Google buys 56 hectares in Hamina as conservationists warn of wildlife risks

Google has bought 56.4 hectares of land in Hamina for a possible data centre expansion, prompting conservationists to call for stronger safeguards for flying squirrels and protected butterflies. Yle reported that the company has not decided whether to build on the land.

The land, in Summa, was bought from the city for 10.7 million euros in September 2026. Hamina is preparing a zoning plan for the area, which also includes land belonging to other companies and private individuals.

The draft plan identifies five areas important to flying squirrels, dragonflies or butterflies within land reserved for industry. It marks breeding and resting places protected under the Nature Conservation Act as areas of particular importance for biodiversity. Work in those areas must not harm the species’ living conditions; for example, trees cannot be felled in flying squirrel breeding areas.

Raija Seppälä, vice-chair of the South-East Kymenlaakso branch of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, says the habitats should be marked with nature-conservation designations. She says nature values will inevitably be lost unless they are protected through clear zoning marks and buffer zones.

Conservationists’ concerns follow revelations of excessive logging in Hamina. Google subsidiary Tuike Finland illegally felled trees used by flying squirrels for resting and routes they used to move through the area during data centre expansion work in 2018 and 2019. The Licensing and Supervisory Authority reprimanded the company, but said the Nature Conservation Act was less strict at the time. The authority says the threshold for filing a criminal complaint would now be lower.

Google told Yle by email that it would use clear environmental protection measures and work closely with authorities to meet strict environmental standards. Hamina’s city architect, Milla Koskivirta, said the zoning plan could still change based on comments from authorities and would not take legal effect before spring 2027 at the earliest. City building control and environmental protection officials would oversee any work, with the Licensing and Supervisory Authority responsible for supervision as the competent authority.

Google announced a billion-euro investment in Finland in September, including plans to expand its existing Hamina data centre and invest in Muhos, Kajaani and Vaala. This year, the company felled forest in Muhos and Kajaani while an environmental impact assessment was still under way, in breach of the relevant law. The authority asked police to investigate and requested further information from Google.