Finnish student clears islands of trees to study impact on endangered seabirds

A university student in eastern Finland is removing trees from small islands in North Karelia as part of a rare field study to determine whether deforestation could improve nesting success for endangered seabirds, reports Finnish broadcaster Yle.

Aaron Lempinen, an ecology student at the University of Eastern Finland, has cleared vegetation from six islands across the region as research for his master’s thesis. The project, conducted with long-time gull researcher Risto Juvaste, tests whether removing trees reduces predation by crows and ravens, which use foliage for cover when raiding nests.

“We’re leveling the playing field by eliminating hiding spots for predators,” Lempinen said. “The question is whether that translates to more successful breeding.”

Early ice melt limited access to additional islands, but Lempinen hopes to reach a few more by boat before birds arrive for the nesting season. His findings could inform conservation policies for species like the lesser black-backed gull—now critically endangered in Finland—alongside four other gull species, black-throated divers, and Arctic terns.

Juvaste, who has studied gulls for decades, noted that improved waste management has reduced food sources like landfills, compounding pressures on populations already struggling with nest failures. Despite their unpopular reputation, he emphasized gulls’ ecological role: “They’re a vital part of the ecosystem, and that’s why protecting them matters.”

Lempinen will analyze the data for his thesis, with results potentially aiding authorities in future conservation decisions. “It would be meaningful if officials could use this research to support protection efforts,” he said.