Transforming peat production areas in North Ostrobothnia into multi-objective wetlands 2025-2026

In 2025, the Finnish Game Management Foundation expanded its JTF-funded restoration project package with the Popka 2 project, increasing the total area of decommissioned peatland areas to be restored during 2025-2026 to 130 hectares.

The aim of the POPKA 2 project is to restore areas that have been taken out of peat production in three former peat production areas (Kapustasuo in Kuusamo, Valkianeva in Siikalatva and Pehkeensuo in Utajärvi) by re-watering the areas.

Read more on our project website!

The landowners of the POPKA 2 project are mainly private individuals. The restoration of peatland areas will focus on concentrating water from upstream forest streams through wetlands created in the areas and optimising the water protection efficiency of the wetlands. Nesting islands will also be constructed in the wetlands and water regulation will be enabled by means of regulating dams to allow for seasonal wetland dynamics.

The project is mainly funded by the European Union’s JTF funding distributed by the ELY Centre of North Ostrobothnia, with the Finnish Game Management Foundation covering the self-financing part of the project.

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