We are delighted to welcome Valkeasuo in North Karelia, Finland, as the fifth pilot site of the BiodivEarth Community of Practice. Located in a largely intact boreal peatland and forest mosaic of exceptional ecological value, Valkeasuo represents a powerful example of community-driven conservation in action.

The site is managed by Snowchange under an NGO-supported, community-led governance model. Snowchange owns and fully protects a 450-hectare area within Valkeasuo, where it works closely with local communities to sustain traditional, nature-positive livelihoods, safeguard headwaters, and restore previously degraded peatland ecosystems. By integrating local knowledge, traditional land-use practices, and strict ecological protection, Valkeasuo offers a compelling alternative to extractive and top-down land management approaches. It demonstrates that biodiversity conservation can go hand in hand with sustainable livelihoods and long-term ecosystem stewardship.

As one of BiodivEarth’s five pilot sites, Valkeasuo will contribute long-term ecological and social data. In addition to standard monitoring datasets, this includes pioneering winter greenhouse gas assessments, biocultural knowledge documentation, and watershed-scale insights from the Koitajoki River Basin. Through BiodivEarth’s Community of Practice, Snowchange will engage in peer exchange, collaborative learning, and joint research. Together, partners will explore the key factors that strengthen long-term resilience for both ecosystems and local communities. The knowledge generated will support shared tools and learning opportunities to help regions across Northern Europe and beyond build resilience for nature and people alike.

We look forward to this collaboration and to learning from Valkeasuo’s unique landscape and community-led approach to conservation.