Restoration and Peat Relationships - A Conversation from Finland’s Archipelago with Ville Laitinen
New podcast episode!
In this episode of Echoes from the Bog, we travel to Finland’s Southwest Archipelago to talk about nature restoration, peatlands, and youth action. We met with Ville Laitinen, a member of Luontoliitto, the Finnish Nature Association, that has been restoring habitats from coastal meadows to drained peatlands for decades.
We discuss how peatlands are perceived in Finnish society. From being seen as harsh, isolated places or resources for forestry and fuel, to being valued as carbon sinks, biodiversity hotspots, and cultural landscapes rich with folklore. Together, we explore questions of just transitions, community involvement, and the challenge of working across differences between locals, hunters, environmentalists, and policymakers.
The conversation dives into youth empowerment, climate anxiety, and what it means to turn complex emotions into collective action through hands-on restoration camps. It’s a story about care, connection, and why, as our guest said, “nature brought us here, but the community made us stay.”
See you next time!
RE-PEAT team 💚