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It has not been determined that Google illegally cleared the forest. The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation alleges that Google’s project company arranged the clearing of more than 300 hectares at Muhos, while Finnish authorities were still investigating whether the work breached environmental-assessment requirements. Google says the tree felling complied with Finland’s Forest Act.
What is alleged to have happened at Muhos?
The dispute concerns a planned data-center site at Leppiniemi, in the municipality of Muhos in Northern Ostrobothnia. The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation says more than 300 hectares of forest were clear-cut there during winter 2025–26 or early 2026, before Google publicly announced its Finnish investment program. The figure is the association’s reported area, not a final measurement issued by a regulator or a court.
The association says Google’s Finnish project company, Tuike Finland Oy, arranged the clearing. Its complaint centers on whether the land-use change should have required an environmental impact assessment (EIA) before work proceeded.
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Why does the 200-hectare threshold matter?
The association says Finnish rules require an EIA when a project involves a permanent land-use change covering more than 200 hectares. It argues that the reported Muhos clearing exceeded that threshold and that assessment should have taken place before the forest was removed.
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The threshold alone does not resolve the dispute. The key question is whether the clearing legally amounted to the kind of permanent land-use change covered by the requirement, and whether any other permits or exemptions applied. Those issues had not been decided in the reports available as of October 2, 2026.
Was the Muhos plan in force when clearing began?
The association says Muhos municipal council approved the relevant detailed plan on March 3, 2026, but that the plan was appealed and was therefore not legally effective when the clearing began. Whether that planning status affected the legality of the tree felling is part of the wider dispute; an appeal and an allegation do not, by themselves, establish a violation.
What are Finnish authorities investigating?
Yle reported in September 2026 that the Permits and Supervision Agency had asked for the matter to be investigated and had not reached a conclusion about whether the work was unlawful. The agency described the situation as “very unclear” and said the matter was still being investigated.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →A related inquiry concerns Google’s planned Otanmäki site in Kajaani, in the Kainuu region. Authorities requested explanations from the municipalities and Google’s project company. Yle reported that the situation there, too, remained unclear and under investigation. The Muhos and Kajaani inquiries should not be treated as one finding: the available reports do not establish that the sites had the same clearing area, planning status or environmental-review requirements.
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What does Google say?
As reported by Helsinki Times, Google said: “Trees have been felled on Google-owned land in Muhos and Kajaani fully in accordance with the requirements of the Forest Act.” That is the company’s position on compliance with the Forest Act; it does not settle the separate question of whether an EIA was required or whether the applicable land-use rules were followed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How does the allegation fit into Google’s Finnish expansion?
On September 9, 2026, Google announced a minimum investment of €13 billion in Finnish digital infrastructure for 2027–2028. The program covers Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala and includes ecological-restoration initiatives. Google’s data-center project page says the company acquired 2,100 hectares in Muhos and Kajaani for potential future data-center development. That acquired-land figure describes the combined sites, not the area the association says was cleared at Muhos.
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Google says its restoration program includes former forestry lands near Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala. The announcement does not determine whether the Muhos clearing met legal requirements or substitute for a regulator’s decision on the complaint.
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