Hankasalmi municipality launches its largest urban forest clearing project since the 1980s. Workers will thin and tidy town forests, parks, and unsold lots across all urban areas. The project begins this fall and continues through next spring.
Municipal Property Manager Hannu Lampinen acknowledged the long delay. "We should have done this much earlier," he said in a statement. "Now we finally made it happen."
The municipality tendered the clearing contracts earlier this year. Initial work started in early summer with undergrowth removal.
This represents Finland's ongoing struggle with maintaining urban green spaces amid changing land use patterns. Municipalities often defer maintenance during budget constraints, leading to accumulated work that becomes more expensive over time.