Be kind, rewild! A warm welcome to Baltic Circle’s nature restoration site in Ähtäri.
A trip to the bog in September offers a concrete opportunity to participate in the fight against the effects of climate change, get to know the creatures of the bog and help build safe havens for them. The aim of the festival is to restore the natural values of land and water areas damaged by industrial land use. Baltic Circle has started the work in the bog area of Oravasuo, Siltaneva and Rasinneva, in Central Finland.
The bog is rewilded under the guidance of the leading climate and rewilding expert Snowchange Cooperative. The trip entails sharing environmental information, observations and constructing dams to a drained bog. Restoration work on-site started in September 2022 with a similar rewilding trip. Then, the participants successfully rehabilitated a one-hectare area, positively influencing the water flow. The enthusiasm sparked then has multiplied this year’s objective.
There is a bus transport from Helsinki to the event, and on the trip you will accommodate in shared tents or rooms. Pack a wool base layer, rainproof outdoor clothing, gloves, flashlight or headlamp, sleeping pad and bag, as well as personal sauna and sleeping accessories. A bog is a wet and difficult terrain; be prepared with sturdy, waterproof and high-top shoes, e.g. with hiking or wellington boots. In addition to the bog, the setting for the event is provided by its neighboring estate, Vanha Väätänen, inhabited since 1565, so you don’t have to prepare to carry your gear for long distances.
The water and nature restoration experts of the non-profit Snowchange Cooperative act as our restoration guides.
The event is part of Baltic Circle’s multi-year project, Wild Trippers, which focuses on introducing progressive environmental information and strengthening the social community in the fight against climate change. It encourages everyday environmental activism by inviting individuals and communities to low-threshold activities and sharing observations.