Residents and environmental groups in Vantaa's Lapinkylä district are challenging a planned high-voltage power line that would cut through protected natural areas. The 110-kilovolt electricity line is proposed to run directly beside single-family homes and through conservation zones containing protected streams and flying squirrel routes.
Local residents discovered the project would impact a protected 'noro' stream only after reading about similar cases in the news. A noro is a small seasonal watercourse that can dry up periodically but maintains important ecological value. Three such streams exist in Lapinkylä, with the southernmost one positioned directly in the power line's path.
Petri Suomalainen, a Lapinkylä resident, expressed frustration about the planning process. 'We had to remind authorities and the grid company about both the streams and the flying squirrel route,' he said. 'The project preparation appears very unprofessional and careless. It's unsustainable that we as citizens must gather information about protected sites for the city and power company.'
The conflict highlights growing tensions between infrastructure development and environmental protection in Finland's rapidly urbanizing regions. Vantaa, part of the Helsinki metropolitan area, faces constant pressure to expand energy infrastructure while preserving its limited natural spaces.
Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment is now considering whether to require an environmental impact assessment for the project. Officials expect to decide about the assessment in early next year after receiving additional clarifications from the power company.
This isn't the first environmental concern for the power line project. Earlier, officials noted problems with the route near Seutula's Isoniitty area, an important resting and feeding ground for migratory birds. The open field attracts species like the ruffed grouse and other waders during spring migration, while geese, swans and large birds of prey stop there during autumn migration.
Juho Leppänen, conservation secretary for bird organization Tringa, explained the importance of maintaining these stopover points. 'Birds have resting places during their migrations that form a chain,' he said. 'If one stage disappears, they must fly longer distances.'
Birdlife Finland maintains that new overhead power lines shouldn't be built in important bird areas. Even when marked with colored balls for visibility, the lines remain dangerous to birds. 'I've witnessed several geese and swans colliding with power lines at Vanhankaupunginlahti,' Leppänen noted.
The situation reflects broader challenges in Finnish urban planning where infrastructure projects increasingly encounter protected natural features. As cities expand, previously overlooked small watercourses and animal corridors gain importance in maintaining urban biodiversity.
If built as overhead lines, the project would require clearing all trees from the narrow forest strip that currently serves as a flying squirrel route. This creates direct conflict with both flying squirrel protection and stream conservation requirements.
The case demonstrates how Finnish environmental legislation gives substantial protection to even small natural features, but relies on proper implementation during planning phases. When municipalities and utility companies miss these details, citizens increasingly step in to enforce existing protections.