Establishing the nature conservation area of the Kvarken archipelago
The establishing process of the Kvarken archipelago nature conservation area has been Finland’s largest environmental conflict resolution process assisted by a neutral third party.
Over the decades, deep tensions have developed between environmental administration and local actors in the Kvarken area. The roots of the disputes lie in the 1980s coastal protection program and the Natura decisions of the 2000s. Landowners in the area felt that their rights had been ignored, and their experiences of administrative officials’ “arbitrariness” over the decades remained simmering beneath the surface. The mistrust and disappointment toward the administration have led to a deterioration in relations between the parties and a situation where numerous decisions on the use of the environment in the area have ended up in the administrative courts.
In 2020, the Ministry of the Environment launched legislative preparations to establish the Kvarken archipelago nature conservation area in order to implement previous government decisions. The preparatory process was quite participatory, with discussions between various parties, public meetings, and online surveys. However, the Ministry of the Environment decided to suspend the preparation process due to strong and widespread criticism. Due to the heated situation, the Ministry of the Environment invited Akordi to investigate the situation as a neutral external party.
Conflict assessment
Akordi’s work began in the fall of 2023 with a situation assessment. The aim of the assessment was to gain an understanding of the issues in dispute, the stages of the dispute, the parties involved and their relationships, and the parties’ views on possible solutions to the dispute.
The mapping was carried out through confidential interviews. A total of forty people were interviewed. Participants included members of parliament, municipal leaders, fishermen, hunters, landowners, representatives of nature organizations and various associations, as well as representatives of the Ministry of the Environment, Metsähallitus, and the South Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. Based on the interviews, a summary report (in Finnish and Swedish) was prepared, which was discussed in a workshop organized for the interviewees and finalized based on the feedback received before publication.
Specific issues and concerns that emerged included the restriction of hunting and fishing, perceived ambiguity in nature conservation objectives, resources for nature management, lack of monitoring of the impacts of conservation decisions, the knowledge base for conservation and the use of local knowledge, dissatisfaction with the regulation of cormorant and seal populations, and different interpretations of legislation.
Administrative participation processes were perceived as apparent and opportunities for local people to influence only as a formal procedure. Administrative decision-making was also perceived as slow and bureaucratic, and the process for granting exemptions as unreasonably long. In addition, relations and interaction between the parties were described as tense and strained. This manifested itself in frustration with various working groups, name-calling, belittling, experiences of perceived deliberate harassment and even threats, as well as avoidance of direct confrontation.
However, in addition to the problems, the interviews also revealed that the parties had shared concerns, such as the sharp decline in waterbird populations. The rich archipelago nature was widely appreciated, and its future appeared to be a genuinely shared concern. In addition to the challenges related to interaction, positive developments were also felt in the area, particularly in the activities of Metsähallitus. In addition to critical voices, many interviewees also expressed a desire and willingness to seek solutions.
In a workshop organized for the interviewees, the summary was felt to correspond well with the reality experienced by the different parties and to clearly highlight the different perspectives. The shared picture of the situation created a basis for discussion on the possibility of a process aimed at resolving the disputes. As a result of the workshop, several participants agreed to consider participating in a smaller working group to jointly outline possible next steps for addressing the disputes.
Building the process
In January and February 2024, Akordi facilitated two “kitchen table discussions” in Vaasa. The aim of the discussions was to plan a credible negotiation process and build trust. Four local parties participated in the discussions, along with representatives from the Ministry of the Environment, Metsähallitus, and the South Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. After the day-long meetings, the work continued by telephone, e-mail, rounds of comments on the process proposal, and remote meetings until the end of April.
The meetings took place in a homelike environment and included joint meals, coffee breaks, and informal chats, which helped the parties get to know each other, interact informally, and build trust. The participation of the Director General of the Ministry of the Environment in the negotiations added to the credibility of the process.
Mistrust was strongly present at the meetings, and supporting the process required the mediator to maintain constant contact with the parties and to motivate and encourage them. From the mediator’s point of view, the meetings were like walking on thin ice.
The mistrust manifested itself in provocative demands and “testing,” as well as uncertainty about the next steps. Based on this work, Akordi drafted a proposal (in Finnish) for a formal negotiation process in April 2024. The core of the proposal had two parts: The preparation of legislation for the nature reserve would continue in a working group composed of representatives elected by the municipalities, and at the same time, key stakeholders would draw up a proposal for a co-management model, according to which the management and use of the nature reserve to be established would be planned and implemented. The working group preparing the co-management would also actively participate in discussions on the content of the draft decree for establishing the nature conservation area.
Akordi’s proposal was published in local newspapers and key stakeholders were asked to indicate their willingness to participate in the process. The Ministry of the Environment sent requests to municipalities to appoint members to the working group.
