Google Cleared Roughly 250,000 Trees in Finland for Data Center; Regulator Halts Work at Two Sites

Google illegally cleared an estimated 250,000 trees across about 815 acres of forest near Muhos, in rural northern Finland, to build a data center, according to a Guardian report published Thursday. The land lies southeast of Oulu, Finland's fifth-largest city. Google is accused of removing the trees before it had full approval, though Finnish law requires a mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment before large-scale operations. Earlier this month, the Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) ordered Google to temporarily stop work at Muhos and at a second site roughly 62 miles away. What remains at Muhos is mud, puddles, machinery tracks and mounds of earth, roots and branches, with the topsoil removed as well. Residents say brown water from the site is flowing into a stream that feeds the Oulujoki River. Finland has 145 new data centers at various stages of planning, drawn by its cool climate, stable geology and available land.

Right-leaning coverage, represented by the New York Post, leads with the wildlife effect and local anger. Its headline says the clearing drove wolves into villages, and it quotes resident Anni Ranta saying wolves entered Otanmäki, 50 miles from the site, after animals left the forest. It also cites her worry about noise on hard rock soil, and it ties the clearing to Google's push into artificial intelligence. Left-leaning coverage, represented by Mother Jones, republishing the Guardian piece, leads with the scarred land. It uses the image of a wound of earth, notes the missing topsoil and the runoff, and quotes ecologist Mari Annala of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation. It also places the case within Finland's wider data center boom. Both sides agree on the tree count, the illegality, and the regulator's suspension. Alternative / independent outlets had not reported the story at the time of writing, while left-leaning and right-leaning outlets had.