Metsän puolella funding for 19 new projects, more than 100 funded projects already 

The projects highlighted multidisciplinarity, posthumanism, and the rights of other species, among other themes. Many of the projects combined art and research in their methods.  

In its seventh application round, Kone Foundation’s Metsän puolella (“For the Woods”) initiative granted funding to 19 projects totaling approximately 2.9 million euros. A record 643 applications were received. Over the course of its entire operation, the Metsän puolella initiative has thus granted funding to a total of over 100 projects with more than 25 million euros.

Many of the newly funded projects combined research and art in their methodology in this round of funding. In the projects, research and art are working hand in hand to correct misinformation, popularize science, and inspire broad audiences to take a stand for forests. 

“The applications clearly reflected an ongoing shift in thinking—that transitioning toward forest use within the limits of nature’s carrying capacity requires boldly questioning current practices. In the Metsän puolella initiative, we welcome this shift in thinking, as promoting it has been one of our key objectives. Now, in the seventh funding round, challenging current practices is concretely visible in the funded projects,” writes Mari Pantsar, Change Manager of the Metsän puolella initiative. 

Highlights from the new projects 

The project Metsän eläinten puolella – monilajisen ennallistamisen eettiset mallit (“On the Side of Forest Animals – Ethical Models for Multispecies Restoration”) (€309,600) by D.Soc.Sc., University Lecturer Simo Kyllönen and team, examines species loss and forest restoration from the perspective of animals. The project combines philosophy and environmental economics modeling and aims to define how the moral value of forest animals should be considered in restoration efforts. The goal is to develop a multispecies population ethics that accounts for animals, helping to make ethically justified decisions about forest restoration. 

B.A. of Culture and Arts Lauri Autere and team’s project Lusto 2.0 – Metsäliike luontokäytävien tukena (“Lusto 2.0 – Forest Movement in Support of Wildlife Corridors”) (€200,000) continues the work of the previous Lusto project to advance forest protection in Finland and Sápmi by bringing the significance of ecological corridors and the wildlife corridor model to broad public awareness. The two-year project combines an educational tour, communications campaign, expansion of forest monitoring activities, and spectacular Metsämarssi (Forest March) events that bring research knowledge about wildlife corridors to the public awareness. The goal is to place the wildlife corridor model at the heart of national forest debate and bring together new and experienced forest conservationists. 

Swamphead Oy’s artistic documentary film Creaturama – Eläinten eepos (“Creaturama – Epic of Animals”) (€36,200) highlights the perspective of forest animals. The film uses footage from an archive of over 200,000 video clips of forest animal life without human presence, recorded by trail cameras over seven years. In the film, forest animals get to direct the story themselves, and the audiovisual work combines natural sounds, compositions, and a universal choral language. The project challenges the anthropocentric view of forests and makes the polyphony of the forest visible. 

Read Mari Pantsar’s column.

Explore all Metsän puolella projects here.