The founder of the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation, Mr Pentti Linkola, who serves as the chairman of the board, celebrated his 80th anniversary on 7 December 2012. In honour of his birthday, we started a fund-raising campaign with a great result: 98 932 euros.

Mr Linkola’s dream of having primeval forests protected has become reality, and this vision is being maintained by the foundation, which was established in 1995. What started as a mere bank account for the protection of white-backed woodpeckers has turned into a foundation running with donations from private citizens and organizations.

The foundation acquired its first conservation area, Akanvaara in Parikkala, in 2000. Just before Christmas 2012, the 35th area called Metsäpirtti was placed under protection, this time in Uurainen. The old ones have also grown in size in the course of the years, for instance the Tapiola area in Noormarkku and the Keijunmetsä forest in Renko in Hämeenlinna. We have managed to receive over 620 hectares in our possession so far.

It appears from the result of the fund-raising campaign that Mr Linkola’s dream is widely supported by ordinary people. The result also tells about how much his life’s work is appreciated.

We want to thank warmly those who participated. With the help of the donations, we will acquire a new conservations area to be named after Mr Pentti Linkola.

Photo: Jorma Ahola 2012.