flowering plants and 75% of global crops. Yet their numbers are in decline. In Lahti, the city has launched a hands-on campaign called Ilman pölyttäjiä emme pärjää which translates to we can’t survive without pollinators.

To help bring biodiversity back to backyards, Lahti is distributing 10,000 packets of native meadow seeds to residents. By encouraging hallittu hoitamattomuus – controlled wildness – citizens can turn their gardens into vibrant pollinator habitats. It’s a grassroots approach to ecological change, literally.

At Haltia Lake Lodge, meadow care becomes a holiday highlight. Guests use scythes and rakes to manage traditional landscapes, helping rare species thrive. It’s hands-on, physical work, but deeply satisfying. Many leave not just with tired arms but a renewed appreciation for biodiversity.

In the Nuuksio area, invasive large-leaved lupins have been crowding out native wildflowers. To fight back, local travel company Hawkhill launched the Lupin Battle, a community initiative that brings together summer residents, businesses, local associations and travellers.

With tools and guidance from the Regional Environment Centre, and help from social media, volunteers removed over 200 bags of lupins in just one summer. It’s a story of ecological restoration powered by community action.

On the remote rock of Bengtskär, eider ducks return each spring to nest safely. The lighthouse staff and visiting tourists help deter predators like white-tailed eagles simply by being there. The entrepreneur even gets up at dawn to patrol the grounds, protecting the birds when they’re most vulnerable. Visitors are informed in advance and kindly asked to avoid disturbing the nests, which are also marked and shielded.

On Örö island, white-tailed deer, an introduced species not native to the area, have been quietly endangering local biodiversity by feeding on rare plants. In response, local entrepreneurs, Metsähallitus – the state-owned. environmental services producer – and the hunting club have teamed up to manage the population through guided hunting trips.

While the idea of hunting may feel uncomfortable to some, it’s part of a carefully considered conservation effort aimed at restoring the island’s natural balance. The venison is used respectfully in the island’s restaurant, offering guests a deeper understanding of how food, nature and sustainability can be connected. It’s a thoughtful blend of biodiversity protection, seasonal tourism and local food culture.

Spring winds bring debris to the shores of the archipelago. On Örö, travellers are invited to take part in voluntary litter collection, organised together with Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association. After the work, participants are treated to salmon soup – a warm reward for a good deed. The same idea applies to meadow restoration, where heather and juniper are cleared to allow rare plants to return.

Mood of Finland’s Forest of Love invites people to plant a tree and dedicate it to someone or something they care about. The tree can be planted on private land or in communal planting areas across southern Finland. Participants receive a certificate, and the initiative also supports the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation. This gentle, poetic act helps both grow new forests and protect old ones. It’s regeneration with roots, meaning and a personal touch.

Snowmobiles have long been part of winter fun in Lapland, but the noise and emissions aren’t exactly wildlife-friendly. That’s why Lapland Safaris is leading the way in switching to electric snowmobiles. They’re quiet, clean and already in use in places like Luosto and Rovaniemi. You still get the adventure—just with less disturbance to reindeer and a deeper connection to the snowy silence.

At Tackork Gård & Marina in southwest Finland, a wetland has been restored to support birds, invertebrates and water plants. The wetland also filters runoff and improves local water quality—making it both beautiful and functional.

Meanwhile, AT Nature introduces travellers to sustainable foraging. Guests catch fish, pick berries and hunt game in moderation, then prepare their meals outdoors. It’s a slow, immersive way to experience Finland’s wild larder—respectfully and with a light footprint.