The establishment of the nature conservation area of the Kvarken archipelago is moving towards decision-making — A recent case study examines the stages and practices of the mediation process

The decree establishing the nature conservation area of the Kvarken archipelago was drafted at the local level between 2023 and 2025 as part of Finland’s most extensive nature conservation dispute resolution process assisted by an external, independent party.

In the process supported by Akordi, a working group composed of representatives from the area’s municipalities prepared a draft decree. In addition, a working group formed of representatives from local interest groups participated in the preparatory work and also drafted a proposal for a co-management model to be established for the area. The working group’s efforts were preceded by a situation assessment conducted by Akordi, as well as a joint definition of the process and objectives.

The draft was submitted to the Ministry of the Environment in March 2025, and preparations have continued based on the feedback received. Many commenters praised the extensive collaboration and the consideration of local needs during the process, and considered the establishment of the nature conservation area to be important.

Progress on the legislative preparation was delayed due to an internal contradiction in the law concerning protection provisions related to the capture and disturbance of animal species. An amendment was proposed in May as part of the government’s bill to amend the Nature Conservation Act, and the establishment of the Kvarken nature conservation area can proceed once it enters into force. At meetings held yesterday in Vaasa, the refinements made following the public comment period were reviewed before the matter proceeds to decision-making in the fall. The Ministry wanted to respect the locally acceptable solutions sought through a collaborative process, and the amendments were largely of a technical nature.

“I think it’s great that the contributions of both working groups have been comprehensively taken into account in the regulation. Regional input has been respected. We look forward to the regulation taking effect and to continue collaboration”, says Jan Finne, mayor of Vöyri, who served as chair of the working group responsible for drafting the legislation.

From Decades of Conflict to Constructive Collaboration – A Case Study of the Mediation Process regarding the Kvarken nature conservation area

Taika Tikkanen, a communications specialist at Akordi, examined the Kvarken mediation process in her recently published master’s thesis. The aim of the case study was to describe the stages of the mediation process as well as the practices and principles that were key to its success. The research data consisted of interviews with ten stakeholders who represented different parties in the mediation process. The research questions were:

1. How was the mediation process linked to the legislative drafting of the decree establishing the Kvarken nature conservation area carried out?
2. From the perspective of the participants in the mediation process, what were the key factors that contributed to the process’s success?

In the thematic analysis, the factors that significantly influenced the success of the process were organized into six main themes and their subthemes:

• Support provided by an independent mediator: designing a credible process, facilitating confidential discussions, and ensuring the process moves forward
• Locally driven procedures and objectives: a division of labor in legislative drafting that strengthened the role of local stakeholders, the goal of developing a co-management model, and bilingualism
• Comprehensive representation and equal consideration of different interests: comprehensive representation of local interests and fairness
• Trust-building interaction: building trust, personnel selection, and an interactive working style and a respectful atmosphere for discussion
• A shared practical knowledge base: diverse information and sufficiency
• Sufficient time

The study shows that environmental mediation based on the Consensus Building approach and conducted with the support of an independent mediator can serve as a decisive method in multi-party environmental disputes within the Finnish context. The mediation process enabled the legislative process — which had been stalled by local opposition and a lack of trust — to move forward and led to the identification of mutually acceptable solutions, which highlights the potential of interest based environmental mediation to support public policymaking and decision-making regarding the environment and natural resources.

Read more:

Tikkanen, T. (2026). Vuosikymmenten ristiriidoista kohti rakentavaa yhteistyötä: Tapaustutkimus Merenkurkun sovitteluprosessista. Master’s Thesis. Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University.