Google faces Finnish backlash after clearing 250,000 trees for datacentre
Google cleared approximately 250,000 trees across 330 hectares of forest in northern Finland to construct a datacentre, sparking local anger. The Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority ordered a temporary halt to work at the Muhos site and a second location in Otanmäki. Critics cite illegal topsoil removal and runoff affecting the Oulujoki River, highlighting tensions between tech expansion and environmental sustainability in the region.
Key points
- Google, a major technology company, removed an estimated 250,000 trees from 330 hectares of forest near Muhos, Finland, to build a datacentre.
- The Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) ordered Google to temporarily pause construction at the Muhos site and a second site in Otanmäki, located 100km south-east.
- Local ecologists report that brown water runoff from the stripped site is entering a stream that feeds the Oulujoki River, raising concerns about soil and water quality.
- Finland has 145 new datacentres in various planning stages, driven by its cool climate, which reduces energy costs for cooling servers, and geopolitical stability.
- Residents describe the site as a 'vast gaping wound' of mud and machinery tracks, noting that Google removed topsoil along with the trees, a practice they call 'pure arrogance'.
- The conflict illustrates the growing environmental footprint of tech infrastructure, as companies seek efficient locations for data storage while local communities face landscape changes.
Google has faced significant local opposition in northern Finland after clearing an estimated 250,000 trees to construct a datacentre near the town of Muhos. The project involved stripping 330 hectares of forest, including the topsoil, leaving the area as a landscape of mud and machinery tracks. This development has intensified scrutiny of the tech giant’s environmental practices in the region.
The Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority recently ordered a temporary halt to work at the Muhos site and a second location in Otanmäki, situated 100km south-east. Local ecologists, including Mari Annala of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, have highlighted specific environmental impacts. They note that brown water runoff from the construction site is flowing into a stream that feeds the Oulujoki River, potentially affecting local water quality. The removal of topsoil, in addition to the trees, has been described by residents as an aggressive approach to land preparation.
Finland has emerged as a key hub for datacentres, with 145 new facilities currently in various stages of planning. The country’s cool climate offers significant energy savings for cooling servers, while its geopolitical stability and land abundance make it attractive to international tech firms. However, this rapid expansion is creating friction with local communities and environmental groups who are concerned about the cumulative impact on the landscape and local ecosystems. The Muhos project serves as a focal point for these broader tensions between technological growth and environmental preservation.
Sources
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