Negotiation process
Both working groups began their work in August 2024, and negotiations were concluded at the end of March 2025. The working groups were chaired by their respective chairpersons: Jan Finne, the mayor of Vöyri municipality, chaired the legislation working group, and the co-management working group was chaired by Vincent Westberg from the South Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. Representatives of the Ministry of the Environment and Metsähallitus acted as expert advisors and secretaries to the legislation group which met a total of 17 times. The co-management group also met more than ten times. Some of the meetings were joint meetings of the groups and they usually also included external experts.
The first two-thirds of the work consisted of discussing different topics, holding introductory discussions on various issues and related perspectives, and building a common knowledge base and understanding by hearing different perspectives and external experts.
After the turn of the year, the co-management group outlined a proposal for the model of co-management, and the legislative working group began to outline the draft decree and prepare a background memorandum. Issues related to land use and hunting proved to be the most challenging, and the working group requested an additional month for its work.
No final decisions were made until the whole package was ready and the details of the draft decree and background memorandum could be approved. The content of the draft decree was worked on right up to the last minute. However, at a press conference held after the final meeting, it was noted that the discussions on even the most difficult issues had been fruitful and that the contentious issues had been resolved.
Photos 1-2. Press conference on March 25, 2025
In the first phase of the negotiation process, Akordi participated in and assisted the work of both groups by contributing to the preparation of the topics and issues to be discussed at the meetings, compiling summaries of the various topics as a basis for discussion, and ensuring that the discussions covered as many different perspectives as possible.
After the turn of the year, Akordi’s work focused on structuring the conflicts and identifying possible ways forward. In practice, this meant preparing summaries and proposals and presenting them at working group meetings. In addition, ongoing background discussions were held with the parties involved, efforts were made to correct misunderstandings, encourage the search for solutions and maintain a solution-oriented atmosphere, and support was sought from external experts on content issues.
Keys to success and main challenges
Many factors contributed to the success of the working group. The chairs acted impartially and with commitment, supported constructive discussion, and actively sought to ensure that all perspectives were considered. The representative of the Ministry of the Environment listened actively, did not begin drafting the content of the decree until the final stage, and spared no effort in preparing and finalizing a comprehensive background memorandum. The process was also supported by Metsähallitus’ in-depth local knowledge and expertise, as well as the open support and encouragement of the regional mayor. Ultimately, the decisive factor was the willingness of the members of both working groups to reach a joint solution and their solution-oriented attitude.
Photos 3-4. The final meeting of the legislation working group on May 23, 2025, when the draft decree and background memorandum were unanimously approved.
In retrospect, the most challenging situations in the nearly two-year process were always rooted in mistrust between the parties in one way or another. However, a neutral mediator was able to resolve the situations through bilateral discussions, opening and broadening perspectives, and utilizing external experts.
Building trust between the mediator and the parties always begins with the first contact. The key factors are respect, listening, and striving to understand the parties, as well as building solutions based on the parties’ own starting points. To succeed and persevere, the mediator needs strong commitment to the work, trust in the process and in the parties’ ability to find acceptable solutions, as well as the courage to work with their own personality.
The text was written by Juha-Pekka Turunen and Taika Tikkanen. JP has acted as a neutral mediator in the process with Camilla Strandberg-Panelius. Taika is researching the process in her master’s thesis, which she is currently working on.
Read more:
Description of the whole process (in Finnish)
Ministry of the Environment 12.5.2025: Request for opinion and working group proposal for a government decree and related memorandum
Akordi’s news 25.3.2025: The draft decree for establishing the nature conservation area of the Kvarken archipelago was finalised after a long conflict resolution process
Ministry of the Environment’s press release 1.4.2025 (in Finnish): Työryhmä luovutti ympäristöministeriölle asetusluonnoksen Merenkurkun suojelualueen perustamiseksi
Yle 26.3.2025 (in Finnish): Merenkurkun luonnonsuojelualueen perustaminen etenee – työryhmä hyväksyi asetusluonnoksen
YLE 25.3.2025 (in Swedish): Förslag: Kvarkens naturskyddsområde ska skötas av en delegation – kan minska på myndighetsföraktet
Akordi’s news 29.11.2024: Work to resolve nature conservation disputes in Kvarken archipelago is progressing in a constructive spirit
Akordi’s news 25.4.2024: A common vision for the future of the Kvarken archipelago nature conservation dispute has emerged
Turunen, Juha-Pekka ja Strandberg-Panelius, Camilla (2023). Merenkurkun luonnonsuojelun ristiriidat ja ratkaisumahdollisuudet [Naturvården i Kvarken: meningsskiljaktigheter och möjliga lösninga]. Akordi Oy publications. (in Finnish and Swedish)
Ministry of the Environment’s press release 1.12.2023 (in Finnish): Merenkurkun erimielisyyksiin etsitään ratkaisuja